Highways Magazine, January 2010 by Bob Dawson

THE GOOD SAM CLUB •

www.goodsamclub.com

•Our RV Century •Action Line to the Rescue

•Get the Good Stuff JANUARY

Monty and Susan Scales

GOOD SAM CLUB

RVers of the Year

GET LOST IN CALIFORNIA’S

Anza-Borrego State Park

table of contents

www.goodsamclub.com

OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE GOOD SAM CLUB

January 2010 VOLUME 44 NUMBER 1

www.goodsamclub.com 3 WHAT’S NEW ONLINE 4 ON THE ROAD 5 DEAR GOOD SAM 8 GOOD NEWS 11 RV INSIGHT 13 CAMP CUISINE 15 TECH TOPICS 28 ACTION LINE 29 GOOD STUFF 30 CLUB EVENTS 32 CLASSIFIEDS 35 PET PIX

contents

35 ADVERTISER INDEX 36 WHERE’S GOOD SAM?

20 ON THE EDGE OF CREATION Fall out of time in California’s sprawling Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, where steep rock canyons, mudstone hills and rugged gullies evoke the earth’s primitive beginnings. Plan your visit in March or April when the trails blaze with wildflowers and the ocotillos sway in the fragrant breeze. BY VICTOR A. WALSH

24 GOOD SAM CLUB RVERS OF THE YEAR Susan and Monty Scales found their calling helping storm victims in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Since then, they’ve lost count of how many houses—and lives—they’ve helped rebuild. BY JOHN SULLAWAY ON THE COVER: The Good Sam Club’s RVers of the Year, Susan and Monty Scales, in San Leon, Texas. Photograph by Todd Spoth. 2

Highways

JANUARY 2010

table of contents

www.goodsamclub.com

THE GOOD SAM CLUB

with this amazing 42 lb. FISHING MACHINE!

www.GoodSamClub.com Mike Schneider

ADVERTISING VP/ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

ENTER DAILY!

PRESIDENT/AFFINITY CLUBS

Terry Thompson

Good Sam Giveaway

Joe Daquino

ADVERTISING MANAGER

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND VP/GOOD SAM CLUB

Denielle Sternburg

Susan Bray

ads@affinitygroup.com ELKHART MIDWEST AD DIRECTOR Chuck Lasley 574-295-7820 ADVERTISING SALES Tacy Hendershot-Sargent 772-288-0387 Lou Cicirelli 954-205-9721 SEATTLE NATIONAL ADVERTISING Scott Oakes 206-283-9545 John Marciano 801-432-7303 DETROIT ADVERTISING SALES Scott Crompton 318-682-5665 RV DEALER SALES WESTERN AD MANAGER Matt Hotchkiss EASTERN AD MANAGER Matt Grimes RV MARKETPLACE AND CLASSIFIEDS SALES MANAGER Sue Seidlitz ADVERTISING SALES Angela Pezzullo and Joyce Reweda 805-667-4100 classifieds@tl.com GOOD SAM CLUB HEADQUARTERS 2575 Vista Del Mar Drive Ventura, California 93001 805-667-4100 www.goodsamclub.com GOOD SAM CLUB MEMBER SERVICES 64 Inverness Drive E. Englewood, Colorado 80112 800-234-3450 www.goodsamclub.com CHANGE OF ADDRESS Good Sam Club P.O. Box 28, Boulder, Colorado 80329

PRESIDENT AND CEO/AFFINITY

Your chance to win RV accessories and other travel products is just a mouse-click away. Enter the Good Sam Club Giveaway daily and increase your odds of winning exciting prizes. January’s lineup includes CarMD tester kits, one-year Trailer Life and MotorHome subscriptions, and Alpha Lock vehicle-theft devices. www.goodsamclub.com/giveaway

GOOD SAM CLUB SAMBASSADORS

Rosemary Bates-Ranks Bill and Esthermay Brooks Gerri Howorth Ed James Tom and Nancy Killmer Patty and Dave Morgen Don and Helen Woodard EDITORIAL EDITORIAL DIRECTOR/CLUB MEDIA

WHO’S ONLINE

Valerie Law

Meet MaAnPa on the Road

John Sullaway

Look who’s active on the Good Sam website

EDITOR TECHNICAL EDITOR

Bob Livingston ART DIRECTOR

User Name: MaAnPa on the Road Origin of User Name: Play on old-time movie characters “Ma and Pa” Kettle Members Since: 2003 Home: Wherever we rest our heads. We’ve been full-timing since June 7, 2009. RV Type: 38T Itasca Suncruiser Pets: Two standard poodles, Creole and Cajun Pet Peeve: People who don’t follow campground rules Good Sam Online Groups: Founder of Great No Frill RV Parks online group (more than 3,900 members) To learn more about MaAnPa on the Road, visit the Highways homepage: www.goodsamclub.com/highways

Donna Schmidt WEB EDITOR

Linda Williams EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

Robin Duffield ASSISTANT

Bill Garner highways@goodsamclub.com actionline@goodsamclub.com chapternews@goodsamclub.com deargoodsam@goodsamclub.com techtopics@goodsamclub.com whereisgoodsam@goodsamclub.com www.goodsamclub.com/highways www.goodsamclub.com/highways/digitaledition PRODUCTION PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Bob Dawson AD PRODUCTION MANAGER

Brenda Hutchinson

CONTACT GOOD SAM

PREPRESS SPECIALIST

To get in touch with the departments and services provided by the Good Sam Club, go to our website and click on Contact Us. You’ll find links to the club’s main e-mail addresses and a list of pertinent phone numbers. www.goodsamclub.com/contact.aspx

DIGITAL IMAGE SPECIALIST

Highways

JANUARY 2010

FISH ANYWHERE, ANYTIME

Gerald Vandiver Robert Peterson FULFILLMENT MANAGER

Melissa Vizzo

805-667-4100

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www.goodsamclub.com

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ONtheroad BY SUE BRAY

One House at a Time The Good Sam Club honors a couple of hurricane-relief workers

Join a Cause Find out how volunteering and RVing go hand in hand When Susan and Monty Scales saw the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, they didn’t hesitate to lend a hand. If you’d like to give back, we have a few places to start. Check out some great causes supported by the Good Sam Club at www.goodsam club.com/community/ volunteering.aspx.

nline... To read more of Good Sam Executive Director Sue Bray’s columns, go to www.goodsam club.com/highways. 4

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JANUARY 2010

e’re starting a new year and a new decade with rewarding and uplifting news: the presentation of our second annual Good Sam Club RVer of the Year Award. Many of you will remember last year’s winner, Richard Daniels, and his efforts to rescue elderly homeless dogs and cats in Georgia. At first, we didn’t think we could come close to matching Richard’s outstanding achievements when it came time to give out the next award. But we were proven wrong with our 2010 recipients, Susan and Monty Scales, currently residing in their fifth-wheel trailer in San Leon, Texas. This year’s selection was conducted a little differently than last year. After soliciting nominations from members, our staff chose five candidates who we felt deserved the honor. We then posted their stories on our website and invited Good Sam members to vote for their favorite. Susan and Monty received the most votes. After reading their story, you’ll see why voters chose them for the honor, which recognizes RVers who’ve given back to their community and the world at large. Like many of us, Susan and Monty watched TV coverage of 2005’s devastating Hurricane

Katrina from the comfort of their home. And like many of us, they wondered what they could do. But unlike most of us, they took action. Monty, a building contractor, and Susan, a carpenter, decided to put their skills to work to help Katrina victims. They borrowed a trailer and headed south from Bloomington, Indiana, to Pascagoula, Mississippi, a community that bore much of the storm’s fury. Four and a half years later, the Scaleses are still on the scene, only today they’re helping storm victims on Texas’ Gulf Coast who are rebuilding after 2008’s Hurricane Ike. They also worked in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward following Katrina and in Columbus, Indiana, after the 2008 floods there. After a disaster strikes, the couple moves into an area and looks for people who need help. Many times, the victims are homeowners who’ve fallen through the cracks and aren’t eligible for government assistance or, for various reasons, haven’t received aid. Through the support of various church groups, Susan and Monty find teams of volunteers, both skilled and unskilled, who help to rebuild, repair and remodel homes that have been damaged. Susan recalls a project in Pascagoula where, a year after the storm, they found a couple liv-

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ing with a flooded living room and saucepans set up around the house to catch drips. With the help of some West Virginia volunteers led by a generous contractor, they gutted the house by hand and rebuilt it in five days. Susan recalls a woman who stopped by to view their work and then drove to Lowe’s and purchased a stove, a washer, a dryer and a water heater for the home. Together, they built a 980-squarefoot house worth $100,000 for $20,000. In addition to organizing volunteer manpower and offering their personal skills to rebuild homes, Susan and Monty also assist disaster victims with the paperwork and processes for obtaining assistance from FEMA and other government agencies. Because the Scaleses have overcome bureaucratic obstacles before, they’re able to offer hope and help to many people. Our new RVers of the Year aren’t going to rest on their laurels. “We want to do this for the rest of our lives,” says Susan. “When we tell a heartbroken homeowner, ‘This can be fixed,’ we see a light return to their eyes,” she adds. To read more about the Good Sam Club’s 2009 RVer of the Year Award winners and nominees, turn to page 24 or click on the couple’s blog, www.msmission.blogspot.com.

DEARgoodsam Members sing a swan song for rest areas and pull the plug on noise polluters

THE GOOD SAM CLUB •

Rest Areas Retired YOUR ARTICLE “Rest Stops, RIP” in the November–

December issue correctly points out the all-toocommon and unfortunate occurrence of states closing their rest areas because of budget cuts. Here in Arizona, the department of transportation recently announced the closure of 13 of the state’s 18 rest areas. It’s sad to lose the sense of place and culture that rest areas often provide. Even more troubling is how these closures will affect highway safety. When tired drivers no longer have a place to stop and rest, they must continue driving, operating their vehicles with diminishing reflexes. Yes, there may be commercial establishments along the way, but these usually don’t offer public restrooms or parking for large trucks and RVs. These closures will adversely affect all who travel our highways. Ray Zimmermann, TEMPE, ARIZONA

www.goodsamclub.com

$$3.99

NOVEMBER–DECEMBER 2009

WE’VE NOTICED rest-area closures in many

nline... Read more comments from Good Sam members and send letters to the editor online at www.goodsamclub.com/highways. 5

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JANUARY 2010

states. I understand the financial reasons for this: the states feel that there are enough facilities at nearby exits to accommodate travelers. But exiting isn’t that easy when you’re driving a long vehicle. We’re wary about pulling off at the next exit when we want to stop for a restroom or lunch break because we don’t know if we’ll be able to get back on the freeway easily. Instead of completely closing off the rest areas, why not turn them into truck-parking areas? We often see these in Texas and Nevada. They allow longer vehicles like ours to pull off to a safe area where we can use our own restrooms or have a quick meal. The truck parking areas would require table of contents

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DEARgoodsam a lot less maintenance, so the states could save money and still provide some traveler services. Jeanne Dean SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

I’d like to suggest that you include a reminder to exercise consideration to fellow RVers.

Power Versus Politeness

generators, you include a reminder to exercise consideration for fellow RVers. Many a pleasant stay at a campsite has been ruined by RVers who pull in and run their generators incessantly. The rest of us in the camp-

I JUST FINISHED reading

“Preserving Power,” the November–December issue’s article on generator maintenance. I’d like to suggest that, when you publish an article about

Gulp.

ground can no longer hear the birds sing or the creek run because of the noise. Some of us don’t always need “supreme comfort and convenience,” as the writer states. Mickey Slind, DECORAH, IOWA

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Highways

JANUARY 2010

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GoWinnebago.com www.goodsamclub.com

WINDSHIELDS DEARgoodsam

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Drop us a Line We love to hear from Good Sam members. Write to us at deargood sam@goodsam club.com. Please include your name, hometown and state or province. Letters may be edited for length and clarity and published in Highways and on our website. 7

Highways

JANUARY 2010

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years, we’ve experienced several discourteous RVers with diesel engines. Once, while staying in an upstate New York campground, my neighbor started the engine of his 40-foot diesel pusher at 6 a.m. I assumed he was driving off, but not so. He spent the next half hour dumping and cleaning his holding tanks and disconnecting the cable TV, water and electrical. The whole time, he was running the engine. Needless to say, he woke up many campers. Last month, while RVing in the California Sierra, the owner of a diesel pickup went through the whole routine of connecting to his fifth wheel with the engine running at a very early hour. I think it’s time to get the word out that noise pollution isn’t OK. Phillip Bemis HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIFORNIA

IT’S A SAD situation

when Good Sam Club members have to bring companies into public view in the Action Line department to get problems resolved. This is the only way to make many companies take action and do what they should have done to begin with. When these companies finally come around, they try to act like the good guy and say, “We want to do the right thing.” Most of the companies think that, as long as they play the stall game, the average individual will just go away, and most customers probably do. Just think of the bucks companies have made through this tactic. Action Line performs a valuable service for Good Sam members. Keep up the good work and keep the shysters honest. T.G. Tate, CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS See Action Line in action on page 28.—Editors table of contents

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CLUB EVENTS

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RV B L O G S

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T H E R A L LY

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G O O D S A M PA R K S

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RV F I N A N C E

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CLUB EVENTS

Blast from the Bayou Get a taste of Louisiana on Good Sam’s Cajun tour

EDITED BY JOHN SULLAWAY RV BLOGS

Blog All About It nless you’ve been boondocking for the past few years in a lonely desert or a remote forest, you’ve likely heard the term “blogging.” In the past few years, blogging and bloggers have been popping up like weeds in a garden patch. For the uninitiated, a weblog—shortened over the years to blog—is a website characterized by regular entries or “postings.” For RVers, the big dog of blogs is Blog.RV.net, A Good Sam couple part of the online information and news source RV.net, chronicles married life operated by the Good Sam Club’s parent company, After tying the knot two years ago, Affinity. On the RV.net blogs, you’ll find an impressive Sean and Kristy Michael (pictured collection of articles and frequent posts by a renowned above with their rig) set out on panel of RV writers. their honeymoon in a pickup RVers hoping to hone their skills can learn a lot from truck and a 25-foot Airstream Gary Bunzer, who blogs as the RV Doctor and dispenses tips on technical matters and lifestyle issues. Larry Cadman helps troubleshoot trailer. “Because life should be issues with your RV’s electrical system. And traveling journalist Nick Russell a long, long honeymoon,” they shares insights on compelling RV destinations. launched a weblog, www.thelong That’s just the tip of the iceberg. In all, RV.net has 32 RV-related blogs (including longhoneymoon.com, chronicling one by yours truly), sharing stories, giving advice and helping you get the most out their ongoing RV travels and of your RV lifestyle. camping experiences through Subscribe to the page’s news feed, and the subject and first few lines of each video clips. The Good Sam couday’s new blogs will be delivered to you via e-mail. You can add comments or post ple’s online postings also appear questions.—BOB DIFLEY on the RV.net blog site. blog.rv.net

Endless Love

RVers share tips, insights and adventures online

Highways

JANUARY 2010

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www.goodsamclub.com

Pack up your RV and prepare your taste buds for the spiciest Good Sam event of the year. Our Cajun Caraventure, March 12 through 24, conveys tour-takers into the heart of bayou country to ogle alligators, stroll through historic plantations and, of course, savor the mouthwatering dishes that have helped make this region’s cuisine legendary. Before trekking into the bayou, tour-goers get a chance to ride a streetcar through New Orleans’ fabled Garden District and visit the site of the Battle of New Orleans, a pivotal defeat of British forces during the War of 1812. Included are 12 nights of RV camping with full hookups plus 15 meals, nine of which are Cajun dinners. Knowledgeable guides make sure everyone on the tour reaches each destination in time for dinner. www.goodsamclub.com/community/ eventsandtours.aspx 800-664-9145

good news

r d ffe ar O C us gs n n Bo avi

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RALLY 2010

“

We W e hav have had ad d the he Slee eep Num ee mber bed for a few mbe fe ye years rs no now w and a can n say say it sa it is is th the he ver eryy best in nves ve tme vestme tment ntt we we havve ever ma ade. de. Ba B Back ck pai pain was pain as a fact f of life for me fo or yyea earss. ear Afte Aft fter er sl sleepi sle epi ping ng on n the Sl Slee eep ep Nu Number b bed, I hav have e imp improve ved d sign signifi ific ifi ficantl ttly.. It is ama amazin zing g to g go o to to bed in pa p pain in and wa wake ake up p refreshed reffre reshed he ed an and and d pain pain free frree e.

”

Janett D., Ja D., Mt M . Vernon, W WA

Sleep Better On Air

100 Years on Wheels On the way to the Louisville Rally, our Centennial Caraventure explores RVing’s past

he RV lifestyle we’ve come to love got its start in 1910 when the first auto campers and camping trailers rolled out of the factory. The Good Sam Club will celebrate 100 years of RVing this year with an RV Centennial Caraventure that launches in the northern Indiana hub of the RV industry and travels to Louisville, Kentucky, for our 11th annual Rally in July. Good Sam members will rendezvous in Elkhart, Indiana, for a presentation by Al Hesselbart, historian for the RV/MH Hall of Fame and Museum. From there, the Caraventure will head to the fabled Motor City of Detroit, Michigan, for a tour of the Henry Ford Museum. The excursion also includes visits to some of the major RV manufacturers in the region. Tour-goers will explore nearby Amish country and sample the small-town charm of Shipshewana, Nappanee and Middlebury. The journey culminates with the drive south to Louisville, Kentucky, for the 2010 Rally, July 22 through 25. Tour participants will park their RVs in a premier location before the Rally gets under way. www.therally.com

Are You Frustrated by y the p? Quality of Your Sleep?

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Do you toss and turn at night? ht? Can’t seem to ﬁ ﬁnd a comfortable rtable position? Does your back ache che when you awake? These are e signs that your mattress may not be supporting you properly, robbing bbing you of the sleep you need. SUFFER NO MORE!

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Bank on It

Good Sam’s Banking Center takes RVers into account

The new Good Sam Club Banking Center offers a host of financial products and services designed to suit members’ RV lifestyle. Whether you’re looking for a money-market account or free checking, the Good Sam Banking Center can help.

Industry-leading yields keep assets healthy, and secure online access enables members to check their accounts without leaving the campground. Members can also go online to transfer funds between accounts without risk. The customer-service center is available to meet your

Highways

JANUARY 2010

banking needs around the clock. The Good Sam Club Banking Center is managed by Waterfield Bank, which services AARP and many other large organizations. www.goodsambankingcenter.com 888-393-0070 B A N K I N G

Brochure, DVD and Pricing. T It’s the bed clinically proven to relieve back pain and improve sleep quality. Clinical studies show an amazing 93% of participants reported back-pain relief while 90% said other aches and pains were reduced.*

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*Descriptions of clinical studies conducted on the Sleep Number bed are available at 1-800-831-1211. †If not satisﬁed after 30 nights, call within 45 days of delivery to arrange return. We’ll reimburse the purchase price less your initial shipping or Home Delivery and Setup fees. You pay return shipping. No returns or exchanges on Precision Comfort® Adjustable Foundation, closeout or demo bed models. ‡Restrictions apply. See card for details and expiration date. ©2009 Select Comfort

C E N T E R

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YES! Please send me a FREE

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Email___________________________________________________________________ Mail to: Select Comfort, 9800 59th Avenue N., Minneapolis, MN 55442

‡Restrictions apply. See card for details and expiration date.

good news Love

RV BOOKSHELF

Going Your Way Campground Navigator tailors travel to your style RVers can transform their computers into personalized travel guides with the 2010 Trailer Life Directory Campground Navigator. The two-CD set includes all of the information found in Trailer Life’s printed directory, including details on more than 11,500 North American RV campgrounds, all scored by Trailer Life’s exclusive three-part rating system. All Good Sam Parks and other discounted services are identified. Detailed street maps, driving directions and a searchable database give users the navigational tools they need. Good Sam Club members get a 40 percent discount on Campground Navigator, paying $35.95 plus $4 shipping. To order, click on the website below, select Book Store and choose Directories. www.goodsamclub.com/travelstore 877-209-6656 10 Highways

JANUARY 2010

freedom?

A Shore Thing Flawless RV camping in Alabama

À ÛiÊv ÀÊ >ÃÃ VÊ/À> Ã« ÀÌ°Ê

erfection eludes even the most ambitious strivers, and RV campgrounds are no exception. Each year, only a handful of Good Sam Parks merit the perfect 10/10★/10 rating. One of the few top-rated parks is 40-acre Bella Terra of Gulf Shores, a new Good Sam Park in Foley, Alabama. The resort’s 176 full-hookup sites come with such high-end options as gazebos and entertainment centers. Guests can rejuvenate in the resort’s disappearing-edge pool and catch a flick in the private movie theater. The resort, which opened last May, earned a perfect 10/10★/10 rating for its wide-ranging amenities, cleanliness and visual appeal. The best part is that, as a Good Sam Park, Bella Terra offers a 10 percent discount to members of the Good Sam Club. Some 1,600 Good Sam Parks roll out the red carpet for members throughout North America. In addition to issuing the 10 percent discount, Good Sam Parks must earn a minimum 5/7.5★/5 rating by the evaluators of the Trailer Life RV Parks and Campgrounds Directory. www.goodsamclub.com

ONLINE

Go to www.goodsamclub.com for the latest news about club programs, benefits and ser vices, as well as club-sponsored guided trips.

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“We’re finally able to do what we want to do – and we’re loving it! After many years of hard work, we’re free to travel when we want, where we want. The fact that we get paid for it is icing on the cake!” If the freedom Bill and Kay enjoy sounds good to you, call us today and let us explain how you can join them and others, delivering travel trailers, fifth wheels and utility trucks across this great country. We’re also looking for full-time drivers. We’ll fill you in on all the details, but you should know that Classic Transport offers one of the highest pay rates in the industry, with additional benefits that include: UÊ ÀiVÌÊì« Ã ÌÊUÊxäÊ«iÀVi ÌÊ viiÊ>`Û> ViÊ Ê«>ÞÊUÊ V>À`Ê«>ÞÊUÊ Êv ÀVi`Ê` Ã«>ÌV UÊ i` >ÌiÊÃiÌÌ i i ÌÃÊUÊ Õi ÊÃÕÀV >À}iÊ À vÕi Ê> Ü> ViÊUÊ-iÛi `>ÞÃ > Üii Ê` Ã«>ÌV

> Ê£ nÈÈ ÇÓ{ £ÈäÈÊÌ `>ÞÊ to join our team!

>ÀÌ]Ê ÊÊUÊÊ£ nÈÈ ÇÓ{ £ÈäÈÊ/ Ê Àii®Ê ÜÜÜ° À Ûi À >ÃÃ V/À> Ã« ÀÌ°V www.goodsamclub.com

RVinsight BY JOE AND VICKI KIEVA

Driven by Discounts Looking to cut your RV-camping costs? Check out these money-saving tips on RV clubs and membership campgrounds Dear Joe and Vicki: We just purchased our first RV and want to spend a few months exploring the United States before our son goes into kindergarten. In your experience, are the discounts offered by the RV clubs and membership-campground networks worth it?

nline... To read archived RV Insight columns, click on www.goodsam club.com/highways. To post your own RV-lifestyle tips, go to www .goodsamclub.com/community, click on Stories, then click on the Share a Story button. 11 Highways

JANUARY 2010

on’t confuse membership campgrounds with RV-club memberships. Membership campgrounds let members camp there for free for a limited number of days each year and camp for reduced fees in associated membership campgrounds. Joining a membership campground typically involves signing a legally binding long-term contract committing you to pay dues or a maintenance fee each year. RV clubs, on the other hand, generally give their members discounts on camping fees as well as information and services that complement their RV lifestyle. RV club members typically have the option of renewing their memberships on an annual basis. Here’s a look at some of North America’s most popular RV-camping discounts. Because you’re reading this, you’re probably already a member of the Good Sam Club, an RV organization with close to a million members. In addition to a host of discounts, products, services and information (like Highways and www.goodsamclub.com), Good Sam offers a 10 percent price break at more than 1,600 Good Sam Parks all over North America. The Trailer Life RV Parks and

Campgrounds Directory identifies these parks with bold print and the Good Sam Park logo. The Good Sam website, www.goodsamclub .com, also shows where members can find Good Sam Parks. The Escapees Club provides a support network for full-time and extended RV travelers. Members may stay in the club’s Rainbow Parks and SKP Co-Op Parks at nominal rates. Members also receive a nationwide directory of campgrounds that offer a discount to Escapees members. Camp Club USA, owned by Good Sam’s parent company, Affinity, is a discount program that offers campers a 50 percent price break at more than 1,100 RV parks and campgrounds across the country. The network operates on the concept that campground owners would rather fill a campsite for half price than have it stay empty. Depending upon the campground, there might be some restrictions as to when the discount card can be used. Some campgrounds apply the 50 percent discount for a limited number of nights only. Others restrict use of the card to weekdays or the off season. You don’t have to join a club to find dis-

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www.goodsamclub.com

Where The Savings Are Camp Club USA www.campclubusa.com

Coast to Coast Resorts www.coastresorts.com

Escapees RV Club www.escapees.com

Good Sam Club www.goodsamclub.com

KOA www.koa.com National Park Service Passes www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm

RVinsight

Bob Vila endorses and recommends the famous EdenPURE port r able heater ®

counts at RV parks and campgrounds. KOA (Kampgrounds of America) is a franchise

Folks age 62 or older can qualify for the America the Beautiful senior pass, which provides free

We really appreciate our America the Beautiful senior pass. organization with approximately 500 campgrounds across the nation. Campers can obtain a 10 percent discount on daily registration fees by purchasing a KOA Value Card. The card is valid at all KOA campgrounds for a 12-month period. The federal government has also gotten into the act of offering discounts. The National Park Service has a series of discount passes collectively known as America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Passes. Frequent visitors to national parks and other federal sites can save money on admission fees by paying $80 to purchase the America the Beautiful annual pass. 12 Highways

JANUARY 2010

lifetime admission to national parks and other federal sites as well as a 50 percent discount on federal-use fees charged for camping. Expect to pay a one-time fee of $10 for this pass, formerly called the Golden Age Passport. The America the Beautiful access pass essentially provides the benefits of the senior pass and is free to disabled individuals. Joining a membership campground can reduce the costs of camping if you spend a lot of time in your RV. Once you’ve joined one membership campground, you can

stay at hundreds of other membership campgrounds across the continent by joining Coast to Coast. Members of participating campgrounds use their membership in Coast to Coast to stay at campgrounds throughout the network for a nominal nightly fee. We’re members of the Good Sam Club and Escapees. We’ve used the Camp Club USA discount card, stayed at KOAs and really appreciate our America the Beautiful senior pass. Obviously, we think they’re all worth it. Although we haven’t joined a membership campground, we can see the value in that, particularly for folks who plan to return to a particular destination year after year and travel often in their RV. Find more money-saving tips on the Kievas’ website: www.rvknowhow.com

GOT A QUESTION? E-mail your nontechnical RV-lifestyle questions for Joe and Vicki Kieva to RV Insight at highways@goodsamclub.com. table of contents

Millions of Americans now saving on their heating bills and raving about the “heavenly heat” Does not get hot, cannot startr a fire and will not reduce humidity t or oxy x gen Never be cold again How it works k:

By John Whitehead, Media Services The famous infrared portable heater, the EdenPURE ® , has been greatly improved. The new EdenPURE ® GEN3 heater heats better, faster, saves more on heating bills and runs almost silent. The EdenPURE ® can pay for itself in a matter of weeks and then start putting a great deal of extra money in your pocket aft f er that. A maj a or cause of residential fires in the United States is portable heaters. But the EdenPURE® cannot cause a fi f re. That is because the advanced infr f ared heating element never gets to a temperature that can ignite anything. The outside of the Edenarm to th te PURE® only gets war touch so that it will not burn childr d en or pets. The EdenPURE ® will also keep you healthy. That is because, unlike other heating sources, it will not reduce humidity or oxygen in the room. The advanced spaceage EdenPURE ® Infrared Portable Heater also heats the room evenly, wall-towall and floor-to-ceiling. And, as you know, most other portable heaters only heat an area a few feet around the heater. Unlike other heating sources, the EdenPURE ® cannot put poisonous carbon monoxide, any type of f mes or any type of harmfu f l radiation into a room. fu For more details on the amazing EdenPURE® GEN3 Quartz Infrared Portable Heater, here is my interview with t Bob Vila, America’s Favorite TV Home Improvement Expert r. Q. What is the origin of this amazing heating element in the EdenPURE®? A. This advanced heating element was discovered accidentally by a man named John Jones. Q. What advantages does this advanced infrared heating process have over other heating source products? A. This infr f ared heating process was designed around the three most important

Heats floor to the same temperature as ceiling.

Cannot startr a fire; a child or animal can touch or sit on it without harm Pictured above is Bob Vila demonstrating the famous EdenPURE® GEN3 Model 1000 heater with a family. It saves big money on your heating bill while keeping you toasty warm with “heavenly heat”. consumer benefits: economy, comfo f rt, and safe f ty. In the EdenPURE ® process, electricity is used to generate a type of infr f ared heat which, in turn, creates a very safe f heat. Q. How can a person cut their heating bill with the EdenPURE®? A. The EdenPURE ® will heat a room in minutes. Therefore, you can turn the heat down in your house to as low as 50 degrees, but the room you are occupying, which has the EdenPURE®, will be warm and comfortable. The EdenPURE ® is portable. When you move to another room, it will quickly heat that room also. This can drastically cut heating bills, in some instances, the savings can be substantial. End of interview. The EdenPURE ® will

pay for itself in weeks. It will keep a great deal of extra money in a users pocket. Because of today’s spiraling gas, oil, propane, and other energy costs, the EdenPURE ® will provide even greater savings as the time goes by. The EdenPURE® heater is now greatly improved. With no increase in price, the new EdenPURE ® has been updated with the latest technology, safe f ty, and comfort fe f atures to provide you with even greater comfort, more savings, and years off reliability. The EdenPURE® comes with a comprehensive three year warranty along with a 60-day no questions asked satisfa f ction guarantee – we pay the return shipping. This product has been listed by Underwriters Laboratories.

Testimonials from a few of the millions of satisfied EdenPURE® customers The EdenPURE® has cut my gas bill to a third of what it was last year. Leslslie Wi Wilson,n Va V ncouve ver, WA W With our EdenPURE® heater our gas bill dropped so much that the gas company called us and said our gas meter must be broken and they wanted to replace it. Jo J hn and Sa S ndy d Ho Hopkikins,s ElElyria, OH O Average homeowner saves 10% to 25% monthly. This is an advertisement for the EdenPURE® Heater. All of the testimonials are by actual EdenPURE® customers who volunteered their stories, and were given another EdenPURE® heater as thanks for their participation.

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CUTAWAY VIEW

1. Electricity ignites powerful quartz infrared lamp. 2. The infrared heat without combustion gently warms the cured copper baffles to create energized soft heat.

3. The soft heat rides the humidity in the room and provides moist, soft heat ceiling to floor, wall to wall without reducing oxygen or humidity.

SPECIAL READER’S DISCOUNT COUPON The price of the EdenPURE® GEN3 Model 500 is $372 plus $17 shipping fo f ra total of $389 delivered. The GEN3 Model 1000 is $472 plus $27 shipping and handdling for a totall off $499 delliveredd. Peoplle readding thhis pubblicatiion get a $75 discount plus fr f ee shipping and handling and pay only $297 delivered for the GEN3 Model 500 and $397 delivered for the GEN3 Model 1000 if you order within 10 days. The EdenPURE® GEN3 comes in the decorator color of black with burled wood accent which goes with any decor. There is a strict limit of 3 units at the discount price - no exceptions please. Check below which model and number you want: ■ GEN3 Model 500, number _____ ■ GEN3 Model 1000, number _____ • To order by phone, call TOLL FREE 1-800-588-5608 Authorization Code EHS1821. Place your order by using your credit card. Operators are on duty Monday - Friday 6am - 3am, Saturday 7am - 12 Midnight and Sunday 7am 11pm, EST. • To order online, visit www.edenpure.com enter Authorization Code EHS1821 • To order by mail, by check or credit card, fill out and mail in this coupon. This product carries a 60-day satisfaction guarantee. If you are not totally satisfied return at our expense, and your purchase price will be refunded – no questions asked. There is also a three year warranty.

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Check below to get discount: ■ I am ordering within 10 days of the date of this publication, therefore I get a $75 discount plus free shipping and handling and my price is only $297 for GEN3 Model 500 and $397 for GEN3 Model 1000 delivered. ■ I am ordering past 10 days of the date of this publication, therefore I pay shipping and handling and full price totaling $389 for GEN3 Model 500 and $499 for GEN3 Model 1000. Enclosed is $________ in: ■ Cash ■ Check ■ Money Order (Make check payable to BioTech Research) or charge my: ■ VISA ■ MasterCard ■ Am. Exp./Optima ■ Discover/Novus Account No. __________________________________ Exp. Date _____/_____ Signature ________________________________________________________ MAIL TO: BioTech Research, Authorization Code EHS1821 7800 Whipple Ave. N.W., Canton, OH 44767

CAMPcuisine BY BOB BLUMER

Pork Bellies Are Up This Year Start 2010 in a big way: Pig out on a sweet and trendy bacon treat and live high on the hog Did you pig out on New Year’s Eve? Folklore across the world suggests that eating pork during holiday celebrations brings prosperity in the new year.

nline... To read previous recipes, go to www.goodsamclub.com/ highways. Bob Blumer is the creator and host of the Food Network TV shows The Surreal Gourmet and Glutton for Punishment and the author of five cookbooks. When not at home in California, Bob can be found traveling in his Toastermobile, an Airstream trailer customized with a stainless-steel professional kitchen and topped with two 8-foot slices of toast. 13 Highways

JANUARY 2010

s each new year rolls around, I take great interest in reading the trend predictions put out by food-industry insiders. Sometimes they nail it. Tapas and small plates, gourmet burgers with homemade condiments and artisanal salamis all spiked in popularity last year. And sometimes the forecasters are dead wrong. Case in point: duck eggs (didn’t see a single one in all of 2009) and kimchi (ditto, except at Korean barbecue joints, which don’t count).

Pig Candy 2 cups granulated white sugar 6 strips smoky bacon (my favorite national brand is Nueske’s) 2 tablespoons butter (extra for greasing the pan) 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle or cayenne

On occasion, I’m asked for my own opinion. I was spot-on about the emergence of gourmet teas, but I’m perpetually wrong about German Rieslings, despite the fact that they remain underappreciated as one of the most complex and appealing fine wines. Here’s my prediction for 2010. Sometime this year, you’ll be driving your rig in a major metropolis and find yourself in a battle over a parking space with one of the new generation of lunch trucks. Unlike the “roach coaches” of the past, these vegetable-oil-fueled vehicles serve up gourmet

fare as varied as Korean tacos, duck dumplings, rotisserie chicken and cupcakes. While scrolling through a set of predictions for 2010 by a New York restaurant-consulting

If we band together, we can give pork farmers the shot in the arm they need. group, I came across one that I found particularly unsettling: “Fried chicken is the new pork belly.” Now don’t get me wrong, I love fried chicken as much as the next bear, especially if it’s

Set out a cookie sheet and grease it with butter. Cook bacon any way you like until it’s super crispy. Pat dry with a paper towel. Let cool, then chop as finely as possible (think dust). Reserve. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add sugar. Stir constantly for approximately four minutes or until sugar melts into a light-golden liquid. (If lumps develop, keep stirring. They’ll melt away.) Keep stirring for approximately two more minutes or until liquid turns the color of butterscotch. Remove from heat and immediately stir in butter. Then add baking soda and mix thoroughly. Stir in bacon and chipotle. Pour onto the greased cookie sheet and let cool until hard (approximately 15 minutes). Use a mallet or your hands to break into bite-size pieces. Store in an airtight jar and guard with your life. Yield: About 3 cups table of contents

www.goodsamclub.com

CAMPcuisine served up at Roscoeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chicken and Waffle near my home in Los Angeles or at any number of down-home kitchens across the South. But the problem is that I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tired of pork belly. I love it so much I put it in everything from my apple pie crust to my â&#x20AC;&#x153;vegetableâ&#x20AC;? succotash. Just a couple of months ago, I upset a field of locals and walked off with first prize at the

My signature ice cream? Maple bacon crunch. (Ben or Jerry, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re reading this, call me.) Austin Ice Cream Festival. My signature flavor? Maple bacon crunch. (Ben or Jerry, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re reading this, call me.) Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not one to give up without a fight. If we all band together, we can give the pork farmers of

America the shot in the arm they need to keep us livingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and eatingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;high on the hog. To help the cause, hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a little new yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gift for you, inspired by the â&#x20AC;&#x153;crunchâ&#x20AC;? from my maple bacon crunch ice cream. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pig-ilicious!

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Subject to Customer Agreement, select calling plans and credit approval. Other charges and restrictions may apply. Screen images simulated. Coverage and service not available everywhere. 1This GreatCall offer is good through 1/31/10. 2Not including government taxes, assessment surcharges and activation fee. 3For each Operator service, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be charged a 5-minute â&#x20AC;&#x153;Operator assistance feeâ&#x20AC;? in addition to the minutes used both for the length of the call with the Operator and any call connected by the Operator. Copyright ÂŠ2009 GreatCall, Inc. Jitterbug is a registered trademark of GreatCall, Inc. Samsung is a registered trademark of Samsung Electronics America, Inc. and its related entities.

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14 Highways

JANUARY 2010

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TECHtopics BY BOB LIVINGSTON

LP-Gas Detector Puzzle I have a 2005 Fleetwood Pace Arrow 37C. After I purchased the motorhome, I took it to Camping World to have an inverter and four more batteries installed. They installed the batteries and the inverter in a compartment next to the entry door. Since then, every time I use the inverter to charge the batteries, the LPgas detector goes off after a couple of hours, sometimes sooner. I brought the

Our technical expert drives out LP-gas ghosts and gets the truth from a holdingtank monitor

nline... To read more of Bob’s replies to your technical questions, go to www.goodsamclub.com/ rvcentral. In addition to answering your letters, Bob Livingston is the publisher of Trailer Life and MotorHome magazines, director of the Rally’s seminar program and author of Trailer Life’s RV Repair and Maintenance Manual. 15 Highways

JANUARY 2010

unit back to Camping World many times, and they couldn’t fix the problem. They did, however, narrow the issue down to the batteries and determined that the fumes were coming into the inside of the coach from under the refrigerator. I took the RV to Playtime RV Center in Oxnard, California, and they told me that the batteries shouldn’t have been installed in a compartment to begin with and that battery boxes are available. Playtime installed the battery boxes, but the alarm still kept going off. Because Playtime couldn’t resolve the issue, I worked on it myself and started leaving the compartment door open. This seemed to work for a long time. Then I sealed the compartment and put more vents into the outside, and it worked for a while. We took the rig out on a trip, but since we’ve been back, the problem recurred. I can’t think of anything else I can do. Jerry Akune, CAMARILLO, CALIFORNIA BOB: The first step is to determine whether

there’s a leak in the LP-gas system. If you were to call the leak-detector manufacturer, you’d probably be told to check for leaks—an obvious diagnosis, since the presence of propane will set off

the detector. To do this, you need to perform a pressure-drop test downstream from the regulator. This is done using a manometer, typically at the stove-burner orifice. Pressure must stay at a nominal 8 inches water column for a minimum of three minutes. While performing a pressure-drop test yearly is prudent, it’s only part of this story. In your case, you may find that the LP-gas isn’t leaking and other variables are entering into the picture. The next place to look is voltage. As RVs age, the wiring connections, especially the grounds, are subject to degradation, creating lower voltage through resistance. Low voltage can set off the alarm, just like fugitive gas. For example, if the wiring isn’t up to par, the detector can be set off when the inverter powers up, as in your case. You can also perform a simple test while checking voltage. While you watch the readout on the multimeter, turn on the furnace. The instantaneous spike in voltage may cause the detector to chirp. You can see how far voltage drops as the appliance powers up. While hydrogen will set off any LP-gas alarm,

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it has to be in a high-enough concentration and go directly to the detector. For the gas to get to the detector, it must have a vehicle, through passageways, to make it—in high enough concentrations—to the front or back of the detector. Hydrogen dissipating into the air won’t normally set off the detector. It’s possible that leaking hydrogen from the battery compartment is communicating with the backside of the detector, depending on where it’s located and if the box is improperly sealed. If the batteries are gassing that badly, charging voltage is too high. The age of the detector and calibration also are factors. It’s not practical for owners to get their hands on spec gas—without paying an enormous sum of money—so do-it-yourself calibration is normally out of the question. Your detector, made by CCI (which is out of business) was originally set up to respond with an alarm when the gas reached one-fifth

Hydrogen dissipating into the air won’t normally set off the LP-gas detector.

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of the lower limit of combustibility. The UL standard that meets current code calls for one-fourth of the lower limit of combustibility. It’s possible that your detector has drifted toward the too-sensitive side, which could be attributed to age. I suggest you replace the LP-gas detector.

TECHtopics To satisfy my curiosity, send your old detector to me at 2575 Vista Del Mar, Ventura, California 93001, and I’ll forward it to a consultant who’s an LP-gas expert. He’ll check calibration and function, and I’ll let you know the outcome. Don’t expect the return of the detector.

Ghost in the Gas Line I THINK WE HAVE a ghost in the system.

We own a 2006 Flagstaff 28-foot fifth wheel that we bought new in March 2007. Last month, we decided to take a four-day trip to one of Florida’s state parks. After we got set up in our destination, it was time for dinner. My wife got ready to bake some bis-

cuits and lit the oven, but it promptly went out. After two or three tries, with the same result, I tried to light the cooktop. Same result. The burners lit right up and then went out within 10 seconds. Then I noticed that the refrigerator wasn’t working on the gas side. Fortunately, we have electric, so the food was safe—although we didn’t have any way to cook it! The next thing we tried was the gas water heater. Same result. It fired right up and then went right out. I should mention at this point that I had two full 30-gallon propane tanks, and, yes, the tank valves were open. I closed and opened the tanks and switched from one to the other

repeatedly. I even went into town, brought back a brand-new regulator and hooked up to a different tank supplied by my friendly neighbor. Same result. Everything lights but goes out within 10 seconds. We had a very nice four days anyway. No hot water and lots of sandwiches. Now, here’s where it gets interesting. I got home on Saturday, and on the following Monday I called the service manager at the dealership that sold me the trailer. He said, “Open the tank valve. The indica-

tor should be green. Leave it open for 30 minutes and call me back. If you’ve got a leak somewhere, the indicator will go red.” Well, when I looked at the indicator about

On the cooktop, the burners lit right up and then went out within 10 seconds.

When was the last time you filled up?

an hour later, it was still green. I called the dealership back and told him that the indicator was still green. He told me to light the stovetop. It fired right up and worked flawlessly. Water heater and everything else fired up like normal and worked

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TECHtopics until I shut them off. What’s going on? Dean Locke, UMATILLA, FLORIDA BOB: Dean, we’ve been

down this road before. Your rig most likely has an LP-gas cylinder installed in a compartment on each side of the trailer. In this configuration, the gas from the remote cylinder runs through the line to the other cylinder (with the auto-switchover regulator) at container pressure. That slugs the excessflow valve and stops the flow of propane. It takes up to 30 minutes to unslug the valve, as the differential pressure downstream equalizes, allowing the valve to reset. The code now requires that a 30-pound regulator be installed on the remote cylinder.

Propane Cylinder Lingo I’VE BEEN TRYING to

solve a problem. There’s a check valve in the adapter that connects 17 Highways

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to the tank (you refer to it as the pigtail). In hydraulics, this valve is called a velocity fuse or excess-flow check valve and is reset by flow in the opposite direction.

RV are called cylinders. The excess-flow valve will severely restrict LPgas flow when the pressure through the valve exceeds the set point. For example, when you

I’d like to take this opportunity to teach some proper propane lingo. I don’t understand how this valve gets reset to the open position. What’s the POL pigtail, and is it still available? I’m ready to remove the selector valve and install a regulator on each tank. Dennis Densmore SHOREVIEW, MINNESOTA BOB: I’d like to take this

opportunity to teach some proper propane lingo. What you call the “check valve in the adaptor that connects to the tank” is actually called an excessflow valve. The “adaptor” is called a Type 1 connection, and in RV use it’s green and can be removed or installed by hand (no tools). The “tanks” in your

first initiate fuel into a system, it slugs the system and then needs a little time to unslug (equalize pressure), as we discussed in the answer above. The check ball in the valve is spring-loaded; once the pressure gets close to equalizing, the valve opens. The process is actually the result of a purposely created design flaw in the seat whereby a simple groove in the seat allows a little gas to escape, even while the valve is slugged. This is the built-in bypass, which allows the gas pressure to equalize over time. Old-style hoses used a POL fitting that had table of contents

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TECHtopics reverse threads and could only be removed or installed using a wrench. They can’t be used any longer. I suspect you have the same split-cylinder set-up as Dean, above. If so, follow the same procedure to solve the problem. If you have an

leaking out of the pigtail, if yours doesn’t have the back-check-equipped pigtails, required by code starting in 2005.

Battery Drain WE HAVE A 1996

Chinook Class B with a Ford gas engine. We have trouble with the batteries

Why does the battery go dead after only two days of sitting parked? automatic-switchover regulator, turn both cylinder valves on and switch the indicator to the cylinder you want to draw out of first. The indicator will be green until it runs out of propane in that cylinder, at which time the flag turns red. The propane will then automatically draw from the other cylinder. Rotate the indicator to the new selected cylinder and make sure the indicator has turned green before removing the other cylinder for refilling. That will prevent gas from 18 Highways

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batteries when we come in off a trip and turn them back on when plugged into electric. Is this the correct way? Eugene Queen PASCAGOULA , MISSISSIPPI

going down when it’s parked unplugged from electricity. We had a new engine battery installed just after purchasing less than one year ago. The two coach batteries were replaced by the previous owner just before the sale. We had the serpentine belt replaced. Later, the coach was put on the computerized machine at the auto electric shop, and no problems were found. Why does the battery go dead after only two days of sitting parked? We turn off the coach

BOB: You’ve got a para-

sitic drain in the system, meaning something that operates on 12-volt DC power is still drawing power, even if the ignition is off. The likely culprits are the stereo and the LP-gas detector. And who knows what the original owners installed that’s connected to the starting battery? The quick and dirty way to check for sizable parasitic drains is to use a 12-volt DC test light. Disconnect the positive lead from the battery and connect the alligator clip to the terminal. Touch the pointed end of the tester to the battery post; if the light glows, something’s pulling power from the battery. This test is only good for accessories that draw 1/2 to 3/4 amp. Leak detectors typically draw about table of contents

CONTROL FREAK Plug in a Banks Diesel Tuner and/or Banks SpeedBrake™ and use the 5” color touch screen

(that’s 41% larger than the nearest competitor) Banks iQ for adjusting power levels, controlling your downhill cruising speed, adjusting the braking intensity, custom tuning numerous performance parameters, measuring vehicle performance, reading your altitude and GPS-corrected speed, and more all on the ﬂy! For use inside and OUTSIDE of your vehicle!

SMART FEATURES Set alarms, adjust gauge colors, read and clear codes, log data, and find out how quick your vehicle really is. You’ll find yourself using the host of useful built-in tools in your daily life. You’ll listen to your favorite tunes, watch videos, play games, review your Microsoft® Office documents and more. It’s PC power that fits in the palm of your hand, and with a rechargeable battery you can take it with you wherever you go. Compared to Banks iQ, other vehicle interfaces on the market are one-dimensional toys with an umbilical cord to your dashboard. REVOLUTIONARY & EVOLUTIONARY The best news? Banks iQ is fully expandable and upgradable. Things

like our growing stable of optional micro-computer controlled add-on performance and safety peripherals will pave the way for options beyond your dreams. You’ll always be able to run the latest software and download a host of new programs as they become available, too! Put it all together and there’s only one smart choice to make… Banks iQ.

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TECHtopics 1/4

amp, so it’s best to use an ammeter. That way, potential drains from the LP-gas leak detector and other electronic gadgets will show up. You can also simply install one of the mechanical disconnect switches on the market that isolates the cable from the battery post. This type of switch is easy to install and simple to operate. You’ll just lose the presets on the radio, but that’s better than struggling with a dead battery. You can turn on the coach batteries at the beginning of any trip. You don’t have to wait for electrical hookups. If the coach is wired correctly, the engine alternator will keep the batteries charged.

Lying Monitor THE INDICATOR tells

us that the level in our black-water tank is always full, even after we drain and flush the tank with clean water several times. We use a treatment in the blackwater tank that’s made for dissolving solid waste 19 Highways

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and tissue, etc. We’ve purchased a level gauge cleaner for the blackwater tank but have had no success. Someone told us we should put white vinegar or baking soda in the tank. Will this help? We’re workcampers, and and our RV is often stationary. Dan Herron RATON , MINNESOTA BOB: Most monitors that

use sensors inside the holding tanks are problematic. There are a number of home remedies that owners have cooked up over the years that seem to help free the sensors of debris, including adding ice cubes, but keeping the rig immobile negates positive results. I suggest that you install a clean-out sprayer in the tank. These devices are connected to a garden hose and spray

strong streams of water inside the tank, helping to free any clinging debris from the sensors. Installation is easy, as long as you have access to the side of the tank. Make sure you spray out the inside of the tank every time you dump. You should also check the wiring and connectors, making sure there are no breaks or corrosion. It’s also possible that the monitor is defective. If that’s the case, consider going to a new unit that uses sensors that attach to the outside walls of the holding tanks. I wouldn’t add vinegar to the tank. Baking soda is good for removing odors after sanitizing freshwater tanks. I see no purpose for the baking soda in the other holding tanks.

GOT A QUESTION? Tech Topics columnist Bob Livingston has spent countless hours exploring the inner workings of RVs and finding ways to make life on the road easier for all RVers, particularly Good Sam Club members. Got a question about your rig? Send an e-mail to techtopics@goodsamclub.com. table of contents

“Reverse is for motor homes. Not motor home companies.” — Bob Olson, Chairman, CEO and President, Winnebago Industries

It’s full speed ahead here in Forest City, Iowa. Although some big-name RV manufacturers have recently gone bankrupt, we’ve invested more in research and product development for our 2010 models than at any time in our history. And it shows: with exclusive new ﬂoorplans, features and styling choices, our new models are shaping up to be the best we’ve ever built. But that’s only part of the story. We believe it’s more important than ever to consider not just the motor home, but the company that stands behind it. Too many RVers have been left standing by the side of the road when it comes to warranty coverage and service after the sale. So I’d like to invite you to take a look behind the scenes. See where we’re headed, preview our new models, get up to speed and get “In the Know” about Winnebago Industries by visiting www.InTheKnow2010.com.

Learn more about Winnebago Industries and our 2010 models at www.InTheKnow2010.com. www.goodsamclub.com

ON THE

BY VICTOR A. WALSH rom the Fonts Point overlook, the mud-sculpted hills have turned a lustrous golden brown in the warm desert light. Shadows move down into the arroyos, painting the barren hills in a Cubist-like tapestry of beige and earthen hues. Alone, surrounded by silence, it’s a mystical place—impossible to know what year or even what century it is. The Borrego Badlands is one of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park’s many marvels. The largest state park in the contiguous United States, it’s flanked by rugged mountain ranges on three sides and the Salton Sea to the east. Its 650,000 acres contain spectacular desert habitats, a wealth of animal and plant life and numerous archaeological, cultural and historic sites. Two of the most visited and easily accessible areas are Borrego Palm Canyon and Coyote Canyon. The trailhead to the California fan palm grove, the third largest in the state, is at the upper park20 Highways

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY MELVIN SWEET

Discover the beauty of California’s AnzaBorrego Desert in its sheer-walled canyons, mudstone hills and rocky palisades ing lot of Borrego Palm Canyon campground. The mile and a half self-guided nature trail skirts a broad alluvial fan at the canyon’s mouth and then climbs up a narrow rocky gorge. During March and into early April, the canyon is a dazzling spectacle of color. Mustard-yellow brittlebush, blue indigo, canary-yellow dandelions and red chuparosa cover the washes and table of contents

lower slopes. In the early morning mist, smoke trees and desert willows hover like silhouetted phantoms in the gravelly washes. Agave stalks stand motionless against the gray sky. As we approach the oasis, the trail becomes steeper, winding through a boulder corridor. Cool, wet air soothes our faces. Descending, we see a jumble of huge granite boulders above

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a shallow creek. The palms with their thick trunks and large fan-shaped fronds on top are relics from an earlier time when the climate was cooler and wetter, a testament to the enduring struggle of life. By mid-morning the temperature has warmed, and several Peninsular bighorn sheep have picked their way down the steep cliffs. Nearly half of

A rainbow rises above Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the largest state park in California and one of the few parks in the state that allows open camping throughout its 600,000 acres. the remaining 800 Peninsular bighorn in the United States live in the park’s rocky uplands. Nearby Coyote Creek lures them down from their mountain hideaways. In 1774, the Spanish soldiers of Captain Juan Bautista de Anza blazed a trail along the creek that cuts through a unique riparian-desert habitat. Thickets of willows, cottonwoods, mesquite and California fan palms conceal much of the creek. An old Jeep trail follows the historic route through Coyote Canyon. It is accessible from Di Giorgio Road (paved) on the south and can be driven without four-wheel drive, except during winter, as far as the second creek crossing (about 2 1/2 miles). The lower canyon is a broad, up-tilted valley flanked by steep-walled gullies and bald, mud-carved hills and peaks. Plant life thrives in the creek-fed wetlands and sediment-rich outlands. Over a hundred bird species, including the endangered Bell’s vireo, nest in the canyon’s riparian habitats. 21 Highways

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During spring, the sandy meadows bordering the trail and road are ablaze with wildflowers—everything from desert sunflowers, sand verbena, golden poppies and notch leaf purple phacelia to whitepetal chicory, blue lupine, evening primroses and yellow dandelions. Desert Gardens, about a mile from the paved road, is an ideal place for a picnic with stone and slab tables. A short trail leads to a hilltop vista where the spindly cane-like stalks of the ocotillos often sway in perfect harmony with the desert wind. Horseback and hiking trails abound. Trails at the third crossing and Lower Willows lead to Collins Valley, one of the most scenic areas in the park. Here, multiple trails slice through a series of steep granite-walled canyons to hidden palm groves, sycamore and cottonwood stands, springs, waterfalls and Indian archaeological sites. The Sheep Canyon primitive camp, accessible only by four-wheel drive, is just south of the valley. table of contents

Blair Valley, off Highway S-2 just south of Highway 78 on a dirt road, is another popular destination for visitors. A dry lakebed from the ice ages, the shallow basin rimmed by granite boulder-encrusted hills has been a primitive campground for RVs and large groups since the late 1950s. In its heyday, it was the campground of choice among backcountry visitors with trailers and canvas tents. On this

almost in tandem with the American flag fluttering atop the RV. The plaque behind me, mounted on a large boulder, commemorates the Foot and Walker Pass, once used by the Mormon Battalion, the Army of the West and the Butterfield Overland Mail stage line. Walking down into the canyon on the other side, I notice the scarred rocks on the uphill side, made by the hubs of the wagon wheels that rattled up this grade more than 150 years ago. The narrow, boulder-strewn canyon is impassable. No fourwheel-drive vehicle could scale it, yet dozens of Butterfield coaches routinely did between 1858 and 1861, sometimes being pushed over the pass by passengers and stagehands. Nothing remains of this once major thoroughfare except the ruts and scraped rocks. A short distance away, we park at the marked pullout for Ghost Mountain. The

During spring, the sandy meadows bordering the trail and road are ablaze with wildflowers—from golden poppies to blue lupine. visit it’s empty, except for a lone RV parked beneath a boulder escarpment. At the historical marker, I hike a short distance up a sunken V-shaped ridge. On the overlook, the desert wind hums gently, www.goodsamclub.com

S22

Borrego Springs

79 S22

S3 S2

Anza Borrego Desert State Park

S2 S1

desert naturalist, artist and writer Marshal South and his wife, Tanya. On this remote, windswept mountaintop, the married couple would reside from 1931 to 1946, raising three children in what Marshal called “an experiment in primitive living.” Marshal South was a visionary, a “temperamental misfit” in his words, out of step with modern urban society. Tanya was a poet with a deep interest in astrology whom Marshal had met while working as a carpenter for the Rosicrucian Fellowship in the coastal town of Oceanside. They were kindred souls whose mountain home embodied a dream of freedom and artistic creation founded on sweat and hope. Obtaining water was their biggest obstacle. They got it from a spring 14 miles away and carried the canisters up the trail on poles suspended across their

The folds in the distant mountain peaks have become a wondrous tapestry of shadows beneath the cloud-packed skies. Stalks of agave lean across the wind-blown slopes. midday heat rises off the steep, rocky ridge in shimmering waves. As we climb, the folds in the distant mountain peaks have become a wondrous tapestry of shadows beneath the cloud-packed skies. Stalks of yellow-plumed agave lean across the wind-blown slopes. The mile-long trail leads to Yaquitepec, a ruin of an adobe home built by the 22 Highways

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shoulders. Over time, Marshal built a cement-mortared rock cistern and catch basin, a cellar and a pottery kiln and added pane-glass windows and a fireplace to the cabin. Tanya wove rugs, wrote poetry, jerked meat and baked tortilla bread while the children gathered mesquite beans, chia seeds and cactus fruit. The home had no electricity, runtable of contents

ning water or mail delivery. It became a refuge from what Marshal called “our present progress-mad age.” In 1939, his article “Desert Refuge” appeared in the Saturday Evening Post. It led to a contract with Desert Magazine to write a monthly series about their unconventional lifestyle atop Ghost Mountain— the family’s only source of income during their long stay in the desert. Marshal’s lyrical descriptions about the desert and their lives on Ghost Mountain enthralled his readers. Overnight he became the desert prophet, a celebrated individual who somehow had escaped the constraints of modern life. “He lives our dream life for us,” remarked Wallace Byam, designer of the Airstream travel trailer, in 1941. The articles never acknowledged the hardships and difficulties of homesteading in such a remote desert wilderness or the rising tensions with Tanya over the children’s security and future. In 1946, after leaving Yaquitepec, she divorced Marshal and 12 years later sold the ruin to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Years later, when the state contacted her about creating a cultural preserve, she wrote that “to ‘honor’ the stark, miserable existence that Yaquitepec represented is quite absurd to me.” Standing here amid the crumbling walls, a rusting bed frame and the cistern, I’m amazed that Yaquitepec lasted as long as it did. A piece of corrugated iron roofing rattles in the blowing wind. The wood framing, except for the doorway, has collapsed and is rotting away. The windows www.goodsamclub.com

GETTING THERE Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is two to three hours by car or RV from most cities in Southern California. From I-15, take 79 east from Temecula or 78 east from Escondido. From I-8, take S-2, S-1 or 79 north. The park surrounds the tiny resort community of Borrego Springs.

ROADS Over 500 miles of dirt roads traverse the park, much of it wilderness and inaccessible except by fourwheel-drive vehicles. Inquire about road conditions at the visitor center.

WEATHER The best time to visit is March into early April when the wildflowers are in bloom. In the heat, wear a hat and sunblock and carry plenty of water. Stay clear of cholla because its little barbed balls or nodes often fall to the ground and can easily penetrate the soles of tennis shoes. Carry tweezers or wear hiking boots.

CAMPING Anza-Borrego Desert State Park has developed campgrounds with RV hookups at Borrego Palm Canyon, 1 mile from the visitor center, and Tamarisk Grove. Online reservations are a must during the winter-through-spring season. Primitive campgrounds in the park with RV hookups are at Culp Valley, Yaqui Pass, Yaqui Well, Fish Creek and Blair Valley, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis. California has 143 Good Sam Parks offering the 10 percent discount to Good Sam members.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Anza-Borrego Desert State Park 760-767-5311, www.parks.ca.gov Anza-Borrego’s visitor center is one of the best in the California state park system. The documentary on Ghost Mountain is well worth seeing.

Why You Shouldn’t Insure Your RV Like Your Car.

Hiking trails lead to the ruins of Yaquitepec and ancient Kumeyaay rock paintings. and chimney are no more. There’s nothing here now but the wind whirling through the ruin like a siren. After a late lunch at the pullout, we drive back down the road to the Morteros Trail marker. The trail wanders into a sandy wash flanked by granitescarped slopes. For nearly a thousand years, bands of Kumeyaay Indians had gathered here on a seasonal basis to harvest piñon nuts, mesquite beans and desert agave. Tucked among the rocks are clusters of yucca plants, also called “Spanish daggers” because of their sharply pointed leaves. The history of this ancient village site is found in the rocks. On the right, just before a large split boulder, a slab of bedrock juts out from the cliff. It bears three or four large depressions or morteros made by generations of women pounding seeds and nuts with rock pestles, and along the edge a row of shallower holes, called cupules. Cupules did not result from processing edible plants but, more likely, were chipped into the rock as part of a 23 Highways

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ceremonial offering to the spirit world. Several boulders are adorned with strange black-stained curvilinear figures (pictured above). While the motif or meaning of these pictographs isn’t recognizable, the color suggests an association with the puberty rite when boys’ dreams were symbolically recorded on the rock. Pictograph Trail in nearby Little Blair Valley holds another example of Kumeyaay rock art. The red symbolic motifs include a sunburst and diamond chains. The trail is well marked from the dirt road. One of the most seismically active regions in North America, Anza-Borrego is, as one writer recently put it, on the “edge of creation.” Its beauty is its austerity—the searing heat, the stark desert light, the spiny, oddly shaped plants, and landscapes that unfold into a jumble of sheer-walled canyons, mudstone hills and palisades. It’s a place where man has left little permanent imprint, changed only by the forces of nature—the winds, flash floods and fault movements—over eons of time. table of contents

Vehicle & Contents

Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25,000.00 Pack of gum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $0.39 Sunglasses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12.99 Blanket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9.99 Loose change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1.27

Vehicle & Contents

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By mail Complete and mail the quote request form on the next page. No postage is required.

Online Go to our Web site at www.goodsamvip.com/code/ns

Our Runners-Up All of our nominees for the 2009 RVer of the Year Award deserve accolades

Fred and Suzanne Dow Sharing their love of U.S. forests by compiling campground directories ome RVers never stop working after retirement, and Good Sam members Fred and Suzie Dow are no exception. After Fred cleaned out his desk at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Suzanne taught her last lesson as an instructor at George Mason University, they pursued their dream of visiting Forest Service campgrounds across America. Soon, their passion for these national gems turned into a labor of love. Driven to create a comprehensive Forest Service campground directory, the Dows visited and researched 2,345 campgrounds on 153 Forest Service lands. The Dows share their meticulously compiled data in their National Forest Campground Guides, which contain information on campsite fees, RV accommodations, scenery and recreation. Available in soft-cover books and on CDs, each of the four volumes covers one of the Forest Service’s regions. Campground information can also be found on their website, www.forestcamping.com. Next in the works: a guide to U.S. National Grasslands campgrounds. When the Dows aren’t documenting national campgrounds, they reside in Bisbee, Arizona.

IT’S ON THE HOUSE For the past five years, Susan and Monty Scales have been lending a helping hand in storm-stricken communities. Now it’s time to give them a hand as we applaud their service with our annual RVer of the Year Award BY JOHN SULLAWAY 24 Highways

JANUARY 2010

ike a lot of Good Sam Club members, Susan and Monty Scales love camping in their RV. Their two dogs—Samson, a Chinese crested hairless, and Itty Bitty, a Chihuahua—love it too. But when dawn breaks over the Texas campground where the couple’s Forest River fifth wheel is currently parked, they don’t have

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sightseeing or souvenir hunting on their itinerary. Instead, the Scaleses set their sites on gathering lumber, nails, drywall and volunteer labor. While the sun is still low, they climb into their pickup and drive less than a mile to San Leon, a coastal community that was devastated by Hurricane Ike in 2008. The couple’s www.goodsamclub.com

Our Runners-Up CONTINUED

Tom Gonser Leading the drive to implement RV lemon laws ood Sam member Tom Gonser racked up an impressive legal career that included working as a corporate attorney and serving as executive director of the American Bar Association. Since retiring, Tom has kept an iron in the legal fire. As chairman of the Good Sam Club’s RV Owners’ Advisory Council, Tom spearheaded an effort to draft model lemon law legislation, a project that involved the RV industry, the International Association of Lemon Law Administrators, the Good Sam Club and others. Once it’s adopted by state legislatures, the law will give motorhome owners significant protection. Under Tom’s leadership, the four-year-old RVOAC has focused on surveying RVers and conveying their priorities to the RV industry and legislators. Tom and his wife, Stephanie, founded the popular website www.rversonline.com, a public-service information resource for RVers. The Good Sam members live in Bend, Oregon, and travel regularly in their class A motorhome.

25 Highways

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mission: to help the residents of the town rebuild their houses—and their lives. The Indiana natives, both of whom are seasoned contractors, aren’t new to working in hurricane zones. They embarked on storm-relief work in 2005 when they journeyed from their Bloomington home to coastal Mississippi, which was reeling in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Despite having done this for five years now, every day is a challenge. “Sometimes you cry when you see the devastation,” says Susan, who’s lost count of the number of houses she and Monty have helped rebuild. “But God puts people in your path to help out.” Susan and Monty’s unflagging determination to help needy storm victims inspired members to select them as the Good Sam Club’s RVers of the Year for 2009 during online voting in September. The Scaleses were among five nominees vying for the honor, which recognizes outstanding achievement benefiting RVers and the community at large. Susan and Monty will take

ers,” says Susan, recalling her Columbus, Indiana, childhood. “When you grow up in that environment you work a lot, and I learned a lot of skills.” She honed her craft as a trim carpenter and eventually moved to Bloomington. There, a friend she met at church offered her some carpentry work. “He thought a woman could do a better job,” she says. Later, Susan took the helm of an employment agency that specialized in placing qualified workers in construction jobs. It was there that she met Monty, a contractor whose expertise in a wide variety of fields made him highly sought after by employers. “I had the perfect employee, and the only way to keep him was to marry him,” she says with a laugh. After tying the knot, the Scaleses settled into suburban life with a comfortable home, good jobs, church activities and

“Sometimes you cry when you see the devastation,” says Susan Scales. a break from their busy schedule to accept the award at the 2010 Rally, July 22 through 25 in Louisville, Kentucky. Susan and Monty never intended to work in disaster relief. Prior to Katrina, both had steady construction jobs in the private sector. “I grew up on a farm with three brothtable of contents

www.goodsamclub.com

family gatherings. Susan has three grownup children from a previous marriage, and Monty has one child. But that all changed in 2005 when the Scaleses saw the televised images of Hurricane Katrina and the resulting floods and destruction. The couple signed up to join other members of Vineyard Community Church in Bloomington on a relief mission to Mississippi. They quickly realized that any help they could offer as part-time volunteers would never be enough. “We said to ourselves, we’re going to do this,” says Susan. “We quit our jobs—the whole nine yards. Not retired. Just quit.” They commandeered a Jayco Hawk trailer from Susan’s brother and established a base of operations in Pascagoula, Mississippi, on the Gulf Coast. “The town was hit with 30 feet of surge water and had lost 26,000 homes,” says Susan. “It was about 30 minutes from the eye of the hurricane, and that’s where you get the most flooding.”

Becky and Johnny Torres Helping Navajo youth succeed in school and beyond s a halfNavajo child growing up near a reservation in rural New Mexico, Johnny Torres was constantly reminded of the challenges facing disadvantaged Native Americans. So he and his wife, Becky, made time in their schedule to travel to the Southwest to mentor Navajo youth through the nonprofit Futures for Children organization. As mentors and sponsors, the Torreses have helped Navajo young people navigate the journey from grade school through high school and into college. The couple supports students through encouraging phone calls and e-mails, frequent visits, donations and help with college admission. The Torreses have balanced their mentoring and a love of RVing with busy professional careers. Becky works for IBM, and Johnny serves as chairman and CEO of an industrial and agricultural machinery dealership. In his spare time, he volunteers as the online moderator for the Class A, Class B and Dinghy Towing forums at www.goodsamclub.com/forums.

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“We realized that there were thousands of people who wanted to help,” says Susan. earned a certificate in emergency management operations from FEMA. They also handled relief work in Columbus, Indiana, when table of contents

Found! The Last Morgan Silver Dollars Amazing Discovery Hidden in Midwest Farm Cellar Indiana. A farmer in America’s heartland recently cashed in his long-forgotten savings, hidden away for decades in a dusty crate in his cellar—a hoard of the last Morgan Silver dollars minted by the U.S. Treasury before they ceased production for good, in 1921. Originally purchased from a local bank for face value, the farmer had tucked them away for his retirement. Now these glittering chunks of nearly uncirculated silver history, are being released to the public by GovMint.com. While they last, you can acquire these brilliant, lustrous silver coins for as low as $29.50 apiece. Twenty-coin Bankers rolls and 10-coin Half Rolls are available.

Survival Against All Odds By all rights these silver dollars should have been destroyed decades ago. Government silver melt-downs, including the 1918 Pittman Act, which alone destroyed 270 million Morgans, have decimated supplies. Millions more were called in by the government and melted for their silver content between 1921 and 1965. Today private hoards account for virtually all the surviving coins. And of those, only a fraction survive in the Virtually Uncirculated condition so coveted by collectors.

Prized Last Year Coins These last year 90% pure silver beauties still dazzle with their Mint luster and heft. Weighing in at 26.73 grams and a diameter of 38.1 mm, they are the largest American silver coins ever to circulate. Struck from silver mined from the western Mother Lode, they are the legendary coins that built the West. Master engraver George T. Morgan fashioned a radiant profile of Lady Liberty and a majestic eagle as symbols of our nation’s strength and prosperity. Today, the long-gone Morgan silver dollars are among the most sought-after coins in America.

Hot Silver Market, Hot Silver Value Silver prices have jumped over 140% in the last two years fueling the frenzy among avid collectors, investors, and the 130 million new collectors created by the U.S. Mint’s highly successful state quarters program. Today, the market is hot for Silver coins in any condition. This same 1921 Morgan Silver Dollar currently sells elsewhere in the same grade condition for $55 apiece. But while supplies last you can get this original Virtually Uncirculated 1921 Silver Morgan for as little as $29.50 each, in quantity!

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Confronted by such a daunting challenge, the Scaleses quickly understood that coordination was needed among the volunteers. “We realized that there were thousands of people who wanted help but had no one to coordinate,” she says. “You have to know what needs to be done and in what order. Then it involves organizing people who have the right skills.” The Scaleses devoted their efforts to purchasing supplies, rounding up both skilled and unskilled labor and helping storm victims obtain the necessary FEMA funds for rebuilding. Money for their work also comes from donations made by friends, families and churches, thanks to the help of such agencies as International Gospel Outreach. As Monty sees it, the couple’s ability to work as a team, along with their deep religious faith, has helped them endure the many challenges they’ve faced while volunteering. After spending two years in Mississippi, Sue and Monty helped organize rebuilding efforts in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward. They attended missionary training for six months, graduating as licensed missionaries and becoming ordained in Christian ministry, and Susan

Our Runners-Up

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www.goodsamclub.com

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Our Runners-Up CONTINUED

Joe Works Busting the recession with community service, not layoffs

s the recession hit businesses across North America, executives found a simple solution to trimming costs and getting budgets in line: employee layoffs. Joe Works, president of B&W Hitches in Humboldt, Kansas, took a different approach. When assembly lines slowed, he set his staff to work on projects that benefited the local community such as repairing sidewalks, building a youth baseball field and erecting bleachers at the local sports arena. For Joe, a Humboldt native, helping the local community and providing jobs is as important as making equipment for the RV and farm markets. Although the donated labor accounts for 10 percent of the company’s losses, Joe, an occasional RVer, explains that because B&W is the largest employer in the town, the company has an obligation to the community at large. Chalk it up to the tight bonds created by smalltown living. 27 Highways

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floods hit that region in 2008. When Ike hit, the Scaleses traveled down the Gulf Coast to Texas, where they’ve become fixtures in hard-hit San Leon. The couple can usually be found supervising workers at various houses and purchasing supplies at the local Lowe’s, where they’ve been granted a 10 percent discount. They’re always on the lookout for qualified volunteers but they welcome help from anyone who’s over 18. “I love to have retired people,” says Susan, “because most of them have skills and the time.” But skills aren’t the most important qualification for volunteers. Often, people who lost

“Just the fact that you brought in hope is 90 percent of the work,” says Monty Scales. their homes just need someone to listen. “Sometimes, the folks who lost their homes are without hope,” says Monty. “The fact that somebody comes in and spends time can change their life. Just the fact that you brought in hope is 90 percent of the work.” “The families we help don’t have a clue how this is going to get done,” says Susan. “But we get it done.” To learn more about the Good Sam Club’s 2009 RVers of the Year, click on www.msmission.blogspot.com to check out Susan and Monty Scales’ blog. Better yet, meet our award recipents in person at the 2010 Rally in Louisville this July. table of contents

www.goodsamclub.com

ACTIONline EDITED BY ROBIN DUFFIELD

Axle Intolerance I recently bought a CrossRoads fifth wheel. About three months before the trailer’s two-year warranty expired, I noticed uneven wear on the tires. I also found excessive toe-in on both axles. The dealership where I purchased the trailer denied responsibility for the problem and explained this was a manufacturer’s issue. The dealership sent photos on my behalf that included the measurements

Action Line assists one Good Sam member with an awning replacement and another with repair reimbursement Since September 2005, Action Line has received

6,005 letters from

of the axle to CrossRoads. CrossRoads denied the claim. I realize the warranty had expired, but a problem like this doesn’t show up without having a number of miles put on the trailer. I took the trailer to a local frame and axle shop and had them straighten both axles at a cost of $273.12. Any help from Action Line to recover my repair bill, either from the dealership or CrossRoads, would be greatly appreciated. Richard Smith, GARFIELD, ARKANSAS

you and recovered

$417,414.44

nline... The Good Sam Club’s Action Line has resolved thousands of disputes in favor of members. Highways highlights a sampling of these results in each edition. If you have an issue to resolve, go to www.goodsamclub.com/ community and click on RVer Rights. 28 Highways

JANUARY 2010

ACTION LINE: After sending a petition on behalf of Good Sam member Richard Smith, CrossRoads’ vice president of customer care sent the following correspondence:

Mr. Smith’s claim was denied based on the facts that the measurements of the axles were within tolerance set by the axle manufacturer. The pictures that were provided show minimal tire wear, and alignment is considered a maintenance issue. As a goodwill gesture, we’ll reimburse half of the invoice for aligning the axles. We hope this brings a resolution to the claim and satisfies the customer.

warranty and we’d have to purchase a new awning. We feel that the dealership that was responsible for altering the awning or Carefree of Colorado should replace it at no cost to us. Dan and George Anne Mace, BARKER, NEW YORK

Altered Awning

ACTION LINE: A petition was sent to WE BOUGHT A Monaco Class A motorhome for Monaco and Carefree of Colorado on behalf $225,000 in April 2008. The awning over our of the Maces, prompting the following response from Carefree of Colorado: large slide-out had unraveled at the edges and was 3 inches shorter than it should We’re sorry to hear about the Maces’ experihave been. We took it to a Florida Monaco ences with their 2007 Monaco. We did receive facility, and the service personnel resewed a request from a dealership requesting an the edges instead of replacing the awning. awning replacement for the Maces’ RV. The Before we got the awning back, the dealership submitted photos and measureMonaco facility had cutbacks, and the awning was delivered to another Monaco dealership. They told us the awning was too long and needed to be shortened. We contacted the manufacturer of the awning, Carefree of Colorado, who assured us that the awning was being sent ments, and an evaluation determined that the to a repair facility. Two weeks later, a service damage occurred to the awning because of technician called and informed us that improper installation. Therefore, the repairs Carefree told them they wouldn’t be sending wouldn’t be covered under the warranty. the awning because we were out of warranty. As a goodwill gesture, we would be happy to I called Carefree and was told that because work with an authorized Carefree dealer of the Monaco’s Florida facility altered the original Maces’ choice to provide a replacement awning awning, it was no longer covered under the at a significantly reduced price.

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I realize the warranty had expired, but a problem like this doesn’t show up without having a number of miles put on the trailer.

www.goodsamclub.com

good

EDITED BY ROBIN DUFFIELD TESTED AND REVIEWED BY MEMBERS

stuff

Air Alert Valve Caps

We’ve all heard the lecture. Properly inflated tires improve road safety and boost gas mileage. But how do you guard against day-to-day pressure loss? Air Alert can help. A small valve cap replaces standard tire valves and flashes brightly when tire pressure falls 4 psi below the original pressure. Good Sam product tester Rodger Blanton of Converse, South Carolina, put the valve caps on his tires and tells us, “They keep you aware of your tire pressure when you’re doing a lot of traveling. My wife loves them.” PRICE: $39.95 for a set of four, $44.95 with theft-protection CONTACT: Aviation Upgrade Technology, 877-293-3714 www.automotiveupgrade.com

Key Buoy Self-Inflating Key Fob Got a case of butterfingers? The Key Buoy keeps keys and other valuable items from sinking to the bottom of your favorite fishing spot, swimming hole or boating destination. When the Key Buoy hits the water, the patented key ring automatically inflates, remaining buoyant for more than an hour. Owners can retrieve keys, small tools or anything weighing up to 8 ounces. The bright-orange 14-inch air tube makes the Key Buoy easy to spot and retrieve. When not inflated, the Key Buoy fits easily in pants pockets. Good Sam product tester Glenn Williams of Kenly, North Carolina, got the key fob wet and reports, “The Key Buoy is a great asset for anyone working around water.” PRICE: $6.99 CONTACT: Davis Instruments, 510-732-9229, www.davisnet.com

Freshhanger Clothes-Refreshing Hanger Covers Don’t get taken to the cleaners every time you doff that favorite sweater. The Freshhanger removes odor-causing substances, freshening garments and lessening big laundry loads. The Freshhanger cover fits any clothes hanger, and its activated carbon absorbs everything from chemical odors and smoke to dampness and chlorine residue. Greg Stephens, a Good Sam product tester from Aiken, South Carolina, tried a set of Freshhangers and says, “This is a good idea with excellent ease of use.” PRICE: $14.99 for a pack of five CONTACT: Ideal Home Innovations 866-530-6580 www.freshhanger.com

nline... CLICK HERE to sign up to be a Good Sam product tester. 29 Highways

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E-Zee RV Shade Handles E-Zee RV Day/Night Shade Handles make it simpler for RVers to shut out the world or let the light in. The convenient removable handles attach to RV window shades that don’t have buttons or knobs. The handles also keep fingerprints off your shades. The P/N 1123 handle fits Fleetwood, Carriage and Keystone shades, among others. The P/N 1124 handle fits Winnebago, Itasca, Pace Arrow, Tiffin coaches and more. Good Sam product tester Jan Christiansen of Oceanside, California, attached the E-Zee handles and reports, “They help keep the blinds clean and really make it easier to open and close them.” PRICE: $14.95 CONTACT: E-Zee RV Shade Handles 360-426-7303, www.ezeehandle.com

www.goodsamclub.com

CLUB events Good Sam Club chapters across North America regularly host RV gatherings known as Samborees. As a Good Sam member, you can visit these events in any state or province. Activities range from games to arts and crafts, seminars and live entertainment. In short, Samborees are a good time and a great way to meet people who share your interests. Dates, locations, fees and contact information for upcoming events are all listed.

Go to www.goodsamclub.com/ community/eventsandtours.aspx for our complete calendar. 30 Highways

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FEBRUARY

13–18. Lea County Event Center, Hobbs. $55.

MAY

FLORIDA • WINTER SAMBOREE, February 17–21. Withlacoochee Festival Grounds,

Contact: Judy Weatherford, 505-254-2299.

OHIO • SPRING FLOWERS SAMBOREE, May 7–9.

judyinabq@aol.com www.nmgoodsam.com

Coshocton County Fairgrounds, Coshocton. $45, $50 at gate. Contact: Dave Spragg, 740-454-3704.

bward5@bellsouth.net www.goodsams-florida.org

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA • PAJAMA PARTY SAMBOREE, April 14–18. Antelope Valley

dspragg@columbus.rr.com www.ohiogoodsam.com

MARCH

TENNESSEE • SPRING SAMBOREE, May 14–16.

ARIZONA • HAPPY HOBOS HOLIDAY, March 3–6.

Fairgrounds, Lancaster. $85/2 two nights. Contact: Carmela Remsen, 562-833-3691.

Yuma County Fairgrounds, Yuma. $90. Contact: Joyce Anderson, 480-807-6066.

pebbles-10@sbcglobal.net www.socalgoodsam.org

James E. Ward Agricultural Center, Lebanon. $70/2, $60/1 before 4/26. Contact: Ron Masterson, 423-365-4392.

FLORIDA • SPRING SAMBOREE, April 14–18.

ron1bear@aol.com www.tngoodsam.com

Dunnellon. $110. Early bird, 2/16. Contact: Robert Ward, 352-585-3677.

joyceinmesa@yahoo.com www.arizonagoodsam.org NEVADA • ST. PATRICK’S DAY SPRING SAMBOREE, March 11–13. Avi Resort and Casino, Laughlin. $65/2, $45/1. Contact: Linda Le Chien, 775-690-9698.

Okeechobee KOA Campground, Okeechobee. Contact: Robert Ward, 352-585-3677.

bward5@bellsouth.net www.goodsams-florida.org

WEST VIRGINIA • CELEBRATING ARMED FORCES DAY SAMBOREE, May 14–16. Butcher Bend 4-H Grounds, Mineral Wells. $45 before 5/1. Contact: Don and Kathy Wise, 304-482-7568.

rllechien@aol.com www.nevadagoodsam.com

ARKANSAS • SPRING SAMBOREE, April 15–18.

GEORGIA • SPRING MARDI GRAS SAMBOREE, March 25–28. Georgia National Fairgrounds,

mwiggs2501@yahoo.com www.arkansasgoodsams.com

VIRGINIA • SPRING SAMBOREE, May 21–23.

NORTH CAROLINA • SPRING SAMBOREE, April 23–25. Lowe’s Motor Speedway Campground,

amitch@shentel.net www.vagoodsam.org

Perry. $100. Contact: Perno Scott, 770-922-5794.

gladigotta@comcast.net www.georgiagoodsam.com

APRIL

Four States Fairgrounds, Texarkana. $60. Contact: Melinda Wiggs, 870-972-0951.

Concord. $68. Contact: Don and Eunice Fletcher, 919-499-2512.

kloua@suddenlink.net www.wvgoodsams.com

Bethpage Camp Resort, Urbanna. Contact: Brenda Mitchell, 540-465-4515.

INDIANA • ANGELS AMONG US SAMBOREE, May 28–31. Boone County Fairgrounds, Lebanon.

TEXAS • SPRING DERBY SAMBOREE, April 1–4.

defletch@windstream.net. www.ncstategoodsam.com

Heart O’ Texas Fair Complex, Waco. $70/2, $75/ 2 at gate. Contact: Jody Birchett, 361-584-1919.

OKLAHOMA • TROPICAL PARADISE SAMBOREE, April 30–May 2. Heart of Oklahoma Exposition

ingoodsam@yahoo.com www.indianagoodsam.com

txgoodsam@aol.com www.texasgoodsam.com

Center, Shawnee. $61. Contact: Patricia Wade, 580-264-0147.

JUNE

NEW MEXICO • PIONEER DAYS SAMBOREE, April

dplwade@arbuckleonline.com www.oklahomagoodsams.com

MANITOBA AND NORTHWEST ONTARIO • VISIT THE PAST SAMBOREE, June 2–6. $90. Manitoba

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$60. Contact: Wayne and Carole Crise, 260-357-3216.

barshar@mts.net www.mannwontgoodsam club.com IDAHO â&#x20AC;˘ GOOD SAM RV RALLY, June 8â&#x20AC;&#x201C;13. Emmett High School, Emmett. $45. Contact: Sally Sturman, 208-382-3768.

beekeeper@frontier.net www.idahogoodsam.org

UTAH â&#x20AC;˘ WAGONS WEST SAMBOREE, June 9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;12. Juab County Fairgrounds, Nephi. $70, $80 after 5/15. Contact: Glenn Carroll, 801-571-1803.

carrollg@1st.net www.utahgoodsam.org SASKATCHEWAN â&#x20AC;˘ PROVINCIAL SAMBOREE, June 9â&#x20AC;&#x201C;13. Humboldt Uniplex, Humboldt. $99/2, $74/1. Contact: Marcia Shalley, 306-545-6606.

CONTACT YOUR STATE OR PROVINCIAL DIRECTOR

Visit ww.goodsamclub.com/community, click on the Chapters tab, then click on the appropriate state or province.

YOUR CAMPER VAN CONNECTION!

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866-354-1293 www.guaranty.com

31 Highways

JANUARY 2010

CONNECTICUT â&#x20AC;˘ STATE SAMBOREE, June 11â&#x20AC;&#x201C;13. $70, $80 at gate. Brooklyn Fairgrounds, Brooklyn. Early bird, 6/9. Contact: Sandra Bulson, 860-642-7258, 860-608-1461. dbulson2@sbcglobal.net www.ctgoodsams.org ALBERTA â&#x20AC;˘ PROVINCIAL SAMBOREE, June 16â&#x20AC;&#x201C;20. Community Hall, Foremost. Contact: Dave and Barb Colbeck, 403-381-1371. davecolb@telusplanet.net www.rvalberta.ca OREGON â&#x20AC;˘ CRUISE AWAY SAMBOREE, June 16â&#x20AC;&#x201C;20. Jefferson County Fairgrounds, Madras. $65. Contact: Don Nedrow, 503-702-5293. donnedrow@comcast.net www.oregongoodsam.com SOUTH DAKOTA â&#x20AC;˘ STATE SAMBOREE, June 17â&#x20AC;&#x201C;20. Central State Fairgrounds, Rapid City. $70, $75 gate. Contact: Donna Katzer, 605-341-7255. redhatdonnaqb @rap.midco.net table of contents

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COMMERCIAL CORNER

ACCESSORIES

CARPET & FLOORING

HOMES FOR SALE

LEAKY ROOF? Liquid Roof® goes on like paint — cures to a sealed EPDM rubber membrane. UV & Ozone resistant — good to 300º F. 5-year warranty. Info & brochure: 800-467-7135 www.AdvancedRubberCoatings.com

Pat’s RV is now Route 66 RV! All major brands installed! Route 66 RV • Buena Park, CA www.getyourkicksRV.com (800) 670-7287

RETAMA VILLAGE Come join us! At our exclusive 55+ active adult community in the fabulous Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. Large RV Lots, Casita w/RV Port and single family homes. Clubhouse, library, pools, fitness center, billiards, hiking, biking, and birding. Bentsenpalm.com 956.381.1500

CONVERTERS • INVERTERS Electrical Supplies • Electronics • GPS Navigation Back-up Monitors • Tire Pressure Monitors And more! Visit www.bestconverter.com Or call Toll Free 888-828-1893

ALASKA TRAVEL DVD with nature’s beauty from Montana, Canada, and within Alaska. Map graphics show all locations. Details and previews, as well as stunning photos of Alaska and US west available at www.fennofoto.com ALASKA RV TRAVEL VIDEOS See more than 65 parks in this two disc series Great for planning your Alaska vacation Meet Alaskans, visit destinations, see the parks Visit www.rvtravelvideos.com

BEDDING HACKSACK The Perfect RV Bedding Winter side / Summer side — Sheets Velcroed in NO TUCKING IN REQUIRED 4 Sizes / 5 Colors www.hacksack-leisure.com or 1-800-521-1876

CAMPGROUNDS SOUTHWESTERN CAMPER RANCHES offers 2 distinctly different RV camping experiences in TX and NM. For information and pictures, visit our Web site http://www.swcampers.com or write SCR, PO Box 859, Tyrone, NM 88065, or call 1-888-563-7275.

CAMPGROUND MEMBERSHIPS

FURNITURE Route 66 RV • Featuring Flexsteel & Villa www.getyourkicksRV.com (800) 670-7287

HEARING AIDS HEARING AIDS—GUARANTEED LOWEST PRICES. 60% Savings! 30-day trial—All makes. The oldest, biggest and best. Custom instrument experts. Free info: 1-800-323-4212. Lloyds, Dept. HY, Rockford, IL 61110, www.lloydhearingaid.com

HELP WANTED SCHOOL CAMPER HOSTS needed, Mat-Su Alaska. 40 mi N of Anchorage. 36 sites from urban to rural. 5/28/10 to 8/6/10. Contact Bill at 907373-2287, or email bill.cheeseman@matsuk12.us 1880 TOWN ATTRACTION needs couples May-Sept. 2010. Sales, tickets, gift shop, costume shop, cashiers, old saloon bartender/marshal, train diner help, housekeepers, maint. Carpenter. Nonsmokers please. Wages, RV parking provided. W/E/S. Send resumé: 1880 Town, Box 507, Murdo, SD 57559. (605) 669-2697, cell (605) 530-4032, fax (605) 669-3263. THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. Travel where you want, stay in RV parks free and set your own income selling advertising for RV Parks, Motels, Colleges & Fairgrounds Directories. Up to 65% commission. Call 1-800-832-3292.

WHY NOT HAVE IT ALL? Over 1,500 RV parks, $8-$12 a night. Sound too good to be true? It’s true. Home park and nationwide campground membership. Under $200 first year — for EVERYTHING! (frozen dues thereafter). No Other Charges. LOW PRICE GUARANTEE— double money-back difference — Deal direct/No brokers. Start saving now! (800) 343-8677, ask for Angie.

Have the adventure of a lifetime in Alaska. Volunteer Opportunities available in Alaska State Parks. 60 host positions statewide with free campsite, stipend, training and more. Season is May to September with a minimum 4 week commitment. Contact the volunteer coordinator by ph: (907) 269-8708, fax: (907) 269-8907, dnr.pksvol@alaska.gov or visit our web site at www.alaskastateparks.org for more information.

RESALES — NATIONWIDE — Since 1991 TT/ NACO, Western Horizons, AOR, Outdoor World, CRA, CCC transfers, RPI, much more! CAMPGROUND MEMBERSHIP OUTLET 1-800-272-0401 to buy. 1-800-952-0401 to sell. $We pay referrals$. www.membershipresale.com

1000’s OF GREAT JOBS IN GREAT PLACES! Enjoy the freedom and adventure of the Workamper lifestyle. Jobs in campgrounds, parks, resorts, etc. For FREE BROCHURE & subscription info. 800-446-5627 www.workamper.com

GENERAL INFORMATION & RATES

Highways’ Commercial Corner section of classified ads is designed exclusively for private parties or businesses that have items or services to sell, promote or rent that are not of a personal nature. For example, RV Parks, Campgrounds, Condominium Complexes, Real Estate, Small Businesses for Sale, Services Offered, Help Wanted, Positions Wanted and Business Opportunities all represent categories appropriate for Commercial Corner. Any item offered for rent is considered commercial in nature. Commercial Corner advertisers are not required to be Good Sam Club members. When submitting ad copy, please follow these guidelines: 1. There are 40 characters allowed per line, counting each letter, space and punc-

32 Highways

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tuation mark. When abbreviating, please use standard dictionary abbreviations. There is a five-line minimum, and the rate is $62 per line. 2. Bold-face type is available at an additional cost of $15 per line. Add $50 to make your ad all red. 3. We offer a 5% frequency discount for six issues and a 10% discount for 12 issues. 4. Blind-box service is available at an additional cost of $15 per issue. We will assign a blind-box number to your ad, and we will forward responses to you on a daily basis. The blind-box address takes one full line of space at $62/line. Our $15 fee covers our postage and handling expenses. 5. Copy must be printed or typed. 6. Copy must be submitted approximately

HUNTING/FISHING HUNT SE WYOMING from the comfort of your RV. 3-day antelope and 5-day antelope/mule deer hunts avail. Complete RV hookups provided. For info call Steve Trimble at Slash T Outfitting 307-547-3744. Lic. #BG209

INTERIOR/EXTERIOR DETAILING Route 66 RV • Featuring Meguiar’s Products www.getyourkicksRV.com (800) 670-7287

INTERNET SERVICES $49.95 Monthly Group Rate for MOBILE BROADBAND RVers get $120 annual savings compared to all major Carriers • USB Modem for $19.95 – FREE if you mention ad • NO Annual Contract / NO Activation Fee • Powered by the SPRINT & VERIZON networks Call Toll Free at (800) 471-4389 to sign up

INVESTMENTS EARN 9.6% INTEREST PER ANNUM 1-800-687-4940 Toll Free Not available in some states.

LOTS FOR SALE ARIZONA RV LOTS FOR SALE—Yuma area, deeded property, 2 RVs allowed per lot. Price includes all utilities, block fence and gravel, central sewer and city water, paved streets. No HOA. REDUCED PRICING from $43,000. Call Rick @ 928.502.1146 or Debi @ 928.502.1144.

South Dakota Mail Forwarding/Residency Low rates for personalized mail forwarding Contact us about SD residency benefits NO state income tax, LOW vehicle Reg. 1-866-202-2163 www.mydakotaaddress.com

$$$ CASH $$$ CASH $$$ $$$ Cash for your Motorhome $$$ Cash for 2002 Year Model & Newer Please call David 951-315-7212 anytime, or 877-252-1565 ••• NATIONWIDE PICKUP

MAIL FORWARDING SERVICES Fast, sure, safe mail delivery. Low prices. OREGON HAS NO SALES TAX For FREE BROCHURE call (800) 452-2130 Visit us at www.mailforwardingservices.com

$$ CASH FOR YOUR MOTORHOME! $$ Buying ’02 model year & newer motorhomes! FREE Nationwide Pickup Call Jim Cash Toll Free — 866-687-2274 www.usedrvpros.com • La Mesa RV Center

GOOD SAM MAIL SERVICE Dependable Service From A Name You Trust * Mail Forwarding * Vehicle Registration * Florida Residency * No State Income Tax P.O. Box 2428, Pensacola, FL 32513 www.goodsammail.com 877.522.0092

WE BUY MOTORHOMES ’98 & NEWER - CLEAN - LOW MILES - NO SMOKE/PET CASH Payment & NATIONWIDE Pick Up Contact Bill Fishfader @ 1-509-993-0321 RVs NORTHWEST • SPOKANE, WA

Need your mail to follow you? Call us Travelers Remail Association since 1978 No state income tax, Vehicle Reg., TX Residency, Low rates www.tramail.net or 800-666-6710 MAIL FORWARDING WITH A PERSONAL TOUCH SOUTH DAKOTA the BEST ALTERNATIVE • MAIL forwarding • LOW vehicle tax • NO State income tax • NO State inheritance tax ALTERNATIVE RESOURCES 800-477-2664 SD’s Oldest & Largest Mail Forwarding Company www.alternativeresources.net PRIVATE & SECURE MAIL FORWARDING LOW TAX $$$ VEHICLE REGISTRATION MAKE FLORIDA YOUR HOME BASE www.FloridaVehicleRegistrationService.com “To God Be The Glory” CALL 866-624-5523 $10 MAILBOX RENTALS — South Dakota Vehicle Reg. — Low 3% S.D. Sales Tax No State Income Tax, No Veh Inspections Call Toll Free 1-800-419-1690 Visa/MC Visit us at www.yourbestaddress.com

MATTRESSES MAIL/MESSAGE SERVICES AMERICAS-MAILBOX Forwarding in SD Save $$$/NEW Monthly Rates! NO State Income Tax NO Wheel Tax/NO Safety Inspection/NO Hassles Very Low RV Reg. & Insurance 866-747-3700 www.Americas-Mailbox.com/HW Call us first! OUR MAIL TRAVEL SERVICE • 800-723-0110 Orlando • San Antonio • Las Vegas • New York Mail Forwarding Service • No State Income Tax No Vehicle Inspection • Low RV Reg. & Insur. Open 7 days • www.mailtravelservice.com

two months prior to the cover date of the issue desired. Please note: The April issue closes on January 20; the May issue closes on February 19. 7. Mail ad copy and a check, money order or Visa/MasterCard/Discover number, expiration date and signature to Commercial Corner, Highways, P.O. Box 8510, Ventura, California 93002-9912. 8. Credit-card orders may be faxed to 805667-4379, Attention: Joyce Reweda, or e-mailed to jreweda@affinitygroup.com (please put “Commercial Corner” in the subject line). 9. Please direct questions to Joyce Reweda at 805-667-4392 or via e-mail at jreweda@affinitygroup.com (please put “Commercial Corner” in the subject line).

table of contents

Route 66 RV • Custom RV Mattresses www.getyourkicksRV.com (800) 670-7287

MOTORHOME PARTS www.WinnebagoParts.com Parts for all Winnebago/Itasca products & LeSharo/Phasar. Body/crash parts, decals & glass 1975 to present. Personal service at fair prices for our customers worldwide. M-F, 8-5 Central time. 800-933-7742 WINNEBAGO, ITASCA, FLEETWOOD—-PARTS Contact Robert with Year & Serial #. We Accept Credit Cards & Ship Daily. 8-5:30 Central M-F, Sat. 8-4 HARRISON RV LAND, JEFFERSON, IA 1-800-397-8206, rvparts@netins.net www.harrisonrv.com

MOTORHOMES WANTED $ RV BUYERS OF AMERICA $ WE BUY ALL MAKES AND MODELS FREE NATIONWIDE PICKUP TOLL FREE 888-782-8987 www.rvbuyersusa.com WE WILL BEAT ANY DEALER PRICE SELLING!??? Instant cash for your 2002 - current Motorhome. All models Top$$ + Quick pickup Call Joe Punzi 800-760-3673 or 831-458-6166 (direct) 100s of Happy Customers over the last 40 years! North Bay Ford RV PACKRAT STORAGE — CONSIGNS, BUYS RVs Class A, B, C Motorhomes Not Picky! Cash for Referrals. Nationwide Pickup. 1-877-520-MINI www.packratsa.com

www.goodsamclub.com

WANTED Have Cash, Will Travel For 1998 and newer diesel coaches. www.rvgone.com Nationwide Pick Up. Toll Free 1-800-669-1807. #1 CASH RV BUYER $$ Tired of High Payments? Owe More Than Your RV is Wor th? Need Cash Fast? We Are Shor t Sell Exper ts! Call Now for a Free Appraisal. Toll Free: 888-870-3989 BIG SKY LIQUIDATION $ CASH $ TOP DOLLAR PAID for late-model motorhomes. All makes and models. No hassles. For instant cash call Keith Roy (toll-free) at 1-888-227-4078, PEDATA RV CENTER 2009 - 1999 MOTORHOMES WANTED Nationwide — Gas or Diesel Free Appraisals — No Hassles Call (813) 783-4000 or 888-783-4009 for Instant Cash MotorhomeFinders.com

RAFFLES 2005 DOUBLETREE LUXURY Mobile Suite. Win a Suite Deal. 1 ticket for $65.00 or 2 for $100.00. Call 706-896-8420 or visit www.mobilesuiteraffle.com for complete raffle details.

RECREATIONAL VEHICLES FOR SALE RV REGISTRY www.rvregistry.com Motorhomes, Trailers & Fifth Wheels For Sale by Owners No Sales Commissions Buyers/Sellers 800-546-8457 LIST YOUR RV! SHOP FOR AN RV! THOUSANDS OF VIEWERS BUYERS WAITING! ••• www.RVclearinghouse.com •••

RECREATIONAL VEHICLES WANTED DONATE RVs, AUTOS, BOATS, PROPERTY, TIMESHARES, EQUIPMENT and JUNKERS, running or not. Fast Free Pickup. IRS Tax Deductible. 1-800-903-4483. Homeless Ministries. Email: help27@msn.com

RV CAMPGROUNDS/ MOBILE HOME PARKS SENIOR LIVING on the SALTON SEA RV Groups Welcome. Mineral Spa now open. Park Models & New Mobile Homes available. Rents starting @ $325. Rentals available. Call (818) 344-0356.

RV GRAPHICS VIBRANT FULL COLOR, DURABLE vinyl pictures. Select landscapes, animals, patriotic, lighthouses, etc. Avg. 30" X 50" or custom sized for your RV. Affordable. Easy to install. www.wild-signs.com 800-255-1790

RV SHOWS Affinity Events RV Shows January 2010 NC RV & Camping Show Jan 8 - 10, Greensboro, NC Colorado RV Adventure Travel Show Jan 13 - 16, Denver, CO Washington RV Camping Expo Jan 15 - 17, Chantilly, VA Mid America RV Show Jan 15 - 17 & Jan 22 - 24, Kansas City, MO New Jersey RV and Camping Show Jan 22 - 24, Edison, NJ www.affinityrvshows.com

RV SPACES FOR RENT SPACES FOR RENT—FULL-SERVICE RV PARK $340 per month. Quiet & secluded. Pool, spa, volleyball, tennis court. Great location midway between Orange Co. & San Diego in CA. RV storage. (951) 674-8204. ehrvpark.com RV SPACE FOR RENT. Must be 55 or older in Bellflower, CA. Small cat or dog under 20 lbs, okay. Close to all freeways, beaches & mtns. At least 1 month stay required. Pool table, pool. Call (562) 867-3227.

SERVICES TAX FREE RV — YOUR TAX SAVINGS EXPERTS We will show you how to save thousands. The best RV tax package in Montana. Call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! 888-441-5741 — www.taxfreerv.com LOWEST RATES IN THE 50 STATES!! Pay NO Sales Tax, Permanent Plates No Inspections — Plates in 4 days Trailers, RVs, Vehicles, Planes, Boats Deer Creek 877.913.5100 www.taxfreemontana.info PAY NO SALES TAX ON VEHICLES Let us explain how we can legally help you We’ve helped thousands in the last 11 years Call one of our three Montana Attorneys Bennett Law Office, P.C., Missoula, MT www.bennettlawofficepc.com 866-543-5803 MONTANA LLC’S ONLY $399* SAVE THOUSANDS — PAY NO SALES TAX! Montana LLC’s our Specialty — Lowest Rates ONLY $399.00* plus state fees and license plates www.RVLLC.com or Call 888-929-4424 ACTION SERVICES, LLC Consult a Licensed Montana Attorney No State Sales Tax & Low License Fees For Professional Service Call 800-481-0013 www.actionservices-mt.com Let us help you BUY YOUR RV ... TAX FREE! We guarantee BEST service and price Receive $100 Gas Card & FREE Mail Fwding Save Thousands of $$ Today! 888.430.3388 Best in the business. www.MontanaRV.net AVOID SALES TAX ON RVs AND VEHICLES Call to speak to a licensed MT attorney about setting up an LLC. 10+ years of experience. Heggen Law Office, P. C., Missoula, MT www.heggenlawoffice.com 888-777-5032 #1 IN SALES TAX SAVINGS Pay no sales tax on your next RV. We have helped clients legally save $1000s over the past 12 yrs. Call Mountain States Consulting 800-565-4504 & talk to a CPA for professional, friendly service or visit us on the web at www.rvtax.com

COMMERCIAL CORNER SERVICE TRAINING RVSA will CERTIFY you as an RV technician in only 10 weeks. 100% employment since 1986. Hands-on Instruction—Call the RV Service Academy in Florida. (941) 722-5256. www.rvsa.net LICENSED & APPROVED FOR VA TRAINING

TOURS WORLDWIDE RV TOURS AND RALLIES Mexico, Canada, Alaska, Overseas & USA. Pasadena Rose Parade, Kentucky Derby Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta & much more! Call for FREE RV Tour magazine 800-952-8496 OR, online “E-zine” at www.fantasyrvtours.com CHOSEN BY DISCRIMINATING RVERS SINCE 1975!! Drive the Alcan to America’s Last Frontier, envision yourself on Nova Scotia’s miles of coastal drives. Cross the border to sunny Mexico. Celebrate Mardi Gras. Experience Grand Canyon, Glacier, Pacific NW, Great Lakes, Branson, S. Africa, New Zealand/Australia. All arrangements, including RV parks, by Tracks RV Tours! **Free Catalog** www.tracksrvtours.com, 800-351-6053! Good Sam Samborees and Caraventures Whether your RV travels take you to Alaska, Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, New England, the Kentucky Derby, a NASCAR race, or to America’s National Parks, the Good Sam Club has a group travel package for you. Make new friends while you travel in the comfort of your RV on our fully guided tours. Call us toll-free at 1-800-829-5140 or visit us online at www.goodsamclub.com/tours to find out more about these and the many other tours offered by the Good Sam Club. ADVENTURE CARAVANS RV TOURS & RALLIES More Days! Save $$$ More Events! Free 86-page catalog (800) 872-7897 www.adventurecaravans.com Experience the Adventure, We’ll do the Rest!

TOW VEHICLE/TRAILER PACKAGES FOR SALE 1999 TETON 40' 5th or 1998 Mtn Master Frtlnr. Arctic pkg, full timer, new all over. 82K mi, Cumm/Allison, all Air Ride, huge stor, like new. $39,900 EACH. 623-451-7121.

TOW VEHICLES FOR SALE WANTED––USED MOUNTAIN MASTER RV TRUCKS. Please call if you need to sell your medium-duty RV truck or Teton 5th wheel. We refer people 623-221-2005, www.mountainmaster.net.

TRAVEL TRAILERS & FIFTH-WHEELS FOR SALE For Honda Ridgeline, Toyota Tacoma, Ford Explorer Sport, Nissan Frontier as well as other Ford, Dodge & Chevy 1/2 ton short beds. Big storage available — FOB So. Cal. factory. See http://www.americanarv.com/the_travel_bug.asp –– PLUS –– Quality full-sized AMERICANA tough Fifth-wheels designed for full-timing & 3/4 or 1 ton trucks –– Internet Direct Deals. Long Hot Showers available, 36' to 40', Lightweight, Aerodynamic, True 4 Seasons insulation. Powerful Hydraulic Disc Brakes! Smooth towing, full-leveling Air-ride Suspension — Factory Order prices start @ $43,984.24 F.O.B. The Midwestern Factory. www.americanarv.com or 800-552-5250. — 40 years — “Tuff” fifth-wheels for tough customers. Limited offer expires 1/26/10.

TRUCK CAMPERS FOR SALE ALASKAN Pickup Truck Camper. The original telescopic camper. “Top Up-Top Down”, hydraulically. Since 1953. ALASKAN CAMPERS, 420 NE Alaskan Way, Chehalis, WA 98532, (360) 748-6494. Email: alaskan@alaskancamper.com

33 Highways

JANUARY 2010

TRADING POST RATES AND INFORMATION Trading Post classifieds are restricted to ads placed by individual Good Sam Club members who are current with their dues. Ads must be for items that are personally owned and listed for sale or trade, not for rental. All other classifieds will be considered for placement in the Commercial Corner section. The following are inappropriate for placement in Trading Post: • Ads for commercial products or services. • Ads for multi-unit apartments, townhome complexes and more than 10 acres of unimproved real property. • Ads soliciting the usage of property, whether commercial or residential. • Ads from commercial agents. • Ads for employment or employees. • Ads for the exchange of one service for another, regardless of whether money changes hands. ADVERTISING RATES: $90 per listing, per issue. Bold-face type is an additional $10 for the first line, $110 for the entire ad. Red type is an additional $25. PHOTOS: $60 per photo, one photo per ad. BLIND-BOX SERVICE: For $15 per issue, a blind-box number will be assigned to your ad, and we will forward responses to you. When submitting ad copy, please follow these guidelines: • Mail or fax your ad on our printed form, use your own stationery or send an e-mail. • Limit each ad to 200 characters, counting all letters, spaces, punctuation marks and numbers. • Indicate under which category you’d like your ad to be listed. • Note your Good Sam Club membership number and expiration date. MAIL ad copy and a check, money order or a Visa/MasterCard/Discover number to: Trading Post, Highways, P.O. Box 8510, Ventura, California 93002-9912. FAX credit card orders to 805-667-4379, Attention: Trading Post. E-MAIL credit-card orders to classifieds@tl.com. Please type “Trading Post” in the subject line. No telephone orders, please. If you have a question, we can be reached at (805) 667-4100, extension 392.

CAMPGROUND MEMBERSHIPS FOR SALE (COAST TO COAST AFFILIATED) CAMPGROUND MBRSHP FOR SALE - Home park Pleasant Creek Ranch, Utah. 4 free parks: Pleasant Creek Ranch; Bear Lake; Starvation; Flaming Gorge. Coast to Coast affil. USA coast to coast, plus Canada. (435) 722-2050.

CAMPGROUND MEMBERSHIPS FOR SALE THOUSAND TRAILS NACO GOLD card membership, since 1989. Home park Soledad Canyon, Acton, CA. Paid $7495, sell $3000 OBO. You pay transfer fee. (775) 751-4944 (NV). TT/NACO/ALLIANCE, GOLD. $2,000 plus transfer fee. Dues paid until April 10, 2010. 50 days camping with no time out between parks. Phone 316-729-0080 or 316-259-8855. MOUNTAIN LAKES RESORTS NATIONWIDE Campgrounds when connected with Resorts of Distinction. For sale $3500 plus transfer fees. Tel 626-453-6642.

TRADING POST THOUSAND TRAILS MEMBERSHIP FOR SALE. $1500 and transfer fee. Please call 210-341-3923 (TX).

HOMES FOR SALE

FT MYERS, FL 55+ gated RV/mfg community. 18 unique circles of 40 lots. Full concrete pad, patio & 2-car drive. Next to clubhouse. Too many amenities & activities to list. Only $50,000. Call (239) 992-9378 (FL) . DESTIN VILLAGE RV RESORT, FL—2 lots for sale side by side, across from pool and clubhouse, 1 block to huge public beach. Large pads, gated. $109,000 each. Susan (850) 496-6520. TEXAS DEEDED RV LOT, Lake Whitney RV gated community, 75 miles south of Dallas. Everything an RV owner could want. $15,000. (903) 408-0573 (TX), or email plumberg@msn.com

S. CALIFORNA SNOWBIRD DELIGHT. Built 2005. 3 BR, 2 BA, 1,144 sq ft, central A/C, alarm, fenced RV area, 0.2 ac corner lot. 15 min walk to sea. Salton City. $95K. 714-532-4041; webmaster12@pacbell.net

PROPERTY FOR SALE 2001 ALLEGRO BUS 37’. 3 slides, Cat diesel, 6-spd Allison, 38K miles, 7500KW Onan gen, sat, leather, 4-dr frig w/ice, W/D, extras. 2007 Saturn Vue, 30K miles, w/Blue Ox tow rig. $110K. 931-636-9152.

MOTORHOMES FOR SALE

FLORIDA 1 ACRE FENCED, great motorhome port with lg shop 3/2 mfg hm, FL rm, boat port, 2 carport & covered deck, extra full hookup, low taxes. Citrus trees. $175,000. Call for photos/info (386) 467-3293, (904) 699-2081. SW FLORIDA - Beautiful, custom modular (2/2) unit and adjoining RV lot for sale in Cypress Bend RV 55+ resort. Just south of Ft. Myers in Estero, FL. pets OK! Visit www.CypressBendSite.com or call 727-480-0970.

TOW VEHICLES FOR SALE

2006 PACE ARROW 38’ Class A, 18K mi, Workhorse 8.1, Onan 7.5, 3 S/O, 2 AC, 2 furn, sat, 2 TV, micro/conv, W/D, cherry, B/U cam. No smk/pets. $90K, best offer. Must sell. (801) 809-5299, (801) 560-6687. INDIO, CA - Fabulous 2 BR, 2 1/2 BA, 1853 sq ft RV hm, Indian Palms Cntry Club. 50’ RV gar w/full hkups, 2 car gar, golfcart gar. Many upgrades. Orig price $520K. Now $369,900. Loc on golf course. Steve 619-990-2589.

2005 SEABREEZE 35, V10 Ford, 9650 mi, garaged. 3 slides, 2 TV, DVD, DVR, micro/conv, Q bed, booth, recliner, rear cam, leveling jacks, 5500 Onan, 2 AC. Monitor for tow car with transmission pump. $55K. 936-632-5474.

2006 TIFFIN PHAETON 40’, 350 Cat, Allison, Onan gen, 12K mi, 4 slides, full paint, cam, new batt, inv, auto jacks, 4-dr frig, 2 TV, DVD, stereo, sat, ext warr. No smk, like new. $149,500. (315) 794-3157 (NY).

ASHEVILLE, NC—Newly remodeled home & RV building. 4BR, 4BA, 4300 sq ft home, 2250 sq ft RV building HVAC. Many amenities plus mtn views. New low price $699,500. Pics @ www.rvasheville.com; 828-280-3090.

2005 CLASS C 35’ GULF STREAM Endura, 7K mi. Duramax dsl w/exh brake, Allison trans, 2 SO, 5.5 Onan dsl gen, cruise control, htd holding tanks, 2 TV, back-up monitor, 2 AC, & much more. $89K. 707-462-3404 (CA). 2003 HR ENDEAVOR 40’, 330 Cummins diesel, 6sp Allison trans, 3 slides, 1 1/2 bath, wash/dry, micro/conv, Corian. 57K miles, one owner, good condition, no pet/smoke. $80K. (863) 424-1859 (FL). 2004 DUTCH STAR 38’ Cat Diesel, 18,000 miles. 2 slides, sat, freezer, pull-out storage, wash/dry, auto awning, full paint, stored in coach barn. Like new. $114,500. (405) 348-6483 H, (405) 2096840 C. 2003 GULFSTREAM SUN VOYAGER 37’. Like new, 38,900 mi, Workhorse eng, Allison, auto lvlrs, Onan, 2 slides, 2 AC, 2 TV, DVD/VCR, washer/dryer, lthr, Corian, recliner, qn bed. Asking $69K. 954-467-1061.

2006 4 WIND CHATEAU MODEL 24BBF450V10, shower and toilet, satellite CB, 2 beds, 9900 miles. 7 new Michelin tires. MSRP $69,665 + $12K options. $48,000 buys. (863) 683-0605, Lakeland, FL. Will del? ALBERTA, CANADA QUIET SPOT 30 mi W of WEM, at Hwy 16 & 43, start of McKenzie & Alaska hwys. 3500 sq ft home, 2200 sq ft RV garage w/ hookups for 3 RVs, 5 acres with pond. $1.3M. (780) 915-6073, brisbane@telus.net

TRADING POST

2007 NAVION ITASCA 23H, 5K miles, 18 MPG. Like new. Sleeps 6, leather cab seats, 1 slide, equipped for Direct TV. Good Sam ESP (Gold) exp 4/27/11 or 150,000 mi. 910-269-3337 or Ben@benviloski.com

2006 FORD F250, DIESEL AUTOMATIC, LEATHER int, bed cover, 5th whl, trailer tow mirrors, aux fuel tank w/gauge, air ride susp on rear w/in-cab adjustment, custom front bumper & running boards. 55K miles. $23,900. 541-848-5256.

TRAVEL TRAILERS & FIFTH WHEELS FOR SALE NEW SUPER GLIDE PULLRITE 5th wheel hitch, tailgate, mudflaps for 3/4 ton short bed pickup. Hitch never used. Stored in garage. $3,275 for everything. (303) 363-6104 (CO).

Stop & Shop

AT THE RV MARKETPLACE Take a moment to browse the Marketplace section this month. The shopping begins on page 34.

No telephone orders, please.

The April issue closes January 20. The May issue closes December 19.

If you have a question, we can be reached at Maximum 200 characters. Count all letters, numbers, punctuation and spaces. (805) 667-4100, Specify category______________________________________ extension 392.

ONE HOUR W OF LAKE TAHOE, Greenwood, CA. RV Paradise on 3 flat acres. 3BR, 2BA, 30x30 3-car garage. 24x36x12 RV carport w/dump station. Pool, spa. See all info: www.foothillretreat.com, 530-887-9648. FLORIDA LAKEFRONT RV HOME, 2BD, 2BA, dining/office, 2 car garage, 50x16 RV port, 50 amp & sewer, 20x24 Lanai, cent air. $100K upgrades. 2250 sq ft. Blt 2007. Mt Olives Shores N, close to Disney. $498K. 863-874-4082.

LOTS FOR SALE OWN YOUR RV LOT ON Florida’s East Coast in Americana Resorts. Close to everything. 24X40 RV port on concrete with full service 50 amp, TV, CA, etc. Private, sale price $55,000. (607) 639-1420. PALM SPRINGS 50 FT WIDE by 70 ft deep lot @ Two Springs RV Resort for purchase, twospringsrv.com. Lot 8 is directly across from pool/clubhouse. For price call 503-880-5663 or email tcasamr@aol.com.

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JANUARY 2010

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DEALERS & DESTINATIONS

Choose Life

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From the landmark book Grow Young with t HGH comes the most powerful, over-thecounter health supplement in the history of man. Human growth hormone was first discovered in 1920 and has long been thought by the medical community to be necessary only to stimulate the body to full adult size and therefore unnecessary past the age of 20. Recent studies, however, have overturned this notion completely, discovering instead that the natural decline of Human Growth Hormone (HGH), from ages 21 to 61 (the average age at which there is only a trace left in the body) and is the reason why the body ages and fails to regenerate itself to its 25 year-old biological age.

Boots and Buttercup snuggle in Good Sam members Rodger and Donna Gunter’s RV. Right: Ken Keidel’s puggle Lucas.

Click on www.goodsamclub .com/community/photos.aspx to post your pet pictures online. ADVERTISER INDEX

COPYRIGHT STATEMENT The Good Sam logo is a registered trademark of TL Enterprises, Inc., a Delaware corporation. It may be used by Good Sam chapters for official noncommercial identification purposes only and by others only with express written authorization in advance from TL Enterprises, Inc. The noncommercial use for patches and other similar chapter identification has been granted to chartered chapters of the club. Any other use without express advance written authorization is prohibited. The following terms are registered trademarks of TL Enterprises, Inc., and may not be used without permission: Caraventure, Commercial Member of Good Sam RV Club, Good Sam Park, Highways, MotorHome, Rider, Samboree, Samgo, Trailer Life and the Trailer Life Campgrounds, RV Parks and Services Directory. Highways does not knowingly accept deceptive or misleading advertising. If you have a contrary experience with respect to any merchandise or service represented in our pages, please contact Action Line at actionline@goodsamclub.com. Permission to reprint or quote excerpts granted upon written request only. Copyright 2010.

35 Highways

JANUARY 2010

PAGE

Asset Marketing Services 26 Banks Power 18 BIE Health Products 35 Classic Transport 10 Commercial Corner 32–33 Consumer Cellular 5 Dealers and Destinations 35 Direct Sat TV 6 Eden Pure 12 Gold Eagle Company 16 Good Sam Tours 14 Good Sam VIP, provided by GMAC Insurance 23

There is a receptor site in almost every cell in the human body for HGH, so its regenerative and healing effects are very comprehensive. Growth Hormone first synthesized in 1985 under the Reagan Orphan drug act, to treat dwarfism, was quickly recognized to stop aging in its tracks and reverse it to a remarkable degree. Since then, only the lucky and the rich have had access to it at the cost of $10,000 US per year.

The next big breakthrough was to come in 1997 when a group of doctors and scientists, developed an all-natural source product which would cause your own natural HGH to be released again and do all the remarkable things it did for you in your 20’s. Now available to every adult for about the Modern medical science now regards aging as price of a coffee and donut a day. a disease that is treatable and preventable and that “aging”, the disease, is GHR is available now, just actually a compilation of various in time for the aging Baby diseases and pathologies, like a rise Boomers and everyone else in blood glucose and pressure to from age 30 to 90 who diabetes, skin wrinkling and so on. doesn’t want to age but All of these aging symptoms can be would rather stay young, stopped and rolled back by beautiful and healthy all of maintaining Growth Hormone levels the time.

Like a picked flower cut from the source, we gradually wilt physically and mentally and become vulnerable to a host of degenerative diseases, that we simply weren’t susceptible to in our early adult years.

nline...

ADVERTISER

in the blood at the same levels HGH existed in the blood when we were 25 years old.

While every effort is made to maintain accuracy and completeness, last-minute changes may occasionally result in omissions or errors.

ADVERTISER

PAGE

Guaranty RV 31 Haband 17 Harbor Freight Tools 7 Jitterbug 14 Keystone RV 27 Nomad Glass 7 Pleasureland RV Center 16 RV Marketplace 34 RV World of Nokomis 31 Sea Eagle 3 Select Comfort 9 St. Louis Church 3 Trading Post 33 Winnebago Industries 6, 19 table of contents

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• Strengthened heart muscle All N • Controlled cholesterol For matural ula • Normalizes blood pressure • Controlled mood swings • Wrinkle disappearance • Reverse many degenerative disease symptoms • Heightened five senses awareness • Increased skin thickness & texture

This program will make a radical difference in your health, appearance and outlook. In fact we are so confident of the difference GHR can make in your life we offer a 100% refund on unopened containers. ct o f A P ro d u ea l t h H l a G lob P ro d uct s

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The new HGH releasers are winning converts from the synthetic HGH users as well, since GHR is just as effective (for anti-aging) is oral instead of self-injectable and is very affordable.

GHR is a natural releaser, has no known side effects, unlike the synthetic version and has no known drug interactions. Progressive doctors admit that this is the direction medicine is going, to get the body to heal itself instead of employing drugs. GHR is truly a revolutionary paradigm shift in medicine and, like any modern leapfrog advance, many others will be left in the dust holding their limited, or useless drugs and remedies. It is now thought that HGH is so comprehensive in its healing and regenerative powers that it is today, where the computer industry was twenty years ago, that it will displace so many prescription and non-prescription drugs and health remedies that it is staggering to think of. The president of BIE Health Products, stated in a recent interview,“I’ve been waiting for these products since the 70’s”. We knew they would come, if only we could stay healthy and live long enough to see them! If you want to stay on top of your game, physically and mentally as you age, this product is a boon, especially for the highly skilled professionals who have made large investments in their education, and experience. Also with the state of the health care system in Canada which appears to be going into serious decline, it’s more important than ever to take pro-active steps to safeguard your health. Continued use of GHR will make a radical difference in your health. HGH is particularly helpful to the elderly who, given a choice, would rather stay independent in their own home, strong, healthy and alert enough to manage their own affairs, exercise and stay involved in their communities. Frank, age 85, walks two miles a day, plays golf, belongs to a dance club for seniors, had a girl friend again and doesn’t need Viagara, passed his drivers test and is hardly ever home when we call - GHR delivers. HGH is known to relieve symptoms of Asthma, Angina, Chronic Fatigue, Constipation, Lower back pain and Sciatica, Cataracts and Macular Degeneration, Menopause, Fibromyalgia, Regular and Diabetic Neuropathy, Hepatitis, helps Kidney Dialysis and Heart and Stroke recovery. For more information or to order call 1-877-849-4777 www.biehealth.ca ©copyright 2000

ERE WH ’

<< Mountain Majesties. Some vis?

tas are so spectacular, you just have to pull over and snap a shot, as the driver of the RV pictured on the left did. Equally awesome is the fact that you might win $50 if you can

OD SA

P H O T O C O N T E S T

identify this rugged peak in our Where’s Good Sam photo contest. To enter, simply send an e-mail identifying this photo’s location and its state or province to whereisgoodsam@goodsamclub.com. Be sure to include your name and contact information. On February 1, we’ll pick one $50 winner at random from among the correct entries. Look for the answer and the winner in the April 2010 issue.

WHERE’S GOOD SAM IS NOW ON FACEBOOK. For more photo fun, go to www.facebook.com and enter Good Sam Club in the search box.

>> Somewhere Over the Highway. Good Sam Club members Sandy and Ruddy Trenholm of Anderson, California, won $50 after identifying the October issue’s Where’s Good Sam photo, reprinted on the right. The motorhome bearing the Good Sam sticker is parked near the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument, which spans Interstate 80 in Kearney, Nebraska. Member Don Sommerville from West Jordan, Utah, earned $50 for capturing the image. Now it’s your turn to make some cash. Take a photo of your RV in a scenic location with your club sticker prominently displayed. E-mail the image to whereisgoodsam@goodsamclub.com and include your contact information. If your photo’s selected, you’ll receive $50. 36 Highways

JANUARY 2010

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