001-TL1003 Cover Subscript
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002-TL03 PG CV2-P3 CHEVY
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AMERICA’S BEST TRUCK.
C H E V Y S I LV E R A D O 4 x 4 |
BEST COVER AGE IN AMERICA
FROM CHEVY — THE MOST DEPENDABLE, LONGEST-LASTING FULL-SIZE PICKUPS *Dependability based on longevity: 1981–July 2008 full-size pickup registrations. Silverado is a registered trademark and Chevy is a trademark of General Motors. ©2009 General
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002-TL03 PG CV2-P3 CHEVY
CA UPS General
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M O R E S TA N D A R D PAY L O A D T H A N F O R D F -1 5 0 O R D O D G E R A M
ON THE ROAD*
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SEE AMERICA’S BEST TRUCK AT CHEVY.COM
Motors. Buckle up, America!
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004-TL1003 Table of Conten
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CONTENTS > Departments 5 DRIVER’S SEAT 6 LETTERS 6 SNOOK’S NOOK 8 AROUND THE BEND News, events, people, places, parks & RV trends 13 RV ACTION LINE We take action to resolve conflicts between consumers and RV dealers or manufacturers
15 THE OUTSIDER You might have to get a little wet, but a rafting adventure on California’s Kern River is well worth it 52 RV CLINIC Straight talk from the Trailer Life tech team 56 10-MINUTE TECH Readers submit their favorite tried-and-true tech tips 57 NEW PRODUCTS 66 AMERICA’S OUTBACK Discover why the small town of Berea is dubbed the Folk Arts and Crafts Capital of Kentucky
ON THE COVER: The Open Range Journeyer rounds the bend en route to a campground in Ventura, California. Photo by Gary Bohinc 4 March 2010 TRAILER LIFE
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005-TL1003 Driver’s Seat L
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DRIVER’S SEAT >
EDITORIAL
by Kristopher Bunker
DÉJÀ VU?
T
CREATIVE PRODUCTION
time last year, a new trend had begun in the RV industry. In wake of rising fuel costs and a struggling economy, many nufacturers had turned their attention toward lighterght, more fuel-efficient towables and motorhomes. Last year’s annual National RV Trade Show in Louisville, Kentucky, which is where new concepts and construction methods are often unveiled to the RV industry, demonstrated that the plethora of the larger RVs may be slowly winding down. The full-featured big guys were still a part of the landscape, sure, but perhaps the time had come to begin a downsizing trend. Fast forward to the latest Louisville Show and … the trend continues. Once again, lightweight towables and more efficient floorplans were on display, along with some pretty interesting innovations. From helium technology for shedding pounds to fully recyclable building materials to a prevalence of composite components, it appears the lightweight trend may become the rule rather than the exception. Even 40-foot fivers have begun to utilize the weight-loss processes. So, we should ask, at what point does a trend become the norm? I still maintain that it is every RVers’ right to have as big a rig as they please; after all, we work hard for our money and should be able to spend it as we wish. Plus, there are some great larger trailers available. However, it is very exciting — and long overdue — that manufacturers are recognizing that a few adjustments can lead to much more practical and nimble designs than just a few years ago. And it certainly helps that those same manufacturers are thinking more long-term and adjusting their practices to include recyclable, eco-friendly materials. For a full report on all the latest from the annual Louisville Show, turn to “New Trends for 2010,” on page 41. And, for a look at another emerging trend — four-season-capable RVs — a pair of Walkthroughs feature two trailers ready for the worst Mother Nature can throw their way. The Open Range Journeyer (page 44) and the Northwood Manufacturing’s Arctic Fox Silver Fox (page 46) are both examples of four-season trailer-manufacturing techniques that have been around for some time, but are truly gaining in popularity in the last handful of years. Which leads us to another technology that’s been around for quite some time: PVC roofing. A staple in the commercial district for decades, the easy-to-repair durable roofing material has made its way into RV applications, and we look forward to seeing how well it stands the test of time. For a quick overview and installation, check out “Plastic Span,” on page 48. Whenever new technology designed to make RVing more enjoyable and user- and eco-friendly arises, we take notice and cheer for the new methods to continue to revolutionize our already wonderful industry. q
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006-TL1003 Letters LO
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“
LETTERS >
Your winter tech article is a home run. Now I know what to request for batteries, genset, inverter and other cold-weather issues.
from our Readers
WINTER WORDS OF ADVICE
The January 2010 issue is a real winner! I’m studying my trailer options before purchasing a unit, so I subscribed earlier in 2009 to learn as much as I can. Your winter tech article is a home run (“Winter RVing”). Now I know what to request for batteries, genset, inverter and other coldweather issues. Mike Eggert, Novato, California WARM ONCE AGAIN
Shortly after the January issue arrived, we departed Colorado for Casa Grande, Arizona. We spent our first road night in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was very cold, down in the mid-teens when we set up the rig. The furnace ran for about two hours and the temp inside was only up to 50° F, with little air coming out the vents. That’s when I remembered the “Furnace Troubleshooting” article, and how it mentioned possible problems with the air ducts. I removed the grill to access the back of the furnace, and a screw had come out and allowed the distribution duct to become unattached. I replaced the duct and screw and we were warm and toasty once again! Paul Ricks, Casa Grande, Arizona, for the winter
”
been winter camping in our 2005 Pilgrim fifth-wheel since we purchased it. Camping in the winter is very peaceful up here in Wisconsin. I still cook all the meals over the campfire, too! Make sure the furnace works and dress for the temps — the ultimate in relaxation. Glen Hennig, Beloit, Wisconsin JUICY INFO
Your January article on the Edge Programmer was great (“The Juice Is Loose”). I have one that I put on a 2004 Ford 6.0-liter two years ago. My fuel mileage is now 12 mpg. Without the programmer it got 9.5 mpg. I live in Colorado Springs, so most of my miles are above the 6,000-foot level. Roger Anderson, Colorado Springs, Colorado
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE?
If add-on engine control modules work so well, (more hp, torque and mpg) with no emission problems, then why don’t the manufacturers install them as part of the new car/truck package? David Beatty, Livingston, Louisiana Editor’s note: Many are not 50-state legal; before adding a programmer, check local emissions regulations to determine legality. HELPFUL TUNDRA AND WIND RIVER TEST
Thank you very much for the review of the Tundra and Wind River trailer. I have a 2008 Tundra longbed and am in the market for a rear living space trailer, so this article was rather timely. Jim Brophy, Jackson, New Jersey q
SNOOK’S NOOK
ULTIMATE IN RELAXATION
I appreciated the article “On the Snow Road” in the January issue. My family has To contribute to this column, write to 2575 Vista Del Mar, Ventura, CA 93001, or e-mail info@trailerlife.com.
Stop co pla
g about t e o e! t s qu ete t a a est stop!
6 March 2010 TRAILER LIFE
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007-TL03 PG 7 BANKS
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008-TL1003 Around the Bend
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AROUND THE BEND>
NEWS • EVENTS • PEOPLE • PLACES • PARKS & RV TRENDS
FIVE-SLIDE FIFTH-WHEEL
Edited by Marleen Canniff
DRV Inc., the Howe, Indiana, manufacturer of relatively high-end fifth-wheels, is offering nine 31to 38-foot floorplans in the 2010 Select Suite series, an entry-level line that’s priced beneath the company’s Mobile Suites and Elite Suites. Built on a drop-frame with up to four slideouts standard and an optional fifth vanity slide, the fiberglass-and-aluminum Select Suites is available with full-body paint, a distinctive front cap, Corian countertops, hardwood cabinet stiles, frameless jalousie windows, 6-foot 6-inch front-bedroom ceilings and a large amount of exterior storage. Also standard is the “Level Up” leveling system, so you can level front to back and side to side with the push of a button. The msrps start at $57,900. For more information, call (260) 562-1075 or visit www.drvsuites.com. — Bob Ashley
RV BUYERS GUIDE 2010
Trailer Life and Woodall’s have teamed up to compile this year’s RV Buyers Guide, the most comprehensive listing of new RVs available for 2010. The guide features photos, floorplans and specs for each unit, in addition to information on different types of RVs, buying tips and contact information for the manufacturers. If you’re looking to purchase a new RV, this is a must-have. Be sure to get your copy today by calling (877) 209-6655, or by logging on to www.rvbg.com.
FAITHFUL TO OLD FAITHFUL There’s nothing small about Yellowstone National Park. In its 2,219,789 acres, it has thousands of miles of trails; grizzly bears, bison, moose and elk as far as your eyes can see; more than 2,000 campsites; and nearly 3.3 million visitors in 2009 alone — an all-time record. This number reflects a 7.5 percent increase from 2008 and a 4.6 percent increase from the previous record of 3.15 million visitors set in 2007. Whatever the reasons for the increase, visitors are no doubt committed to seeing the park’s Old Faithful, which spews anywhere from 3,700 to 8,400 gallons of water in a single eruption, but the park is also big on outdoor activities, wildlife viewing and grand beauty. For more information, call (307) 344-7381 or visit www.nps.gov/yell.
THE RALLY 2010 IN LOUISVILLE The biggest event of the year for RV enthusiasts is coming to Louisville, Kentucky, July 2225, 2010, when Trailer Life and its parent company Affinity Group will be hosting its 11th annual RV rally. Located between St. Louis, Missouri, and Cincinnati, Ohio, Louisville is within a day’s drive of half of the nation’s population and is ranked as one of the top 10 “Safest and Culturally Most Fascinating” places to visit in the United States. Similar to The Rally from previous years, you’ll find hundreds of RVs, thousands of new RV-related products, the popular dog show, a golf tournament, local tours, top-line entertainment — including the legendary actor-comedian Bob Newhart — and this year’s “The Rally’s Got Talent” show is sure to attract a crowd with plenty of talented RVers, who can compete for a spot on the show. For more information and to register, call (877) 749-7122 or visit www.therally.com.
8 March 2010 TRAILER LIFE
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009-TL03 PG 9 PROGRESSIVE
877-341-0321
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PROGRESSIVE.COM
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LOCAL INDEPENDENT AGENT
Underwritten by Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and its affiliates, Mayfield Village, OH. Available in most states and situations. Optional Disappearing Deductibles is subject to policy terms, and is not available for all RV’s and coverage selections. ©2008 Progressive Casualty Insurance Company. 08D00191 (04/08) Progressive Insurance, go to www.trailerlife.com/info
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008-TL1003 Around the Bend
1/11/10
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AROUND >
THE BEND
NEWSWIRE
LOW PROFILE, HIGH MARKS Hi-Lo has redesigned the complete look inside and out for its 2010 lineup, and its 2310H is just plain cool. The upper half of the unit is slightly larger than the lower half so it can collapse for travel, and its low travel profile makes this 22-footer very easy to tow. With a push of a button the trailer’s roof automatically raises in about a minute using its lifetime-guaranteed hydraulic system, turning it into a livable height of 6 feet 6 inches with sleeping room for six. Its base msrp is $27,993, and it comes standard with an air conditioner, double sink and three-burner stove. For more information, call (800) 337-6490 or visit www.hilotrailer.com.
PET TRAVEL ORGANIZER Recognizzin ng a need for pet ownerss to bettter organizze theirr pet’s belo ongin ngs, Grab-n-G Go LLC, a co ompany dedicated to pro oductss that in ncrease pet safety and pro ote ectio on, off ffe erss a new product calle ed Pet Grab-n n-G Go that provid des an all--in-one wate erp proof storage space for your pet’ss supplie es. Thiss nift ftyy cover for your pet’ss carrrier or cage has stora age space fo or bowlss, fo ood, water, kittty littter,, toys, leash, groomin ng ittems, medi-cine, veterinary record ds and more e. Itt also has a pet piccture e pocket to ID D your pet if itt gets lo ost. It comes in th hree sizzes — small,, medium and la arge — with h priices rangin ng fro om $59.99 to $69.99. For more informatiion, calll (704) 787-6 6348 or visit www.petg grab-n-g go.ccom.
A report p from the National Associa Associati off St tion State t P Park k Di Directors t shows h that h for f 28 8 participating i i i state-park state parkk systems all but Hawaii reported an systems, increase in camping camping. The average increase in campground stays for 2009 9 over 2008 for these states was 7.38 7 38 p percentt … Airstream Ai t has h ini creased d its it production d ti by b 50 percentt since October b 2009 to meet growing market demand demand. Because production backlog has more than tripled since last year yyear, the company p y will ex expand p d it its p production d ti workforce kf b byy 35 percentt to t supportt th the b boostt iin propro d i and duction dd demand d … Serro S Scotty S now has a factory-direct prog gram offering ga consumer direct consumer-direct di discount, t lowerllower b base price i and d $1 per-mile $1 per mile shipping To shipping. learn more about this new service service, visit www www.scottytrailers.com scottytrailers y com … The Pa aly Paralympic l pic Winter Wi te t G Games a es will ill ll b be e h ld in held i British B i i h Columbia, C l bi Canada Canada, C d , March 12-21 12 21 in Vancouver Vancouver, Whistler and Richmond Richmond, and the local campgrounds have opened early for the Games Victoria West KOA is currentlyy Games. t ki g reservations: taking ti TTo save yyour spot, callll (800) (8 ) 562-1732 562 6 1732 or visit i i www victoriakoa com Porteau Cove www.victoriakoa.com. has RV sites available on a firstcome first come, first-served served basis: To learn more call (604) more, ( 4) 986 9 986-9371 9371 937 or visit www.seatoskyparks.com. t kyp k
TRAVEL BAG FOR BREAKABLES How to stow away the olive oil, jam, wine, shampoo, or anything else that can break or leak, while en route to the next RVing destination can often be a conundrum. The VinniBag from Ellessco is a new product that solves this problem by using inflatable air chambers to isolate and immobilize its contents and then seal them with a specially designed closure. The amount of inflation can be adjusted to suit the space available and degree of protection needed. When not in use, the product stores flat, rolled or folded. Priced at $24.95, it’s engineered to withstand significant fluctuations in altitude and temperature and is reusable, recyclable and made of durable materials that will last for many journeys. The company uses only 100-percent U.S. materials, labor and packaging. For more information, call (800) 915-8599 or visit www.ellessco.com. 10 March 2010 TRAILER LIFE
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008-TL1003 Around the Bend
1/13/10
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KABOOM!
TAKE TIME TO CELEBRATE Silver Dollar City, the Home of American Craftsmanship — an internationally awarded Branson, Missouri, theme park — is celebrating its 50th year in 2010 with a yearlong “Take Time to Celebrate” party. The festivities begin on March 18 with a new $7 million ride called America’s Biggest Water Battle: Tom & Huck’s RiverBlast. The park will also have special birthday events, top names in entertainment, new shows, a summer KidFest, a $50,000 prize giveaway and more special events lasting through December 30, 2010. The park features 100 craftsmen, 30 rides and attractions, six world-class festivals, dozens of theaters and restaurants and the Wilderness Log Cabins and Campground, which welcomes RVers with full-hookup sites. For information, call (800) 831-4FUN or visit www.silverdollarcity.com. For campground reservations, call (800) 477-5164 or visit www.thewildernesslogcabins.com.
MP3 players are a great way to travel with your entire music collection without lugging along hundreds of CD cases. However, if you don’t have a newer stereo with a built-in auxiliary plug or an expensive adapter, you’ll be stuck with the tinny-sounding headphones that come with the unit. The Kerchoonz K-box is a portable speaker unit that utilizes a layer of “Gel Audio Technology” to turn nearly any surface into a speaker system with a true bass response. That means picnic tables, dinettes, floors, etc. all have the potential to produce great-sounding music (we found glass tables and windows produce the deepest bass). We could hear the K-box — and its impressive bass — throughout each trailer we tried it in, and it also allowed us to enjoy music outdoors without upsetting the neighbors. Charging the K-box is done with an included USB connection, and the unit operates for about 20 hours between charges. The product is compatible with electronic devices that work on a 3.5 mm audio jack (also included), such as mobile phones and personal gaming devices. The K-box retails for about $75 and is available for purchase on the Web at www.kerchoonz.com/kbox. — Kristopher Bunker
PET SITTER SERVICE FINDER Alth hough many campgro ounds and resortss welcome petss, some do not. For pet owners wantin ng to fin nd th he best care fo or theirr pets when they are e unable e to bring them along, Pet Sittterss In nternational (PSI)) offe ers a fre ee Pet Sittter Locato or.. The ZIP P code-driven search to ool offe erss enhanced feature es, enablin ng pet owners to o co onduct a criiteria a-b based search in le ess than a minute e. Itts database in nclu udes 8,0 000 in ndependent professio onal pet-ssitttin ng busin nesses for custom-ttaillored services rangin ng frrom dailly dog walks to carin ng fo or pets witth specia al needs. To fiind a pet sitter near you, go to www.p petsit..com/lo ocate. TRAILER LIFE March 2010 11
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012-TL03 PG 12 HONDA
1/11/10
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Let’s ’s pretend this is a magic outlet. You could stick it anywhere. On a chair, rock, picnic Y table and have the power you need for all your camping conveniences. That’s ’ the way quiet, reliable Honda portable generators work. Only they come in different sizes and offer a three-year warranty.*
Happy trails!
h
*Warranty applies to all Honda GX Series Engines and GX Series-powered Honda Power Equipment, 100cc or larger, purchased or put into rental service since January 1, 2009. Exceptions apply. See full warranty details aat honda.com. Does not apply to EU1000 models. Please read the owner’s manual be efore operating your Honda Power Equipment and never use in a closed or partly enclosed area where you could be exposed to t carbon monoxide. Connection o off a generator to house power requires a transffer device to avoid possible injury to power company personnel. Consult a qualified electrician. ©2010 American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Honda Generators, go to www.trailerlife.com/info
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013-TL1003 RV Action Line
1/11/10
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RV ACTION LINE >
All bent out of shape after a repair facility installed a part that was, well, all bent out of shape, a reader asked RV Action Line to intervene: While driving our 1995 Jayco motorhome, it broke down two miles north of Hoover Dam and had to be towed to Gaudin Ford in Las Vegas, Nevada. Once there, the service manager, Glen Aby, told us Gaudin doesn’t usually work on motorhomes due to potential liability issues, but he agreed to repair the coach anyway. Three days later — at a cost of $1,314.25 — Gaudin had replaced the intank fuel pump, fuel filter and fuel strainer, plus cleaned out the injector system. We went on our way to California. After we left a Hollywood KOA campground, our coach ran out of gas even though the gauge read a quarter tank. After I was able to finally reach a gas station — thanks to some Good Samaritans — we filled up and kept track of the mileage rather than the fuel gauge from that point on. Upon returning home in Kennewick, Washington, I took our motorhome to Legacy Ford in Pasco. There it was determined that Gaudin had installed the fuelgauge sending unit in a bent position. I called Glen Aby and had him talk to the mechanic at Legacy. Glen requested that Legacy Ford bend the unit back into the correct position, which Legacy refused to do, as it would create a liability issue on their part. So, Legacy installed a new fuel pump and replaced a cross-threaded fueltank strap for $1,245.44. As a gesture of goodwill, I’m offering to share half the cost of repair by Legacy Ford, and asking that Gaudin Ford pay
$622.72. They have not responded to my correspondence. Alan Bates, Kennewick, Washington In most cases we review at RV Action Line, somebody who has received improperly done repairs asks for a full refund. It seemed like Bates had made a rather generous offer, considering the repairs at Gaudin had apparently been done incorrectly and led to further hardships. We passed along Bates’ letter in hopes of Gaudin recognizing the generosity. We heard back from Bates a short time later: Gaudin Ford responded to our goodwill gesture in sharing the cost of repairing our motorhome, and has sent us a check for $622.72. I believe that your intervention provided the motivation they needed to resolve this matter. A.B. TWENTY QUESTIONS At wits end over more than a dozen tire failures, a reader asked us to help get reimbursement for damage done to his trailer.
Shopping for credit and stopped in your tracks?
Over the years, I have had 20 Carlisle Radial Trail ST225/75R15 tires fail on my 1996 Holiday Rambler travel trailer. The latest incident occurred in August 2009. Early in the month, I noticed the treads on two tires on the trailer had separated. I contacted Yvonne Jackson at Carlisle’s Grand Prairie warehouse, who sent UPS to pick up the tires and return them to Carlisle’s Aiken, South Carolina, location. At the end of the month, a blowout from a different tire caused damage to my trailer to the tune of $1,283.75. I again contacted Yvonne Jackson, and followed
Essex Credit Corporation, go to www.trailerlife.com/info
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TRAILER LIFE March 2010 13
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013-TL1003 RV Action Line
1/11/10
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RV ACTION LINE her request to send pictures, a statement of the incident, a copy of the bill of sale and a copy of the repair bill. Carlisle’s answer to the claim was “Impact wound,” and “no manufacturing defects,” despite the fact I had sent them two other tires from the same batch with separated treads. I always check my tires often, maintaining the correct pressure, and there was never any “impact incident.” I should also point out that not one of the 20 Carlisle tires has lasted longer than 2 years or 5,000 miles. Can you help? Grady Kirksey, Dallas, Texas
EDITORIAL/BUSINESS OFFICE
Fool me once? Shame on me. Fool me 20 times? There must be a problem with the manufacturer. That being the case, we forwarded Kirksey’s complaint to Carlisle. The company responded:
ADVERTISING
On August 13, 2009, a claim was opened for the customer, at which time he was informed of the correct warranty procedure. A request for the failed tire evaluation was made. On September 18 two tires were evaluated; the first showed evidence of an impact wound wherein the tire had broken across the tread, while the second had no visible issues. There was no non-conformance found in either tire. On September 21 Carlisle was contacted regarding another tire failure, and, upon inspection, the claim was rejected based on evidence of an impact wound and no signs of non-conformance. At the customer’s request, we re-examined the tires, and decided to stand by our original findings. However, in an attempt to resolve this claim amicably, Carlisle will offer 50 percent of its rate for repairs in the amount of $560.88. Rick Taylor, Manager of Quality and Service, Carlisle Tire & Wheel Company TIRED OF TIRE PROBLEMS Upset their warranty reimbursement was denied by a tire manufacturer, a couple turned to RV Action Line for help. Upon purchasing a 2008 Keystone Montana fifth-wheel, we were offered a tire war-
ranty from National Adjustment Bureau and jumped at the chance to purchase it based on previous bad experiences with tires on our RVs. On February 16, 2009, while in Georgia, we drove over several large holes/wide spaces between the concrete slabs on Interstate 95. Because of traffic congestion, we were unable to move to another lane. A driver next to us told us he could see exposed wires on the two front tires of the trailer. We quickly exited and found a tire company that could help us. Throughout the ordeal, we were focused only on getting the tires fixed, with the knowledge that we had a tire warranty to comfort us. We were unable to get to the paperwork inside the trailer due to the floorplan that makes the cabinets inaccessible when the slides are in. Once we filed a claim, NAB denied it because we didn’t obtain prior approval for repairs. We feel the warranty should be honored due to the emergency circumstances, and because the paperwork wasn’t readily available. Tammy & Ed Calhoun, Schaghticoke, New York There are a couple of red flags here. First, always — and we mean always — obtain prior approval when dealing with warranty issues. That’s the number one complaint we encounter at RV Action Line. Second, it’s hard to imagine an isolated incident of running over uneven pavement causing the wires to show on the tires. However, we did pass the Calhouns’ claim to National Adjustment Bureau for review. We heard back from the Calhouns. On November 23, 2009, we received a check from National Adjustment Bureau for half of our tire-replacement cost, with a reminder note to “Call before replacing tires in the future.” The words “thank you” do not seem adequate in expressing our appreciation to RV Action Line. T. & E. Calhoun q After exhausting all other resources without success, please forward information (typewritten only) with copies of appropriate bills and correspondence to RV Action Line, 2575 Vista Del Mar, Ventura, CA 93001. Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. No phone calls. www.trailerlife.com
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015-TL1003 The Outsider LO
1/11/10
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THE OUTSIDER > by Bruce Leonard Jr.
CALIFORNIA LOUNGE POSITION
“WE ALL ASSUMED THE POSITION — FEET DOWNRIVER, OUT IN FRONT; ARMS AT OUR SIDES; OUR BODIES ‘SITTING,’ ALLOWING THE CURRENT TO GENTLY SWEEP US ALONG.”
P
You don’ t have to wait to finance the RV of your Dreams. Essex Credit Corporation, go to www.trailerlife.com/info
eople can become obsessed with anything — the New York Yankees, scrapbooking, counting calories, their golf handicaps or the love lives of celebrities, to name but a handful of examples. At one time or another, I’ve spent too much time, energy and money on an outdoor pursuit, becoming borderline obsessed with it, before finding another sporting endeavor to investigate, dwell on, become relatively proficient at, then all but abandon. For reasons I had not contemplated until recently, river rafting never called to me the way fly fishing, rock climbing, golfing, mountain biking, kayaking, etc. have. But I feel the aquatic tug of the river now, and I have California’s Kern River and the Kernville-based outfitter Mountain & River Adventures to thank for my newfound obsession, er, interest. The 10 rafting trips I had taken over the previous two decades can be summed up thusly: Extreme heat that threatened to melt the rafters, who endured seemingly endless stretches of sweat-filled boredom as the raft floated between distant rapids, the white water then eliciting screams of terror from wide-eyed civilians too scared to paddle as guides struggled to negotiate the rafts around boulders. I did have one great rafting trip, in Alaska, and it involved a dry suit but still proved to be miserably cold. Mountain & River Adventures, however, introduced me to a different sport. I had visited Kernville — in the high desert at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada Range, 10
TRAILER LIFE March 2010 15
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016-TL03 PG 16 ROADTREK
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Fuel Efficient Motorhomes You’ll Love to Drive. Imagine what you could do with a vehicle that has the spacious comfort and convenience of a larger motorhome but with much better fuel economy and driveability. Whether driving cross-country or just cross-town, enjoy the convenience of having your own kitchen, bathroom, changeroom, family room and bedroom in a vehicle that fits in a normal parking space and can be used as a second car.
• 15 to 22 miles per gallon • Easy to drive & park, use everyday • Available in four-wheel-drive • Automotive styling (helps avoid RV parking restrictions, keep it at home)
• Seats up to 7 • Comfortable to drive in • Comfortable to live in • Bathroom with shower • Separate eating & sleeping areas • Sleeps up to 4 • Up to king-size bed • 4 year/48,000 mile motorhome warranty
To find out why Roadtrek is the #1 selling North American class B motorhome (camper van), visit us at www.roadtrek.com/TLM or call us toll free at 1-888-ROADTREK (762-3873).
Roadtrek Motorhomes Inc., go to www.trailerlife.com/info
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015-TL1003 The Outsider LO
1/11/10
2:53 PM
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THE OUTSIDER
cern proved completely absurd seconds later when Tom asked us if we wanted to jump into the river. The five of us aboard his raft instantly launched ourselves waterward, the liquid being cold enough to refresh but pleasant enough not to chill us, despite our extended floats, of which there would be many. We all assumed the California Lounge Position — feet downriver, out in front; arms at our sides; our bodies “sitting,” allowing the current to gently sweep us along — and the smile on my face, even as I bobbed through a small hole in the Swim Rapid, indicated that perhaps this rafting thing was worth obsessing over. Since Tom’s five rafters had proven to be enthusiastic, he asked us if we wanted to “surf,” by which he meant that we would intentionally bury the nose of the boat in a hole, filling the boat with water in the process and likely spitting some of us out into the river. Of course, we all said yes, buried the nose, then launched one of us. We retrieved him, tried it again, launched the same guy from a different position in the boat and laughed like crazy the whole time. And the trip proceeded to get better from there. Whenever a stretch of rapidfree water presented itself, we Californialounged our way through it, then were pulled aboard so that we could negotiate the eight Class IV rapids and numerous Class IIIs along the route, a journey of 12 river miles that took about six hours to complete. Around the halfway point, the guides pulled a raft ashore, flipped it, then laid a spread upon it from which we all made delicious sandwiches. I introduced myself to guide Emily Sims, who had rafted the river many years before with her son, felt the tug of the river, then became a guide four years ago. I’m not sure if that river-tug is strong enough yet for me to pursue such a career change, but as one rafter after another stood atop a ledge about 18 feet above the water, then launched him- or herself into the river, splashing, then popping up smiling, I fully understood the allure of river rafting. q
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miles from Isabella Lake — a dozen years before, and in one day I had mountain biked, hiked, rock climbed, fished, golfed, taken a scenic flight and rafted — the last activity managing somehow to be almost entirely unmemorable (though perhaps exhaustion played a role). On this trip, though, I boondocked in a bare-bones Forest Service campground called Halfway, which sits steps from the Kern River. This waterway begins on the flanks of the contiguous United States’ highest peak, Mt. Whitney, then descends quite dramatically for 85 miles, delivering some of the best “low-flow” river rafting in the world, as well as excellent fishing. Travelers who take Route 178 east from Bakersfield to the town of Lake Isabella will see a sign that warns of the Kern’s dangers — nearly 250 people have died in the Kern over the years, many of whom were not wearing life jackets. Statistically, it is more dangerous driving to or from Kernville than it is rafting on the Kern, provided the rafters wear life jackets. In addition to the personal floatation devices we donned at Miracle, the put-in spot on the Lower Kern, below Isabella Lake, we put on helmets and received a far better safety talk than those delivered by any of the other outfitters I’d rafted with. I was reminded that “foot entrapment” is the most significant danger, so we were told never to stand in the river unless the water was shallow enough for us to crawl in, thereby eliminating the prospect of our feet getting caught between rocks. The guide on my raft, Tom Peltier II, who lives in a 32-foot motorhome, told the five of us on his boat that our biceps should play almost no role in our paddling strokes, since our cores and abs should do most of the work. This tip had never been conveyed to me before, at least not in a manner I digested, and it proved to lessen the soreness in my shoulders and arms the next day to almost nil. Three rafts shoved off into the river, and almost immediately Tom’s many years of experience guiding on the Kern revealed itself, since he was so adept at negotiating the first rapid gracefully that I momentarily wondered whether the trip might promise more thrills than it delivered. This con-
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018-TL1003 This Land LO
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THIS LAND
THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE by Len Couisineau
R
Vers headed to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi may be aware of the history of the Mississippi Delta and the blues rhythms that laborers gave voice to — the music that still pulses through juke joints and from store fronts throughout the region. But these travelers may not be aware that they can explore Mississippi’s natural rhythms at a series of outdoor habitats collectively known as the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge Complex. Seven of the Magnolia State’s 11 wildlife refuges belong to this complex. Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge was the first to be established in 1936, and Theodore Roosevelt and Holt Collier Refuges were the last added, both created in 2004. Hillside, Mathews Brake, Morgan Brake and Panther Swamp are the others. At Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge, which is on the western part of the state, not far from the Big Muddy and only about 8 miles from the campgrounds in Leroy Percy State Park, visitors can explore the refuge’s 13,000 acres. Home to Louisiana black bear, bobcats, gators, raccoons and possums, Yazoo is also a bird-watcher’s paradise. Sitting peacefully at the Lizard Lake observation blind and listening to birds improve the silence with their calls will undoubtedly lower visitors’ blood pressure. To add to this bucolic avian paradise, 300 wood duck boxes dapple the park. Co-op farmers tend to corn, soybeans and winter wheat in the refuge, and remnant patches of daffodils and canna flowers are found in places once occupied by sharecroppers. Seven Indian mounds exist within park boundaries. A church, a school and sharecroppers’ cabins once decorated the landscape, but these man-made structures have since been removed. For the visitors’ enjoyment there is the Holt Collier boardwalk through a cypress swamp, the observation tower at Alligator Pond and the new carbon-sequestration trail. So popular is whitetail deer hunting in Yazoo that the trophy bucks are pursued by hunters who arrive from more than half the states in the Union and a handful of Canadian provinces. Hunters here must use primitive weapons. Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge is a verdant, restful place to while away an afternoon, particularly on foot or by bicycle. And after travelers have investigated what Yazoo has to offer, they can check out the other six members of the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge Complex. q Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge Complex, (662) 839-2638, www.fws.gov/trcomplex.
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019-TL03 PG 19 GEICO
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022-TL1003 Montana’s Jewel
1/11/10
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MONTANA’S CROWN JEWELS THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE TREASURE STATE IS MORE THAN WORTH ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD
he wolf howl came at dawn. The beguiling melody seemed to awaken the town. Locals knew it wasn’t a wild wolf, but one of eight kept at the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center. Among the visiting RVers in the town of West Yellowstone, however, it was sensational. Historically, West Yellowstone was the terminus for the Union Pacific Railroad that brought passengers from Ashton, Idaho, on a short line, then by coach into Yellowstone National Park. The railroad pulled out in 1960, but the town remained a major hub for RV visitors to Yellowstone and the surrounding areas. A park information center in town shares space with the Chamber of Commerce and Montana Visitor Center. Besides free wireless Internet in a comfortable lounge, the center offers friendly help, maps, brochures and knowledgeable advice about the area. It doesn’t take long for a visitor to overhear rushed tourists ask the ranger on duty or visitor information person: “We just have three hours. What can we see in the park?” “People come into the center with a list. They say, ‘We want to see, one, two, three and four. How can we do it the fastest way?’” said Marysue Costello, a long-time West Yellowstone resident and the Director of the Chamber of Commerce. “I tell them Old Faithful is 30 miles from West Yellowstone. It takes time to drive through the park.” There are 12 campgrounds within Yellowstone Park. Seven operated by the National Park Service are on a first-come, firstserved basis. Xanterra Parks and Resorts operate five campgrounds within the park and those sites can be reserved. There are
PHOTOS BY JOHN CHRISTOPHER FINE
T
by John Christopher Fine
many RV campgrounds in and around West Yellowstone, including one right in town within earshot of howling wolves. Planning is required to take advantage of hidden opportunities in the area. In addition to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National parks, the Targhee National Forest and Big Spring in Idaho, the Hebgen Lake District and Virginia City National Historic Site are nearby. Leave plenty of time to enjoy hidden discoveries. If your route takes you to Bozeman, Montana, spend time ambling along Main Street. The rotating horse at Bangtail Bike and Ski Shop has been a landmark for generations. Shop in boutiques and stock
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022-TL1003 Montana’s Jewel
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Marysue Costello, a longtime Yellowstone resident, takes in one of the countless stunning views at Yellowstone Park. It’s about a half-mile hike to get to the Boiling River swimming area. Although not handicapaccessible, it’s well worth the trip for those who can make it. A horseback ride on Sun Ranch is a great way to explore the area. Elk with velvet antlers are a common sight at Yellowstone.
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024-TL03 PG 24 RV SEARCH
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022-TL1003 Montana’s Jewel
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up on supplies, or take a bike tour of Bozeman’s parks. If you have young people in tow, they’ll love to climb on a climbing rock installed in the park where bike trails wind near creeks. There are many ways to access Yellowstone National Park from Bozeman. One of the nicest drives is down Paradise Valley. The road parallels the Yellowstone River. Take Interstate 90 east to Livingston then head south on 89. It is 95 miles to Gardiner and the north entrance to the park. Pause in town and take pictures of the stone arch before driving through. The park archive building does offer tours, but the facility was primarily designed for research. From this point on Yellowstone is yours to discover. Maps, newspapers and information can be obtained at the gate and in Mammoth. Be sure to obtain Yellowstone Today, an official park newspaper from the ranger. It contains updates on happenings and important information about the park and its campsites. The most important temptation to avoid is the caution every ranger gives: Wild game is wild. Drive carefully, since the roads abound with animals. Take photographs from a safe distance. Be especially careful and alert for traffic jams along the roads. People may not exercise sound judgment when driving past a bear or herd of bison. Drive defensively and know the length of your RV — including the tow vehicle — so length limits can be addressed when choosing campground sites. One little-known highlight is the legal swimming hole located near the 45th Parallel, exactly halfway between the Equator and the North Pole. Thermal waters from Boiling River make the spot unique — one where visitors can soak in the warm river. Access to the spot is along a half-mile long path, easy enough to walk but not handicapped-accessible, and it is recommended that you check on the status of the hole at one of the park’s visitor centers before making the trip, as it is often closed. There is a great campsite at Madison Junction. To reach the town of West Yellowstone, take the park road here along the Madison River 14 miles to the west entrance. West Yellowstone is a town with a population of 1,234 that is a hub for visitors to the park. Emergency services are
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available and there is a modern airport facility in town. There are many RV campgrounds in and around town, and many things to see and do. The Yellowstone IMAX Theater offers screenings of Yellowstone and several other themed big-screen films such as Bears and Lewis and Clark. Nearby is the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center. Naturalists let kids hide food for the grizzly bears in a cage- and moat-protected setting. The bears are released and spectators watch as bears forage for the hidden food. The eight wolves in two packs provide interesting viewing and good photo opportunities. The Madison River Canyon is easily reached from West Yellowstone. Drive north on 191 then west on 287. If you like horseback riding, Parade Rest Guest Ranch is on the right about a mile along 287. Marge Wanner, General Manager, and the wranglers will set you up on a horse suited to your skills. Western Mountain Cookouts are Monday and Friday nights, and you can get there by
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Robinson at the Kirkwood Resort and Marina. David will guide kayak trips or rent kayaks and describe where the best osprey and eagle-viewing sites from the water are. There are many RV campgrounds right on the Hebgen, and Pam Sveinson is welcoming at the Kirkwood Resort. She even leaves fuel pumps on for credit-card service at night, since it is the only fuel available for many miles on 287 in this area. Nearby is Quake Lake, where trees remain as dead sticks in the water, stark reminders of the force of the earthquake that caused a landslide which blocked the Madison River. A visitor center offers information and an overlook of the area. Further along 287, before reaching the little hamlet of Cameron, the Madison Valley is sheathed between the Gravelly Mountains and the Madison Range. Curtis Brown, a fishing guide who has spent most of his life fishing the Madison River in this area, says that every fly-fishing enthusiast, at least once in a lifetime, will fish the Madison. There are 4,200 trout per
The entire area — especially Madison River — offers world-class trout fishing.
horseback, hay wagon or horse-drawn surrey. The cookouts boast plenty of steak, chicken and all the fixin’s, plus musical entertainment and western hospitality. Parade Rest is a walk-only horseback operation and the mountains and meadows of U.S. Forest Service land behind the ranch provide vistas of Hebgen Lake. In 1959, a massive earthquake dramatically reshaped the area’s landscape. Campers were cut off and cabins pushed into Hebgen Lake by the force of the quake. Today, there is great fishing in Hebgen Lake and the Madison River. For those who want to paddle, hook up with David
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028-TL03 PG 28 HOLE IN WAL
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Never underestimate the healing power of laughter.
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022-TL1003 Montana’s Jewel
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MONTANA’S CROWN JEWELS ®
mile, according to Curtis’ statistics. The Lodge at Sun Ranch, an ecolodge, is located outside Cameron, nestled between the mountains. If there’s a hankering for exquisite food and lodging in luxurious accommodations with a hot tub facing the mountains, then park the RV and stay for a long weekend. Horseback riding, fishing and hiking with naturalists are special here. Highway 287 leads to historic Virginia City. Gold was discovered in a creek bed just outside of town. A pillar marks the spot. Take a tour in town and step back in time as a guide unlocks some of the old storefronts and points out boxes of dry goods, gloves, ladies hats and fashions from the turn of the century. There is a site where desperadoes were hanged, and don’t miss boot hill outside of town, where the desperadoes — and others who died in town — were buried. Leave time in Virginia City to enjoy the sights. The town is RV-friendly, and parking is allowed on public streets while you explore. Nevada City is nearby, another
hamlet of restored homes and buildings that gives visitors a clear picture of the heydays before the strikes petered out. If your time is over then double back on 287 and head back up to Bozeman on 84 or stick on 287 to reach Interstate 90 for points east and west. There is wonder and discovery at almost every detour in this southwest corner of Montana. Taking time to explore the nooks and crannies makes that discovery fun with adventure at every turn. Find your own honey hole for trout fishing tucked away where least expected. Savor experiences like broiled fresh-caught trout on a campfire within earshot of a gurgling creek and howling wolf ... even if he isn’t entirely wild. q
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030-TL03 PG 30 GOOD SAM CL
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All Signs Point to the Good Sam Club
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031-TL1003 RVing With Dogs
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ROAD DOGS TRAVELING WITH MAN’S BEST FRIEND IS GREAT FOR THE ANIMAL AND THE OWNER — PROVIDED YOU DO A BIT OF PREPARATION
I
by Julee Meltzer
t’s been said that RVing is not so much a nationwide pastime as it is a national passion. This makes sense in a society that was largely built on the fortitude and success of spirited explorers and adventure-seeking pioneers. Americans have been RVing now for more than half a century ... and it’s still all about exploring and adventure seeking. After all, with an RV, you don’t need reservations, a tour guide or even a definite destination. All you need is an RV, a sense of adventure, a reliable map — and a good dog. At least that’s what John Steinbeck thought in 1960 when he took a three-month road trip across America with his poodle, Charley. In his now-famous Travels With Charley, Steinbeck described the 10,000-mile journey he made in his custom-built truck camper. Although Charley certainly wasn’t the first dog to go RVing, he’s probably the most famous. Dogs in particular make ideal travel companions. Besides providing protection and good company, dogs encourage us to pursue healthy activities, like hiking and exploring. In addition, with so many dog-owning RVers on the road, dogs are a terrific way to meet people. Designed specifically for RVers with pets, the following tips will help you to have a safe and enjoyable trip.
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031-TL1003 RVing With Dogs
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CALL AHEAD Even if a campground states (in an ad or a directory) that it is pet friendly, always call ahead to make sure they will actually accept your dog(s). I have occasionally arrived at a supposedly pet-friendly RV park with my two German Shepherds only to find that “pet friendly” meant only accepting dogs that weighed less than 20 pounds. Similarly, some campgrounds prohibit specific breeds while others tack on excessive fees for families that travel with a dog. RV parks that are genuinely pet friendly tend to have reasonable pet policies. Some even have special provisions for dogs, including fenced-in play areas, pet-friendly hiking trails, family dog shows and more.
COME PREPARED
ANTICIPATE PROBLEMS ON THE ROAD When it comes to RVing, your pet is as dependent on good planning as you are. For starters, make sure that you have an emergency road service policy (such as Good Sam RV Emergency Road Service). Getting stuck in the breakdown lane of a busy highway isn’t nearly as stressful when help is on the way. On that note, devise a backup plan for your pet if your RV has to be taken in for repairs. For example, dog-show professionals typically travel with large groups of expensive dogs that are kept in cages. Because
RVs are their preferred mode of transportation, they have to be prepared for problems on the road. If their RV breaks down, they will have a rental truck delivered to their current location. They can count on this option because they have already contacted the truck-rental companies that serve the area in which they are traveling. Make sure you have enough fire extinguishers and take the time to perform a fire drill before you leave. In the event of a real fire, you won’t have the time to look for a leash or figure out what to do with your dog. Likewise, determine your plan of action if your pet gets hurt or becomes seriously ill while on the road. If you can, prepare a list of emergency-care facilities in the area, or travel with a ready-made directory such as the Pet E.R. Guide (see sidebar). Organized state-by-state and city-by-city, a directory such as this one ensures that you always have the information you need on hand should you be faced with a crisis.
32 March 2010 TRAILER LIFE
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Before your next RV trip, have your pet examined by a vet to make sure it’s in good health. Above all, make sure its rabies vaccinations are up-to-date and well-documented. Some campgrounds may even request a copy of your dog’s vaccination records, so make a few extra copies and bring them along. If you plan to visit Mexico, have your vet fill out a health certificate. Make sure your dog’s tick and flea treatments are up-to-date and have your dog checked and treated for heartworm. If your pet is taking prescribed medications or is on a specialized diet, be sure to bring plenty of each just in case your trip home is delayed. For extended stays, be sure to get written prescriptions for all your pet’s medications. That way, you’ll be able to get them filled while on the road. Other than that, bring plenty of their regular food, some toys and a comfortable bed for them to sleep on.
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031-TL1003 RVing With Dogs
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MAKE SURE YOUR PET WON’T GET LOST No one ever expects their pet to get lost, but every year thousands of RVers suffer the anguish of losing a dog when they are away from home. The trick is to be prepared. Make sure your pet’s collar fits snugly and has an ID tag that includes its name, your phone number and the name of your veterinarian. Some owners also add an e-mail address. In addition, find a vet who will microchip your pet. If someone finds your pet and takes it to a vet, the chip will enable the vet to contact you. In any case, always bring a photo of your pet in case you need to put up “Lost Dog” posters. Also, have a picture of you and your pet handy so you can prove the animal belongs to you once it’s found. Don’t leave the screen door open — a determined dog can slip out before you’re aware it’s gone. If you want to make sure that your dog never gets lost, put its leash on while it’s still inside your RV. And when outside, never let it off its leash. TRAILER LIFE March 2010 33
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031-TL1003 RVing With Dogs
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ROAD DOGS
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR PET The biggest complaint about dogs at campgrounds has nothing to do with their bark, their bite or their behavior. If you pick up after your dog and keep it on a leash, you won’t give people much to grumble about. In addition, experienced dog-owning RVers use a variety of techniques to remain good neighbors. For example, if your dog behaves aggressively toward other dogs, walk it in an area that’s away from others or take it out at odd hours when other RVers aren’t around. If your dog barks a lot, take it with you whenever you leave the campground. Also, when you arrive, ask if there are any sites that are relatively isolated. Life with a dog is easier with a little breathing room. If you leave your pet alone at a campground, there could be a problem if something were to happen to you while you were away. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to protect your furry friends in this scenario. Simply fill out two identical index
cards with the following information: your name; cell-phone number; campground location and site number; the type, number of and names of your pets along with any special care they require; and the campground contact information. Place one card in your wallet (or purse) and another in your RV, where someone can easily find it. Also, place a clearly visible sign on the door of your trailer that lists all the animals that are inside. You can also purchase a readymade “pet emergency info kit” (see sidebar) to make this even easier for you.
KEEP YOUR DOG COMFORTABLE Every year, hundreds of dogs inadvertently suffer and die when they are left alone in a vehicle that becomes overheated in warm weather. If you’re staying in an area that becomes warm, be careful when leaving your animals alone in your trailer. Air conditioners occasionally stop working and campground power outages sometimes occur. When this happens,
your RV’s interior may become too warm for your dog. To minimize this possibility, install thermostatically controlled roof fans that automatically operate when the
Carrier AirV rV V Ceiling Unit Safety Recall ™
Model Numbers: 68RV0010BA, 68RV0012CA, and 68RV0010EA Carrier is voluntarily recalling its AirV r ™ ceiling units with heater assemblies manufacture f d between May 2007 and July 2009, with the first 5 digits of the serial numbers ranging from 1807Y (18 8tth week of 2007) through 3009Y (3 th week of 2009). (30
Carrier Transicold, go to www.trailerlife.com/info
The heater assembly in the ceiling unit may be defective, which could potentially create a fire hazard. Carrier will retrofit each unit’s heater assembly at no charge. The AirV rV unit should not be operated until the heater assembly has been retrofitted. AirV ceiling unit
Caution: Disconnect external circuit breaker or fuse to the air conditioning unit before removing cover.
Serial & model number label Model number First 5 digits of serial number (ex., 50th week of 2008)
Remove 4 cover screws to see model and serial number label.
Please contact Carrier at 1-877-584-7059 or an authorized Carrier Service Center to arrange for the retrofit off your AirV rV ceiling unit heater assembly.
©2010 Carrier Corporation
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internal temperature of the trailer reaches a certain level. Likewise, always leave a few windows open in case of a power failure or a gas leak. Remember to leave some extra drinking water for your dogs and use window shades and awnings to keep your trailer as cool as possible. Also, if at all possible, leave a key with the campground manager. If there’s a power failure, they’ll be able to open up your trailer and take your dog out for some fresh air. If your dog is disabled, make it easier for your pet to enter and exit your RV by building a portable ramp that can be placed over your trailer’s steps.
LEARN ABOUT YOUR CAMPING ENVIRONMENT If you plan to RV in a location that is fundamentally different from your usual environment, research the area and be prepared. For example, if you plan on staying in the desert, bring a pair of pliers and a comb on all your hikes. They will become
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031-TL1003 RVing With Dogs
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ROAD DOGS
indispensable for removing pieces of prickly cactus from your dog’s paws. Also, talk to the rangers. They’ll tell you some of the tricks that coyotes use to “engage� your dog. Likewise, if you plan on staying along the southern New England coastline, learn how to deal with ticks. These small but insidious creatures can transmit Lyme disease to you and your dog. If you’ll be staying in bear country, bring pepper spray and learn how to avoid bears. Never let your dog engage or antagonize a bear. If you’re staying near a wooded area, never let your dog off its leash. Dogs regularly get lost when they chase a deer too far into the woods and then can’t find their way back to the campsite. Likewise, at dawn and dusk, be sure to keep your dog’s leash very short. This is the time that skunks dig for grubs and other treats. As a result, they are out in full force. If your dog does get sprayed by a skunk, he’ll be sleeping outdoors for a long time. In many cases, the campground
owner should be able to fill you in on some of the local risks.
LEARN SOME BASIC FIRST AID If a medical emergency occurs at home, you simply drive to your local vet. But if this same situation were to occur along a backroad in a strange town, it could be a different story. Although there are ways to get help while on the road, it almost always takes longer than you think. In the meantime, your ability to provide competent first aid could save your pet’s life. Your best bet is to first purchase a basic manual. Don’t waste your money on a comprehensive book — you won’t have the time to read it during a real emergency. The manual will also tell you how to create a decent first-aid kit. Don’t bother with ready-to-use pet first-aid kits — they tend to be filled with frivolous items and often lack the essentials. In a true emergency, the most valuable piece of information is the phone number of the nearest 24-hour emergency animal hospital.
INVOLVE YOUR DOG IN EVERYTHING YOU DO Dogs like to explore new areas more than anything else. They also love the outdoors. As a result, your dog may enjoy RVing more than you do. So if you really want them to have a good time, include them in all of your activities. Take them on hikes. Let them frolic in the water. Throw a ball. Set up an obstacle course. Grill them up a hamburger. If you take the time to involve your dog in all the things you do, they’ll probably help you pack the next time you decide to go camping.
SAVOR THE EXPERIENCE Dogs really are man’s best friend. RVing and camping with your dog is a precious experience that will ultimately become one of your fondest memories. So the next time you’re sitting around a campfire under the stars with your family, your friends and your dog, take the time to appreciate the moment. After all, this is RVing at its finest. q
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GET AN RVER’S VIEW OF WILDLIFE ALONG THE OPEN ROADS ... BUT DON’T GET TOO CLOSE! by Jim Couper
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hen your RV leaves the asphalt of urban centers and hits the wideopen spaces, North America becomes a natural zoo of sorts, with an amazing array of wildlife. Generating the most attention in these parts are the wild beasts that are bigger than man’s best friend. Cars line up for miles to watch a bear or bison, while a skunk and mink can duck and slink without much motorist interest. Who among us does not get excited when watching a moose munching on moss in a marsh or a mountain goat leaping from rocky ledges?
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VIEWING ROADSIDE DIVERSITY North America’s natural inhabitants range from polar bears where the road ends near the Arctic to immense, prehistoric alligators lounging in southern swamps. Between these geographic extremes you might see elk in the Rockies, wild horses on the plains, javelina among the cacti, buffalo on the prairies and deer nearly everywhere. On a trip over the southern portion of the Alaska Highway, I was immeasurably impressed with the size and number of animals that inhabit the northland. Within a 200-mile stretch, my wife and I spotted wild sheep, moose, caribou,
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slow down — stopping is better, if possible — to allow them plenty of room to cross.
ZOO RULES
q When you see one animal, be wary of others.
q Keep windshields and headlights clean, and wipers in good condition.
q Pay extra attention at dawn and dusk, when animals are most active.
q No matter how cute, cuddly or passive roadside animals may appear, do not feed them and do not get out of the vehicle. Nearly every animal can move much faster than humans. Even the lumbering alligator can sprint to 30 mph.
black bear, bison, deer, fox and a grizzly. Just past the middle of Nowhere, two huge horses galloped out of the woods, crossed the road and disappeared into the forest on the other side. We have driven RVs throughout the world and have veered around camels in Afghanistan, avoided elephants in India, missed guanaco bouncing across the highway in Argentina and halted for reindeer herds in Finland, but never has such a diverse group of animals appeared within such a short stretch of road as right here in North America. Other critters we’ve met on American, Mexican and Canadian roads are porcupine, armadillo, wolves, coyote, skunk, fox, otter, beaver, mountain goats, possum and cougar. That’s in addition to such commonplace creatures as groundhogs (including marmots, gophers, prairie dogs, etc.) chipmunk, squirrels and rabbits. There are few states and provinces that do not host herds of deer that can usually be seen in rural areas at dawn and dusk. Other deer family members such as caribou, elk, wapiti and moose are spread from coast to coast. Bison are the weightiest and most impressive of the animals you may have the good fortune of seeing from the safety of your RV. Standing up to 7 feet tall with a length of 13 feet and weighing as much as a ton, they can be found in selected prairies and wooded areas in the northcentral continent. From near extinction, the large North American land animal has
grown to a population of close to 350,000, although this is a far cry from the 50 million that lived here before European settlement. The best places to see the huge creatures are Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming and Wood Buffalo National Park in Northwest Canada, which was created to protect the last remaining Canadian buffalo herds. The huge snapping turtle, with a shell up to a half-yard wide, is found in eastern waterways. One could not imagine that a slow, lowly turtle could do much harm on a roadway, but there are numerous documented cases of vehicles crashing into each other while rubbernecking drivers stared at the crawling creatures. The best place for turtle watching is undoubtedly Highway 27 near Tallahassee, Florida, where 10 species, including soft-shell, yellow-bellied slider, cooters and snappers, are common. Unfortunately not all make it across the road, and the conservation Web site www.lakejacksonturtles.org says a stretch of Highway 27 has the world’s highest mortality rate for turtles. The area is alive with other animals with 61 different species (not including birds) attempting to cross a half-mile section of the highway at Lake Jackson. When it comes to animals, alligators are Florida’s prime roadside attraction. Forget about Uncle Clem’s Genuine Alligator Farm and go directly to Highway 41 that crosses the Everglades. The reptiles hang out in the waterways (especially in winter)
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The Canada goose can often be found wherever there is grass to munch. Although they may look docile, it’s best to enjoy the view from afar— as it is with all roadside critters.
seeing. And don’t think small when it comes to fish. Among the amazing water life is the alligator gar, found in lakes and riverways in such unexpected places as Kansas and Missouri. The fish, with a snout like an alligator, can weigh a whopping 300 pounds and exceed 7 feet in length. Travels along the salty coasts provide the best opportunities to stop at scenic overviews, grab the binoculars and sight whales such as humpback, right, orca, gray, blue, finback and minke. Seals, sea lions, harbor porpoise, otter, dolphins and basking sharks might also come into view. The manatee is one of the treasures of Florida’s warm waters, and the slow moving, gentle, sea cow enjoys swimming in the clear rivers and springs as well as in salt water. I once spotted two snow monkeys at play while driving past an old fruit tree about 10 miles from my rural Niagara home — and I had forgotten my camera. I was excited about these newcomers to the relatively mild climate until I later heard that they had escaped from a private zoo. It’s a good idea to carry along a camera, binoculars and identification guides for birds and animals whenever you plan to motor out of the city. It’s hard to convince your family and friends of what sights you may have seen without a picture.
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that run beside the highway. They range in size up to 17 feet long and can weigh a quarter-ton. Fortunately, alligators are not fond of hot, dry pavement so they seldom cross the road. Despite their numbers (close to one million) they normally do not present a driving hazard. Looking skyward, one could devote a lifetime to checking off names in a birder’s handbook. Again, the ones that draw gasps from novices are the biggies — eagles, condors, osprey, vultures, trumpeter swans, pelicans, owls, eider and puffins to name a few. And of course, anywhere there is grass to be eaten, the ubiquitous Canada goose is sure to be found. The best places for eyeing avian life are along the four major flyways: Atlantic, Mississippi, Central and Pacific. The flyway boundaries are not sharply defined, ignore all borders and often overlap, and if you follow the birds south to Panama you will find that the four flyways merge. Along the way you can spot as many as 350 different species of birds. If you are travelling near waterways in the interior of Washington or Oregon you are likely on the Pacific Flyway, so stop, get out the binoculars and guidebook, and take a stab at identification. RVers are most likely to see up close the birds that spend more time on the ground than in the air. These include grouse (prairie chicken), quail, pheasants, roadrunners, turkeys and partridge. Rivers and lakes are homes to aquatic creatures we seldom have the pleasure of
AVOIDING ROADWAY ADVERSITY Few things are as alarming as a half-ton moose stepping onto the road as you
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BORN TO BE WILD
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round a corner at twilight. One of the most important things to remember when driving rural routes is that animals rarely travel alone. Just as you give a sigh of relief that you missed the deer that fled across the road, another one is likely to be bounding right behind. Hoofed animals tend to travel in herds, and eight of the 10 most dangerous states for auto/deer accidents are clustered in the northeast region, with the other two being Texas and Georgia. Deer whistles may help this matter. Attached to the front of a vehicle, these whistles emit a highpitched sound audible only to animals. Although they’ve been around for several decades, it’s not clear how effective they really are, but you may want one just in case they help. Signs warning of animals are commonplace, but are not always effective because animals do not always appear where the signs are placed. What works best is to try to reduce the interaction of automobiles and wildlife before they
meet. For instance, reducing the use of road salt to melt winter snow reduces the number of animals that come to the sides of highways to lick up the residue. Clearing a wide swath of vegetation at the sides of highways allows motorists to better spot large creatures before they dart onto the road. Fences can be the salvation of both ungulates and humans. Studies have shown that on unfenced rural highways in big-game country, 63 percent of automobile accidents involve animals. On fenced sections, a mere 11 percent of accidents involved animals. While fences can help to direct hoofed animals toward overpasses and underpasses, other creatures such as cougar, coyotes and black bear will dig beneath fences, climb over them or find gaps below them, so always keep your eyes open. When in wild-animal country, motorists should be extra alert and scan ahead from side to side. Obey speed limits and reduce speed at indicated wildlife crossings and migration routes. q
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Credit card not required in MA & PA. *Number of HD channels varies by package. HD Access fee ($10/mo.) and HD Equipment required.^ DIRECTV® DVR Scheduler requires Internet access via computer or mobile phone to directv.com Remote connections may vary. In rare instances, scheduled recording(s) may not be recognized. Requires DIRECTV PLUS DVR (models R15, R16, R22), DIRECTV PUS HD DVR (models HR20, HR21, HR23) or Tivo® Series 2 receivers with 6.4a software. Skipping commercial only available for recorded programs. Actual recording capacity varies depending on the type of programming being recorded. Professional installation highly recommended. Land-based phone line connection required. DVR service required and available separately. Professional installation highly recommended. Land-based phone line connection required INSTALLATION: Standard professional installation only. Custom installation extra. ^RV SATELLLITE KIT OFFER: Courtesy of Direct Sat TV with new residential home service activation and purchase of CHOICE programming or above. Includes satellite dish, travel tripod and 50’ of coaxial cable. HD dish will incur additional fees. Tripod for HD dish not available. Programming and pricing may vary for service in your RV. For service in RV, customer will receive NY Distant Network Signal, based on geographical location. LA Distant Network is available upon request and requires special hardware, which will incur additional fees. DNS waiver required. While supplies last. S/H fees will apply. SYSTEM LEASE: Purchase of 24 consecutive months of any DIRECTV base programming package ($29.99/mo. or above) or qualifying international services bundle required. FFAILURE TO ACTIVATE ALL DIRECTV SYSTEM EQUIPMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EQUIPMENT LEASE ADDENDUM MAY RESULT IN A CHARGE OF $150 PER RECEIVER NOT ACTIVATED. IF YOU FAIL TO MAINTAIN YOUR PROGRAMMING, DIRECTV MAY CHARGE A PRORATED FEE OF $480. RECEIVERS ARE AT ALL TIMES PROPERTY OF DIRECTV AND MUST BE RETURNED UPON CANCELLATION OF SERVICE OR ADDITIONAL FEES MAY APPLY. VISIT directv.com OR CALL 1-800-DIRECTV FOR DETAILS. Programming, pricing, terms and conditions subject to change at any time. Pricing residential. Taxes not included. Receipt of DIRECTV programming subject to DIRECTV Customer Agreement; copy provided at directv.com/legal and in first bill. ©2009 DIRECTV, Inc. DIRECTV and the Cyclone Design logo, CHOICE, CHOICE XTRA and PLUS DVR are trademarks of DIRECTV, Inc. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.
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NEW TRENDS FOR
2010 THE LATEST RVS ON DISPLAY AT THE ANNUAL INDUSTRY SHOW IN LOUISVILLE by Bob Ashley
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fuel prices and tow-vehiversatility no doubt on e minds of RVers for the ming year, RV manufacturers tended to offer smaller and lighter models for 2010 at the 47th Annual National RV Trade Show in Kentucky. This was especially apparent in the teardrop-shaped MPG trailer from Heartland Recreational Vehicles, which was named as one of two runner-ups for “Best of Show” by RV Business, the industry’s leading trade journal and Trailer Life’s sister publication. Top-honor “Best of Show” went to Class A motorhome builder Tiffin Motor Homes, which also went small for 2010 with the Allegro Breeze, the first 28-foot Class A diesel pusher. The other runner-up also was a pint-sized unit, Roadtrek’s first Class B, slideout-equipped camping van on a Sprinter chassis imported to North American by Germany-based Daimler AG. Roadtrek’s 20-foot SS-Ideal offers a new spin on increasing interior space with a slideout extending through the Sprinter’s rear doors, thus requiring no chassis modification. The continuing tight lending market exiting 2009 and buyer austerity in general led to a certain amount of pragmatism on the part of manufacturers who designed smaller and lighter RVs into their 2010 product lines. Certainly, though, not all towable builders went in that direction. Among the more active manufacturers at the Louisville Show was Heartland RV, which introduced five new lines, including the aforementioned MPG travel trailer and the Greystone fifth-wheel. “There are some themes out there that make sense to us and we want to tie into those themes,” said Heartland President Brian Brady. “We’re not just lightweight, we’re not just environmental. We’re not ‘just’ anything. We try to be broad-based.”
PHOTOS BY SHAWN SPENCE
Bringing smaller fifth-wheels to Louisville were SunnyBrook RV, which added a 29-foot fifth-wheel to its ultra-lightweight Harmony towable series, and Chalet RV, which introduced a compact Takena5 fiver. Meanwhile, EverGreen Recreational Vehicles introduced the first all-composite fifth-wheel — a 30-footer that the company says is fully recyclable, while CrossRoads RV offered a new take on its all-composite SlingShot travel trailer series. Keystone RV also went lightweight in its high-line Montana and mid-profile Cougar fifth-wheels with what it calls “Helium Technology,” a construction method about which the company declined to elaborate, which shaved 1,400 pounds off Keystone’s best-selling Montana. The company also redesigned its ultralightweight Premier travel trailer series. Forest River’s new Prime Time Manufacturing division also introduced the ultra-lightweight Tracer Executive and Micro series trailers. “With a lot of the emerging technologies with composites, all of a sudden you can get the floorplan you want and it’s 2,000 pounds less than it was,” said Prime Time President Jeff Rank. Here’s a look at some of the key products from the National RV Trade Show in Louisville.... TRAILER LIFE March 2010 41
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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE NATIONAL SunnyBrook RV added a fifth-wheel to its expanding lightweight Harmony towable series, now available in 10 floorplans. SunnyBrook’s 29-foot fiberglassand-aluminum Harmony fifth-wheel weighs a little more than 7,000 pounds and retails from $25,477. Outfitted with a 12-foot “superslide,” the Harmony fifth-wheel, featuring a rear living room, is built on a Z-frame allowing a large amount of front pass-through storage. Gulf Stream Coach introduced the ultralight Visa travel trailer series intended for towing behind minivans and crossovers. Available in four 23-foot floorplans with dry weights of 2,830 pounds, Visa sports fiberglass side walls and a radius front end on an aluminum superstructure with lightweight SymaLITE composite substrate. The low-profile Visa comes with a full bath, walk-around queen bed, 82-inch interior ceilings, balsa-core wood cabinets, LED running lights and independent torsion suspension. msrp: $15,600. Forest River has redesigned the interiors of its mid-priced Cedar Creek fifthwheel series built at the Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary’s Millersburg, Indiana, facility. Available in eight 34- to 36-foot floorplans — with a 40footer soon available — Cedar Creek features frameless windows, six-point remote-controlled “DaBoda Level Up” stabilization systems, Corian countertops, 6-foot 8-inch cabover ceilings, a retractable HDTV in the rear living room, radius one-piece showers, on-demand hot water, multipurpose Hoosier cabinets and pet dishes integrated with the kitchen cabinets. Base msrp: $72,000. With a dry weight of 2,950 pounds, Jayco’s new V-nose, ultra-lightweight Skylark travel trailer is designed to be towed by most SUVs and light trucks. The single-axle 2011 Skylark is available in one 22foot floorplan. The air conditioner in the 2011 Skylark has been
moved to the floorline to create a lower center of gravity to improve towability. Euro-style dual-pane acrylic windows are equipped with integrated roller blinds. Side walls are laminated to Azdel SuperLite composite to reduce weight. Base msrp: $23,143. Canadian van camper builder Roadtrek Motorhomes engineered the first Sprinter chassisbased Class B motorhome with a slideout. The 3-footdeep slide in Roadtrek’s new 20-foot SS-Ideal motorhome extends from the rear door opening and contains a convertible queen sofa. The SS-Ideal is built on the high-mileage 8,550-pound gvwr Sprinter 2500 chassis equipped with a 154-hp six-cylinder Mercedes-Benz diesel engine. msrp: $97,110. CrossRoads RV has redesigned its ultra-lightweight SlingShot travel trailer. The Thor Industry Inc. division’s SlingShot features an upgraded interior with Azdel SuperLite composite side walls, roof, interior walls and floors and is available in six 21- to 29-foot floorplans — all with slideouts. The 29-footer has a dry weight of 3,600 pounds. msrp from $20,000. Dutchmen Manufacturing has designed a cedar-lined walk-in closet for its allnew luxury Grand Junction fifth-wheel series using space that usually is overlooked in the front cap. The effect is that the floorplan gives the fiver 3 feet of additional space between what is usually the front wall and the cap itself. The Grand Junction, revamped for 2010 with new floorplans and a more moderate price point, is available in five 32- to 38- foot floorplans with three or four slides — the 340RL has the closet — and features high-gloss fiberglass exteriors, command
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L RV TRADE SHOW IN LOUISVILLE feature gelcoat fiberglass-on-aluminum construction with 61⁄ -foot ceilings, tinted radius windows, E-Z Lube axles, solid-core cabinets, large-bowl kitchen sinks with high-rise faucets, ABS tub surrounds, two-door refrigerators and three-burner ranges.
centers, heatedand-enclosed underbellies, solid cherry cabinets and Corian countertops throughout. Base msrp: $58,000. With its teardrop shape and retro-look ABS fenders, the new MPG travel trailer from Heartland RV hearkens back to the early days of RVing. But the laminated fiberglass-and-aluminum MPG, available in four 19- to 20-foot floorplans, three with slideouts, is fully equipped with amenities such as ducted-air conditioning, wet baths with integrated toilets, solidwood cabinet fronts with raised-panel doors, three-way refrigerators and two-burner stoves. msrp: from $13,650. EverGreen Recreational Vehicles introduced its first all-composite Ever-Lite fifthwheel. Available in three 31- to 32-foot floorplans featuring a 42-inch-deep streetside slideout, the Ever-Lite fifth-wheel incorporates several “green” advancements, including EverGreen’s composite “ComposiTek” construction that results in one-piece floors, side walls and roofs. At a maximum dry weight of 7,670 pounds, the Ever-Lite fiver is as much as 1,000 pounds lighter than a traditional fifth-wheel. Features include high-gloss exterior, flush-frame tinted windows, enclosed and heated underbellies, pass-through storage, porcelain toilets, laundry chutes, solid-wood cabinet doors, crown molding, padded vinyl floors and 26-inch LCD TV. msrp: $41,000. Forest River’s new Prime Time Manufacturing division introduced two ultra-lightweight towable series — the Tracer Micro and the Tracer Executive. Tracer Micro is available in three 19- to 25-foot floorplans with msrps starting at $15,000. The Tracer Executive, available with one or two slideouts in three 28- to 32-foot floorplans, starts at $24,000. Both
Keystone RV Company has added three lighter “Helium Technology” floorplans to its popular Montana highprofile and Cougar mid-profile fifthwheel series. The company trimmed weight from Montana’s and Cougar’s roofs, countertops, frames and side walls with either new materials or new ways to build the coach. The “Helium” construction process in the Montana and Cougar High Country series removes up to 1,400 pounds from the standard Montana fiver, the company reported. The 33-foot four-slide Montana built with “Helium Technology” featuring Azdel SuperLite side walls has a dry weight of 9,400 pounds. Base msrps for the Montana Helium trailers are in the mid-$40,000s. A-frame folding camping trailer manufacturer Chalet RV has been aggressively expanding its product offerings. That was made apparent at the show, where the company unveiled a small fifth-wheel and triple-slide truck camper Chalet’s 211⁄ -foot Takena5 fifth-wheel has a single galley slideout and a base retail price of $14,900. A 19-foot Takena5 fifth-wheel floorplan is expected by summer 2010. Pacific Coachworks launched a powered kitchen slideout as an option on eight Tango travel-trailer models and two fifth-wheel models. The company also introduced a new line of Turbo SURV travel trailers. The laminated fiberglass-andaluminum Turbo is offered in four 24- to 34-foot floorplans, including one featuring a 49-inch-deep king-bed slide.
Louisville proved that the RV market is keeping with the trends and hopping with choices — from lightweights to extra slideouts to green technology. 2010 will surely be an exciting year for RVers. q TRAILER LIFE March 2010 43
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044-TL1003 WT-Open Range L
1/13/10
8:58 AM
Page 44
I
PHOTOS BY GARY BOHINC
44 March 2010 TRAILER LIFE
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044-TL1003 WT-Open Range L
1/13/10
8:58 AM
Page 45
QUICK INFO
one of the cabinets to ease the clean-up chores. Numerous drawers and cabinets will surely hold your pots, pans, silverware and such, and a pull-out pantry had more room for food than we needed for several days’ worth of camping. Heading up the stairs (and furthering the fifth-wheel vibe) leads you to the bathroom on the right, accessible from the hallway and the bedroom. This obviously necessitates the need to lock both doors in order to prevent a potentially embarrassing situation. The large bathroom offers plenty of elbowroom and a nice-size shower with an attractive glass door and enclosure.
The bedroom features a comfy residential mattress, but no night stands or shelves for reading glasses or the remote control. Across from the bed, a large dresser unit offers adequate storage for jeans, undergarments and the like. And a roomy lighted wardrobe closet should have no trouble holding the rest of your wardrobe. The Journeyer is a large travel trailer that’s in serious need of more hitch weight. We had to travel with little or no water and adjust our packing techniques to help with stability issues. Also, a weight-distributing hitch with integrated
sway control was a necessity. The test trailer also featured the mandatory Four Seasons Protection Package ($700), which includes among other things a high-performance furnace, double-insulated baggage doors, heated and enclosed dump valves and a vented attic. This — along with a full 2-year warranty — makes it an even better choice for those who wish to RV year-round in a spacious travel trailer that aspires to live like a fifth-wheel — and succeeds on most levels. q Open Range RV, (260) 768-7771, www.openrangerv.com.
TRAILER LIFE March 2010 45
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046-TL1003 WT-Artic Fox LO
1/13/10
GET AWAY FROM IT ALL IN NORTHWOOD MANUFACTURING’S ALL-WEATHER TRAVEL TRAILER by Kristopher Bunker
9:04 AM
Page 46
R
Ving can be a family affair … but it doesn’t have to be. Sometimes it’s nice to take a trip with your significant other and explore the countryside, arm in arm, without the hustle and bustle of the little ones. Northwood Manufacturing’s Arctic Fox 26X Silver Fox edition is clearly designed for the all-season RVer that doesn’t necessarily always want to host the kids and grandkids for extended stays. That’s not to say Fox can’t accommodate more than two RVers; with an optional sofa bed and booth dinette, there’s plenty of sleeping room. But after spending some time in the unit, it’s obvious that the high-quality appointments, top-grade construction and private floorplan were all designed primarily with two occupants in mind.
All Arctic Fox trailers begin with aluminum wall framing, plywood decking, fiberglass siding and a one-piece heavy-gauge roof membrane. The Silver Fox throws in molded fiberglass front and rear caps, and offers optional thermal pane windows ($1,840) and optional heated holding tanks ($880), making four-season RVing possible — and enjoyable. Inside, the front-kitchen arrangement is very conducive to more advanced meal-prep, with plenty of counter space to do your chopping, dicing and mixing before baking in the oven or microwave, or sautéing on the three-burner stove. The exterior hard-side shade on the trailer’s front cap can be lifted
ARCTIC FOX 26X SILVER FOX
46 March 2010 TRAILER LIFE
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046-TL1003 WT-Artic Fox LO
1/13/10
9:04 AM
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QUICK INFO
up to let in lots of light, not to mention a great view of your surrounding area. The 8-cubic-foot fridge is part of the Silver Fox edition and holds more than enough vittles for two. The dining area consists of a freestanding table with four chairs, and offers plenty of room for four diners. Should a guest or two arrive, the ottoman from the leather Euro recliner in the living area can serve double-duty as a makeshift seat. The unit we tested featured the optional sofa-bed air mattress ($535), meaning the kids or grandkids could come along if you choose. The dining table and sofa bed are housed in the Fox’s single slide, which opens up the living area quite nicely when deployed. The practicality of the recliner in the
living room is questionable; the recliner seems a bit out of place, and was constantly shoved into the corner against the wall. I’ll admit it was pretty comfortable, but I would have appreciated the extra floorspace to be had by not including the chair at all. The LCD TV with a surround-sound system is situated on a cabinet near the entry, and can be easily viewed from all seats in the living/dining area. The bathroom is quite roomy, and the impressive amount of elbow room around the toilet meant we never felt like the walls were closing in. The bathroom is accessible from two interior doors — one in the living area and one in the bedroom. This is a nice feature that ensures you don’t have to expose yourself to other oc-
cupants while dashing from the shower to the master bedroom to get dressed. Once you make your way through the bathroom, you enter the smallish bedroom area. A comfortable queen bed and minimal cabinetry occupy most of the space, leaving little room for lingering or walk-around space for making the bed. Living in the 26X felt like living in a small apartment; there was plenty of room for two, and enough space for a couple more. The top-quality appointments and the ability to inhabit separate areas should be much appreciated by buyers looking to camp in quiet comfort. q Northwood Manufacturing Inc., (541) 962-6274, www.northwoodmfg.com.
TRAILER LIFE March 2010 47
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048-TL1003 IB Roof System
1/13/10
8:59 AM
Page 48
PLASTIC
SPAN PVC ROOFING MATERIAL FROM IB ROOF SYSTEMS IS A USEFUL ADDITION TO AN RV DESIGNER OR REPAIRMAN’S TOOLBOX
F
by Jeff Johnston
The PVC roof membrane is positioned on the camper.
PHOTOS BY JEFF JOHNSTON
lexible-fabric and plasti-roof systems as alternatives to aluminum or fiberglass are here to stay in the RV industry. Product improvements make our RVs better all the time and a new application like IB Roof Systems plastic roof fabric has the potential for making a big impact in our industry and on our RVs. The IB Roof product is both new and old. Old, in the sense that the material has been used and proven for commercial and residential structure roofing for more than 30 years, and new in that it’s now been adapted to RV use. This material is not a rubber-based product; rather, it’s PVC plastic material based on the same chemistry used in PVC plumbing and other applications. The PVC roofing is a flexible 45-mil-thick multilayer laminate sheet that incorporates a fiber reinforcement layer for extra strength. The fiber is anti-wicking to deter water intrusion and delamination so no edge sealing
48 March 2010 TRAILER LIFE
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048-TL1003 IB Roof System
1/11/10
2:45 PM
Page 49
is required. The black base ply and white upper weathering surface are similar materials, but the topside includes a UV-resistant finish called Solarwise to maintain reflectivity and appearance. The manufacturer lists several significant features, beyond the ease of installation and such that are typical of other fabric roof systems, that could make the PVC roofing desirable for RV use: Fire resistance: The IB membrane has a Class A rating for flame resistance. This means that while the material will burn in the presence of other combustibles, it resists flames and will self-extinguish when the combustion The water-based adhesive that secures the PVC membrane in place is applied. source is removed. We torched the edge of an IB membrane sample and as soon as the lighter was removed, it snuffed itself out. Chalking/streaking: The semigloss Solarwise surface finish and PVC material mean the IB membrane will not chalk or cause age-related streaking (this does not count the usual streaking effects of environmental grime, dust or simply getting dirty) on the sides of an RV. This has been proven during many years of weather exposure on commercial structures. Reparability: While the material is A commercial heat gun that generates The new PVC membrane roof is positioned secured to the RV roof using convenmore than 800˚ F air at its tip is used to and the last bubbles will be worked out. tional water-based adhesives and meThis test installation was done with two heat-weld the PVC pieces together. The chanical edge fasteners, damage reroller ensures a positive joint between the pairs or material modifications are smaller membrane sheets seamed at the center, but production PVC roofs will be a pieces. This procedure produces a joint done using a hot-air plastic welding that’s as strong as the membrane. single-piece membrane. process. No glue is used to fasten a patch in place. An industrial hot-air gun that reaches more than 800˚ F at the tip applies heat to both the roof and patch sides of the repair which results in the PVC literally melting together to form a bond as strong as the base material. An attempt to tear apart two membrane pieces thusly joined resulted in the fabric delaminating and tearing, but the joined materials remaining secure. This is like gluing together two It takes a lot of strength to plywood pieces, and after ripping them separate two heat-welded apart, the plywood has shattered but pieces of the PVC roofing the glued materials remain secure. material. This means that In addition, there is no age-related patches and other roof reThe IB Roof Systems PVC membrane carries a Class A qualification for a PVC roof repair. The pairs are secure and as long- flame-resistance rating. Remove the ignition source, material can be successfully “welded” and the PVC membrane is self-extinguishing. lasting as the base material. if it’s one day or 30 years old. TRAILER LIFE March 2010 49
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048-TL1003 IB Roof System
1/13/10
9:00 AM
Page 50
PLASTIC SPAN
Mule Days Celebration, go to www.trailerlife.com/info
Durability: The PVC membrane has a service life of 30 years in a commercialstructure application. Due to the mobile nature of RV product use, the manufacturer is still establishing a realistic life expectancy and warranty structure for the material in an RV application. It’s anticipated the warranty will be fully competitive with similar-use products in the RV industry. Cost: Although IB Roof Systems is still finalizing its RV product applications, the PVC membrane is expected to be retail priced somewhat less than competitive products on the market. Recyclability: Even if the membrane has been in use for 30 years, it’s still 100percent recyclable.
NuWa Industries, go to www.trailerlife.com/info
We learned about the product and observed the installation of a PVC roof on a truck camper at the George M. Sutton RV service center in Eugene, Oregon. A standard type of water-based adhesive, like that used for other membrane roof products, was used to secure the roof to the prepared camper surface. For the most part, the installation is like that of any other membrane roof with surface adhesive and metal edge trim to secure the material. Standard RTV sealants work for sealing screw heads and other rooftop accessories as needed against water intrusion. Solar Seal #900 was used for this job, but sealants from Dicor and other RV suppliers will also work. There is one main difference in installing the PVC. It’s not as flexible or stretchy as EPDM, so s the PVC will be somewhat more difficult c to work around compound curves and d some complicated roof shapes. Given the e way the PVC can be heat-welded and joined e securely, it seems likely that with some technician practice the PVC could be effectively e installed on most surfaces as desired. i While other materials e have been in use as RV roofs for many m years, this PVC membrane is an interesting r new alternative for keeping the rain out of our RVs. q IB Roof Systems, (800) 426-1626, www.ibroof.com. George M. Sutton RV, (541) 342-2993, www.suttonrv.com.
50 March 2010 TRAILER LIFE
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051-TL1003 Fastway LO
1/11/10
2:39 PM
Page 51
ADDING SAFETY AND CONVENIENCE THREE PRODUCTS FROM FASTWAY SMOOTH OUT HITCHING AND SETUP
P
by Dave Riggs
no fuss, no bending, no trailer rolling. The ONEStep Wheel Chock retails for $62.65. Another safety device found on all trailers is the breakaway cable that engages the trailer’s brakes in case of a separation from the tow vehicle. Although these cables are certainly important, they can be a nuisance at times, having a tendency to become
PHOTOS BY GARY BOHINC
roducts that make life easier and safer for trailerists are always appreciated. Three such offerings from Fastway — the Flip Jack Foot, ONEStep Wheel Chock and Zip Breakaway Cable & Switch — were put into our test fleet and proved to be very helpful while going through the hitching and setup processes. Fastway’s Flip Jack Foot is designed to attach to the A-frame jack tube and to cleverly extend and retract automatically. The rounded top edge of the device rides up against a spacer ring that’s positioned against the outer A-frame jack tube. As the tube is extended (by hand or electrically), the Jack Tube flips into position, ready to handle up to 1,400 pounds of hitch weight. When retracted, the Jack Foot automatically finds its way back into the storage position by using the rounded edge and spacer ring as a locating system. The Flip Jack Foot retails for $49.99. Installation is very easy, but you’ll have to drill a 1⁄ -inch hole in the trailer’s jack tube. A pilot-hole locator is built into the Jack Foot, eliminating the chance to drill in the wrong place. The rest of the install requires proper tightening of the Nylock nut on the bolt used to secure the device to the jack tube. While the Jack Foot worked perfectly on our test trailer, you may need additional spacer rings if clearance is too tight on your trailer’s A-frame. Once set up, the Jack Foot should work without further adjustments; however, it cannot be used on slopes steeper than 3 percent. In all cases, trailer wheels should be chocked when unhitched, and that’s where the ONEStep Wheel Chock comes into play. The ONEStep is slid between the trailer’s tandem wheels and locked into place without even bending down. Simply pushing your foot down on the powdercoated scissor arms causes the zinc-plated wedges to contact the tires. The chock can be adjusted from 16 to 24 inches — which pretty much covers any tandemwheeled trailer — and is available in an XL model to accommodate extended axle spacing found on some newer trailers. To remove the chock, simply pull up on the attached cable;
kinked, frayed and otherwise unruly. Fastway’s Zip Breakaway Cable fixes that. Available in 4- or 6-foot lengths, these coiled cables easily clip to existing switches mounted on the trailer’s A-frame. They neatly coil back into position near the switch when disconnected and stretch out when hitched, providing just the right amount of tension to prevent the aforementioned maladies. These cables are also available as a complete kit including the switch. Cables are $12.49 and $14.49 for the 4-footer and 6-footer respectively; add $8.50 for the switch. Kudos to Fastway for blending cleverness and safety, and for making trailer towing more convenient. q Fastway, (877) 523-9103, www.fastwaytrailer.com. TRAILER LIFE March 2010 51
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052-TL1003 RV Clinic LO
1/13/10
9:00 AM
Page 52
RV CLINIC > Tech Team
TANK CAPACITIES I own a 30-foot 1994 Franklin travel trailer. The owner’s manual doesn’t tell about freshwater or the other holding tanks. Also, the water heater starts and stops; runs about 2 to 3 minutes and starts and stops again. How do I rectify this? Hank Siegel, Arizona Unfortunately, we don’t have a database of those kinds of specifications for every RV manufactured. That’s well beyond the realm of our resources here. I’d ask the trailer manufacturer for those capacities: Franklin Coach, (574) 773-4106, www.franklincoachrv.com. If Franklin doesn’t maintain records for a trailer like yours and you need to know exact capacities, you can estimate the gallons. Fill the freshwater tank and use the low-point drain to dump the water into a container of known capacity, such as a 5gallon bucket. Note how many times the bucket is filled. That will get you close. You can also use that drained water and the buckets to figure out the black and gray tanks at the same time. Fully drain the holding tanks first. Dump the 5-gallon buckets of water into the toilet, for example, and note how many buckets you dump in before the tank fills to the neck of the toilet-sewage pipe. That tells you the blacktank capacity. The same applies to the gray tank. Start dumping known quantities of water down a gray-tank drain, such as a sink or the shower, and water backup will indicate the tank is full. It’ll probably back up in the shower first since that’s the lowest drain point into the holding tank. As for your water heater, at 15 years old it’s well past its functional lifetime. It appears the thermocouple or gas valve is going bad and likely needs to be replaced. Your local RV service center can check and
“
As for your water heater, at 15 years old it’s well past its functional lifetime. It appears the thermocouple or gas valve is going bad and likely needs to be replaced.
verify that for certain. At that age, though, the tank is likely about gone and replacing the entire water heater might be your best course of action. — Jeff Johnston ACCUMULATOR TANK OPTION In response to John K. Petersen’s inquiry on accumulator tanks (July, 2009), I would like to share my home-designed
Ken Freund
Jeff Johnston
To send your questions to RV Clinic, write to 2575 Vista Del Mar, Ventura, CA 93001; or e-mail jjohnston@affinitygroup.com or kfreund@affinitygroup.com. No phone calls.
”
tank installation. I fitted a 3-foot piece of 4-inch PVC with a cap on the top and reducers to match the RV’s plumbing on the other end. I installed it vertically, with the pipe-connection end down, in the cabinet where the optional washer/dryer would have gone on the cold water line. Since it is at the highest point in the plumbing system I have not had any water-log problem. It works fine, limits the amount of time the pump is on and takes up almost no extra space in the closet as it fits in a corner. Dave Snow, Yellville, Arkansas Thanks for the note. Your idea seems like a cost-effective solution that would also work well for RVers with space problems that make use of a conventional tank difficult. — Jeff Johnston HUB ODOMETERS We have a 19-foot travel trailer, and for maintenance reasons I’d like to be able to keep track of the mileage of all of our trips
52 March 2010 TRAILER LIFE
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052-TL1003 RV Clinic LO
1/13/10
9:00 AM
Page 53
each time we travel. I have written them down on paper during the trips, but wind up losing the paper. I was wondering if anyone makes a mechanical odometer for it? I have searched diverse places, and was unable to get any information. C.S Massey, Via e-mail Yes, these are commonly used on commercial trailers. Visit www.stemco.com/ stemco/Products/Hubodometers/tabid/80/ Default.aspx. — Ken Freund
RETREAD TIRES FOR RVS We are new to RVing and took our first long trip in our Class C motorhome a year ago. During this trip, we had two tires lose their tread. This was quite a surprise to us that the tires were retreads to begin with. Should you put retread tires on an RV or not? Also, how do you tell when the tires are retreads? We’d like to replace all the retread tires on the RV, but not sure how one can tell which ones to replace. We really enjoy the information in your articles with being a newbie to the RVing experience. Jennifer Gonzalez, Phoenix, Arizona
Dead Battery? Batteries lose 1% of their charge per day. Deltran Battery Tender® keeps your vehicle battery fresh, ready to surge to life no matter how long it sits.
Fisherman’s Cove Resort, go to www.trailerlife.com/info
That 6-inch bed-to-gooseneck clearance is just a recommended minimum, not a hard-and-fast rule. The truck and trailer are going to move independently of each other as the rig drives, and you need some clearance to avoid damaging the truck bed rails or the underside of the trailer’s gooseneck area. If you regularly enjoy boondocking in less-improved campsites with irregular road surfaces this clearance is even more important, but a drive into a gas station, for example, with a less-than-flat approach will also cause a lot of articulation between truck and trailer. Maintain that 6-inch clearance and you should be OK. — Jeff Johnston
Born Free Motorcoach, go to www.trailerlife.com/info
FIFTH-WHEEL BED CLEARANCE My wife and I are both retired from the U.S. Army and are building our own fifth-wheel trailer. An article in your magazine states that the distance between the top of a truck side and the bottom of a fifth-wheel overhang should be a minimum of 6 inches. Is this correct? James Jackson, Fargo, North Dakota
Chargers for the RV industry Visit your local dealer or call 877-456-7901 www.batterytender.com
m e^ Z ! eZ[ World b Z g :o
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pin
Deltran, go to www.trailerlife.com/info
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052-TL1003 RV Clinic LO
1/13/10
9:01 AM
Page 54
RV CLINIC
The fact that the treads came off does not mean that they were retreads, as this can also happen with original, non-retreaded tires. Often tires fail because they are underinflated or are old and have been sitting around in the sunlight, drying out, cracking and oxidizing. Sometimes, the extension hoses (if equipped) to the inside rear duals also leak, leading to underinflated tires. With that said, I don’t recommend retreads because the damage that can occur if one fails will far offset any potential savings. To identify a retread, look closely at the edge of the tread where it meets the sidewall. You should be able to see where the cap meets and is bonded on. If you’re unsure, take them to a tire shop to check. — Ken Freund HITCH-MOUNT CAMPER CLEARANCE I have a slide-in camper for my Silverado. I’m thinking about buying a fifth-wheel trailer. Will the fifth-wheel hitch rails prevent me from loading the truck camper or can they be easily removed? If they are
less than 3⁄ inch tall, I could line the bed with plywood. What’s the expert advice? Joe Elwing, Creswell, Oregon
with easily removable mounting posts, so that’s another option worth investigating. — Jeff Johnston
Pulling the hitch-mounting rails is a chore, and your solution with the plywood is a great idea. Cut out openings in the plywood to clear the mounting rails, and use the plywood to create a flat surface for installing the camper. That plywood will retain moisture, though, and that’s not good for either the truck bed or the camper’s underside. I once did this same thing using a sheet of 1-inch blue (pink also works the same) polystyrene insulation board, the highdensity extruded type, not that pebbletexture cheap white stuff. Spread out over the bed, the polystyrene is more than strong enough to support the camper weight,and doesn’t absorb or hold moisture. It also provides a bit more insulation for the camper’s floor or basement area. Also, PullRite uses fifth-wheel hitch mounts that are entirely below the bed
DURAMAX DISTRESS We have a 2004 Chevrolet 3500 pickup with a Duramax diesel and an Allison transmission. We’ve experienced both the engine and transmission overheating on 8 percent grades while pulling our 37-foot Weekend Warrior trailer. The problem happens more when the weather is hot than when it is cooler. Fully loaded, the trailer weighs in at 15,000 pounds. We have taken the truck back to the dealer on several occasions and they finally installed a cold-air box, but that has not solved our problem. We have noticed that on newer Chevy trucks there is a space between the radiator and the transmission cooler; this is not the case on our truck, but we wonder if doing that would solve the problem. Any ideas would be appreciated. Curt and Cindy Rimann, Bountiful, Utah
BD is setting the BAR high when tackling “Death Wobble”!
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052-TL1003 RV Clinic LO
1/13/10
12:21 PM
Page 55
Thetford Corporation, go to www.trailerlife.com/info
It’s normal for a heavily loaded truck and trailer to run hot in hot weather when climbing such a steep 8-percent grade. You haven’t described what you mean by overheating, which is important to the diagnosis. Does it boil over or just read high on the temperature gauge? If it just reads high while climbing, but is below the red zone, you should be OK. You might get a slight benefit from spacing the condenser away from the radiator (and cleaning accumulated dirt and leaves away) but may have to consider getting a heavier truck or lighter trailer. It’s likely your truck is overloaded, causing it to run hot. If you look at the tow ratings in Trailer Life’s 2010 Guide to Towing you’ll see that several option combinations of your truck fall below 15,000-pound tow ratings. Also, if you carry a lot of people and cargo in the truck, that may put you further overweight. I’m a little suspicious of the precise 15,000pound weight — the trailer may not have been weighed accurately. Bottom line, you need to weigh the combination of truck and trailer fully loaded and compare that to the tow ratings. — Ken Freund
RVT.com, go to www.trailerlife.com/info
RUBBER ROOF AIR BUBBLES I have a 2008 Jayco Eagle trailer. I noticed air bubbles the my roof membrane in several different areas when it was hot outside. The membrane lies flat when it is cool outside. I have talked to the Jayco dealer and Jayco factory spokesperson. They say this is normal and I shouldn’t be having any problems. It seems to me if the membrane was glued down correctly, air bubbles could not form under the roof surface. My warranty will be up soon. Any opinion as to whether this is normal would be appreciated. Ron Munroe, Via e-mail
Power Vision, go to www.trailerlife.com/info
Normal, no; but altogether too common, yes. Those bubbles will only get larger as the airflow over the trailer causes them to expand. This can lead to expensive repairs later on. If the roof is properly installed, it lays flat and sticks tight. You might want to get a written statement from Jayco, or the dealer who sold you the unit, stating what they’ve told you — so later on, if expensive repairs are needed, you can refer back to their still-under-warranty assurance that all was going to be well. — Jeff Johnston q
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056-TL1003 Ten-Minute Tech
1/13/10
9:01 AM
Page 56
>10 -MINUTETECH A compilation of tried-and-true tips From RVers
Like many fifth-wheel owners, I often had trouble gauging how high to position the front of my trailer for a smooth hitch-up process. So, after unhitching I pull the tow vehicle forward a couple feet and measure the distance between the truck bed and the pin plate with a tape measure. When preparing to hitch up, I set the tape to the same height, stand it on the truck bed and raise or lower the front of the trailer until the pin plate is even with the end of the tape. The distance remains the same each time, so there’s no guesswork. James W. Baker, Chandler, Arizona
MR. PEANUT
>
>
TAPE MEASURE FOR MEASURE
We previously read about using plastic coffee containers for items in the overhead storage compartments (November 2008). We stumbled across an even better idea: using plastic peanut containers. The clear, large containers enable you to see what’s inside without having to write on the outside, and their squarish shape makes it even easier to line the shelves with them. E. Kay Winter, Phillipsburg, Kansas
>
ROVER RAMP
CRATE RECEPTION > I needed to make my DirecTV satellite-dish mount portable, as we planned to workcamp for the summer and I had no idea what the line-of-sight would be at my campsite. The assembly I built uses a standard vertical house mount for the dish, bolted through two 1⁄2inch pieces of plywood with four bolts to a milk crate. I was able to place the dish on the rear roof area of our fifth-wheel. I also put in two large rocks for stability, and the assembly never moved an inch all summer — even in high winds.
I have an elderly Old English sheepdog that has trouble climbing the steps to my fifth-wheel due to its age and hip problems. To build it a ramp, I purchased a closet bifold door and glued rubber mats to each panel. I place the ramp on the second step, and the dog has no problems with access to the trailer. The unit is lightweight, folds up and is easy to store. Thomas Young, Hayden, Idaho q
Ed and Bobbie Fishback, Buckeye, Arizona
56 March 2010 TRAILER LIFE
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057-TL1003 What’s New LO
1/13/10
9:05 AM
Page 57
<
SAFE-LITE
Dattex introduces an affordable, ecofriendly LED personal lighting device. The Sentina LED-48 Safe-Lite has a builtin reflector, and projects a bright light in a 360-degree arch around the person or object it is lighting, making it a great way to ensure visibility during potentially dangerous situations. The Sentina features a bracket that easily clips onto a backpack or belt while hiking or cycling, or it can be propped up on a dashboard or next to the work area if you have to stop to change a tire at the side of the road. msrp is $14.95. For more information, call (908) 964-8109 or visit www.datexx.com.
PRODUCTS WHAT’S NEW
Tired of losing your keys or wasting time trying to find the right one? STRATTEC’s new BOLT series of automotive locks can be programmed to open with your car or truck key with just one turn. The series includes padlocks, receiver locks, cable locks, spare-tire locks and more. The locks are compatible with the keys of more than 70 percent of all Ford, Chrysler and GM vehicles on the road. msrps start at $25. For more information, call (414) 247-3333 or visit www.stratteclock.com.
HEAT WAVE
>
ONE KEY FITS ALL >
Aqua-Hot Heating Systems has released a new LP-gas–powered hydronic heating and hot-water system. The Aqua-Hot 375LP uses three separate thermostatically controlled zones that provide evenly distributed cabin heat. For hot water, the system is said to produce 90 gallons per hour with zero recovery time. msrp is $7,193. For more information, call (800) 685-4298 or visit www.aqua-hot.com. q
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058-TL1003 Classified Ads
1/11/10
2:34 PM
Page 58
CLASSIFIEDS ACCESSORIES
RECREATIONAL VEHICLES FOR SALE
LEAKY ROOF? Liquid Roof® goes on like paint — cures to a sealed rubber membrane. UV & Ozone resistant — good to 300° F. 800-467-7135 www.AdvancedRubberCoatings.com CONVERTERS • INVERTERS Electrical Supplies • Electronics • GPS Navigation Back-up Monitors •Tire Pressure Monitors • And more! www.bestconverter.com or Toll Free 888-828-1893.
CAMPGROUND MEMBERSHIPS FOR SALE RESALES DISCOUNTED - NATIONWIDE - SINCE 1991 TT/NACO, Platinums, AOR, CRA, Coast to Coast & RPI Upgrades! CAMPGROUND MEMBERSHIP OUTLET 800-272-0401 to Buy / 800-952-0401 to Sell $We pay referrals$ www.membershipresale.com
HELP WANTED ESTABLISHED RV TOUR COMPANY seeks retired couples with top-level communications and management skills to explore new horizons in RVing as contract wagon masters at www.tracksrvtours.com. Click on wagon master opportunities for job description and application instructions.
LUXURY NEW HOMES IN LAUGHLIN NV 50' RV Garages - 40' Boat Garages 3 Bedroom, 2 bath. Single Story. Energy Star. Call 800-828-2744 or visit www.laughlinhomes.net
MAIL/MESSAGE SERVICES
BUYING AN RV? FIND ONE ONLINE! Nationwide Dealer and Private Listings Over 30,000 New and Pre-owned RVT.com — 1.800.677.4484
SOUTH DAKOTA MAIL FORWARDING/RESIDENCY Low rates for personalized mail forwarding Contact us about SD residency benefits. 1-866-202-2163 www.mydakotaaddress.com 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 AMERICAS-MAILBOX Forwarding in SD LOW Rates/NO State Income Tax/Save $$$ NO Wheel Tax/NO Safety Inspect/866-747-3700 www.Americas-Mailbox.com Call us first!
SERRO SCOTTY WORLDWIDE offers the legendary Serro Scotty. Reintroducing the Pup (12'), the Sportsman (13') and the HiLander (15'). Lightweight, high quality and affordable. NOW FACTORY DIRECT. Call us at 1-724-962-4040 Or visit Scottytrailer.com
MOTORHOMES FOR SALE
1000’s of GREAT JOBS in GREAT PLACES! Enjoy the freedom and adventure of the Workamper lifestyle. For FREE BROCHURE & subscription info. 800-446-5627 www.workamper.com THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS—Travel and stay in RV parks FREE. Set your own income selling advertising for RV parks. Up to 65% commission. Call 1-800-832-3292. Full training
ALL MOLDED FIBERGLASS TRAVEL TRAILERS Lightweight, Aerodynamic, Self-contained, Remarkably Spacious Floorplans, Exceptional Storage. Call for a FREE Brochure. CASITA TRAVEL TRAILERS • 1-800-442-9986
SELLING RVS ONLINE SINCE ’99 Nationwide Dealer and Private Listings Sell your RV Fast! — RVT.com 1.800.677.4484
HOMES FOR SALE
SELLING RVS ONLINE SINCE ’99 Nationwide Dealer and Private Listings Sell your RV Fast! — RVT.com 1.800.677.4484
BUYING AN RV? FIND ONE ONLINE! Nationwide Dealer and Private Listings Over 30,000 New and Pre-owned RVT.com — 1.800.677.4484
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
RV REGISTRY www.rvregistry.com Motorhomes, Trailers & Fifth Wheels For Sale by Owners No Sales Commissions Buyers/Sellers 800-546-8457
Campgrounds on the net: www.tldirectory.com
58 March 2010 TRAILER LIFE
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058-TL1003 Classified Ads
1/11/10
2:34 PM
SERVICES
Page 59
TOW VEHICLE/TRAILER PACKAGES FOR SALE
#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 LOWEST RATES IN THE 50 STATES!! Pay NO Sales Tax, Permanent Plates No Inspections — Plates in 4 days. Trailers, RVs, Vehicles, Planes, Boats Deer Creek877.913.5100•www.taxfreemontana.info Let us help you BUY YOUR RV ... TAX FREE! We guarantee BEST service and price Receive $100 Gas Card & FREE Mail Fwding Save $$ TODAY 888.430.3388 MontanaRV.net ACTION SERVICES, LLC Consult a Licensed Montana Attorney No Sales Tax in MT — Low License Fees Financing & Insurance — For Professional Service Call 800-481-0013 www.actionservices-mt.com 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
2003 300HP FL-60 & 2000 King of the Road 40' 3 S/O, oak int, Genset, W/D stack, 5 cf frzr, like new tires, Arctic insul. $24,900. FL-60, 65K mi, cust int, new tires, Amsoil, cust sound, $54K. 623-521-2222.
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.
2009 M2 - FREIGHTLINER, 325 HP! 15 MPG! Soundproof Interior, Auto, all Air Ride, Leather, Wood Dash & Console, deluxe RV body, 33K # RV rating. Huge tool boxes. 888-838-6678. www.MountainMaster.net
2005 Freightliner M2-112, 430 HP, 1550 auto. 23K mi. Air Ride seats, cab & susp. Cust sound proof int w/rear seat/bed. Trip Tech & Smart Tire systems. Like new. $89,900. 623-692-6008
TOW VEHICLES FOR SALE
TOURS 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!
2007 M-2 FREIGHTLINER MOTORCYCLE HAULER MB engine/trans, 40 cu ft compartments, all air ride, 17 mpg hwy, leather, wood, electronics. 29K miles. $79,900. 623-202-9299.
NEW SPORTCHASSIS 330 HP Cummins ISC, Allison 3200 TRV Automatic Leather interior, 6 models, 100’s of options, Factory Warranty 800-358-7624 or www.sportchassis.com
ADVENTURE CARAVANS RV TOURS & RALLIES More Days! Save$$ More Events! Free 86-page catalog 1-800-872-7897 www.adventurecaravans.com
2005 RV HAULER MB ENG-ALLISON TRANS. All Air Ride w/Custom Air Ride Susp, Rear seat/bed. 42K mi. Great power & brakes. MM Air Ride Hitch. 15-17 mpg. $64,900. 623-692-6008
CLOTHING-OPTIONAL & NUDE GETAWAYS A unique selection of RV resorts, parks clubs, inns & cruises - UK & Caribbean. www.tanr.com/rv
SHOP THE RV MARKETPLACE See page 62! TRAILER LIFE March 2010 59
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058-TL1003 Classified Ads
1/11/10
2:34 PM
Page 60
CLASSIFIEDS > TRAVEL TRAILERS & FIFTH WHEELS FOR SALE
2007 RV HAULER, MERCEDES ENGINE. 4-DR Crew, lthr, wood, snd prf, rr seat/bed, 10-14 mpg pulling & 17-20 solo, 5th hitch, new tires, huge compartments. $79,900. 214-884-6771.
2010 4 X 4 M-2 Freightliner RV Truck. Auto, 2-spd transfer case, all Air Ride, electronics, wood, snd proof int, huge storage, hitches. $124,900. 888-838-6678.
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
2004 CREW CAB HAULER, Mountain Master 300 Cat, Allison, all air ride, plush interior, absolutely spotless condition, 1000 lb hide-away crane, $74,900. 817-773-4581.
CLASSIFIED AD
Please note: Our June issue will close on March 8.
CLASSIFIEDS BRING RESULTS!
NEW 2010 MOBILE SUITES 36TKSB4: Only $76,900! Guar Best Price! Call 4 info. 865.521.9112 New units - Loaded. Custom order avail at no charge. See New/Used Units @ rvs4less.net
Eggcamper LIGHTWEIGHT AERODYNAMIC EASY TOW MOLDED FIBERGLASS travel trailer EASY CLEAN MOLDED INTERIOR www.eggcamper.com, 616-437-9255
Use this form (or your own stationery) to submit your ad copy. Refer to Classified Ad Rates box for payment & mailing information. Four-line minimum, 40 characters per line. Please count all letters, numbers, punctuation and spaces. Please specify ad category:......................................................................................
name:.................................................................................................................. address:........................................................................... .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. phone #:................................................................................ enclosed is $................................... run for..............................issues
❍ check #:....................❍ money order #:.............................. ❍ V/MC/Disc #........................................................................... exp.:............................................... signature:.............................................................................................................................................. Mail: TRAILER LIFE Classified, P.O. Box 8510, Ventura, CA 93002-9912 Fax: (805) 667-4379 Email: Classifieds@TL.com 60 March 2010 TRAILER LIFE
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058-TL1003 Classified Ads
1/11/10
2:35 PM
Page 61
CLASSIFIEDS > CLASSIFIED AD RATES
TEARDROPP MOLDED FIBERGLASS, 1300# $9999. NICELY EQUIPPED. SLEEP DRY INSIDE, GALLEY UNDER BOOT. www.eggcamper.com 616-437-9255
2001 NEWMAR KOUNTRY STAR 5-WHEEL34' 3 slides, rear living, 2 A/C units, new “G” rated tires, new unused cover, new awning. $15,950 972-239-2444
COMMERCIAL: Open to firms or individuals advertising the sale or resale of a commercial item or service. $66 per line, four-line minimum, 40 characters and spaces per line. For photo ad, limited to real estate and RVs for sale, add $65 (black-and-white or color print). Limit one photo per ad. We offer a 5% discount for six issues and a 10% discount for 12 issues to our commercial advertisers. RV CLUBS: For national or local RV owners and enthusiast clubs or chapters soliciting members. $40 per line, four-line minimum, 40 characters & spaces per line.
2009 TITANIUM FIFTH WHEELS Titanium’s Patented Cab Over Leading Edge Design.“The World’s Most Aerodynamic Fifth Wheel”. Tow Vehicle Fuel Savings, Lightweight, Easier Towability www.GlendaleRV.com
2008 STARCRAFT HOMESTEAD LITE 28'. Standard bedroom and living room slideouts, microwave, fridge, roof air, Arctic package. Excellent condition. No smoke/pets. (805) 555-1234. ACTUAL SIZE
2006 JAYCO DESIGNER 34RLQS, 4 slides, kitchen, 2 lvng rm, bd rm, upgrade cabinets, king bed, air ducted, excellent condition. No smoke, pkg deal. bcrumph@me.com
Run this ad for only
EVENTS: For national or regional RV rallies, trade shows, expositions and other events. $40 per line, four-line minimum, 40 characters and spaces per line. PRIVATE PARTY: For individuals selling personally owned items, such as an RV, truck, auto, campground membership resale. $27 per line, four-line minimum, 40 characters and spaces per line. No charge for one phone number. For ad with picture, add $45 (black-and-white or color print acceptable. No Polaroids, negatives or slides.) Limit one photo per ad. BOLDFACE & RED TYPE: The first line is boldface at no charge, add $5 per line for additional boldface type. For entire ad to appear in red type, add $50 for Commercial ads, $25 for Private Party ads. HOW TO PLACE AN AD: Use our coupon or your own stationery to write your ad. Please include your name, address and phone number so we can reach you if we have a question.
$153!
Reach Thousands of Potential Buyers! If you’re selling your own personal RV or home, you can take advantage of Trailer Life’s low Private Party photo classified rate! For only $153 per issue (no charge for one phone number or one email address), you can create an eye-catching classified ad with a black-and-white photo (one photo please) and four lines of copy (40 characters/spaces per line)... just like the ad shown here.
Deadlines for our next two issues are shown on the order form in this section. • EMAIL orders to: Classifieds@TL.com • FAX orders to: (805) 667-4379 • MAIL orders to: Classified Ad Dept., Trailer Life P.O. Box 8510 Ventura, CA 93002-9912
Fill out ad coupon, enclose a black & white or color print (not a negative or slide) and indicate method of payment. Please mail to: TRAILER LIFE Classified, P.O. Box 8510, Ventura, California 93002-9912.
We accept checks and money orders, plus Visa, MasterCard, and Discover . Please include the expiration date, along with your signature and address with your credit card orders.
Commercial advertisers: Please refer to Rates box for photo ad requirements.
Ad Questions? Call (805) 667-4392. NO TELEPHONE ORDERS, PLEASE.
TRAILER LIFE March 2010 61
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062-TL1003 RV Marketplace
1/11/10
2:49 PM
Page 62
RV MARKETPLACE >
FOR INFORMATION ON MAIL-ORDER ADVERTISING RATES: THE RV MARKETPLACE, P.O. BOX 8510, VENTURA, CA 93002 OR CALL (805) 667-4100 EXT 385 OR 391
2.911.426.:69:!!}!!bnq.sftfbsdi/dpn0UM
ALL NEW Built-in Parallel Kit In Stock Now! EU3000 is
EU2000i & EU2000i Companion
Free shipping continental U.S.
Get your back-up power now!
POWER EQUIPMENT Full Line Honda Dealer Lightweight • Super quiet • Eco throttle • D.C. charging
Couple 2 units together to Double output
Kansas City, MO (877) 225-5200 Toll Free
For optimum performance and safety, we recommend you read the owner's manual before opening your Honda Power Equipment. Connection of a generator to house power requires a transfer device to avoid possible injury to power company personnel. Consult a qualified electrician. ©2005 American Honda Co., Inc.
LEVEL YOUR LOAD
Increase Vehicle Stability Reduce Suspension Fatigue Eliminate Sag, Sway and Body Roll Keep Your Vehicle Level
62 March 2010 TRAILER LIFE
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062-TL1003 RV Marketplace
1/11/10
2:49 PM
Page 63
> RV MARKETPLACE Honda Generators
Super Sale In Stock and Ready to Ship Honda Generator Model #EU-2000i $
899
Free Shipping Model #EU-1000 $679
Remote starter available with this generator $239 Honda Generator Model #EU-3000is $
1,799
Free Shipping Full line of Honda Generators in Stock • Now Available: NEW #EU-6500is, Pair of EU-2000’s and Parallel Cables $1979 Visit Us ONLINE NOW at www.speedwaysales.com/Honda
VM Mfg. Fuel Systems
16600 W. Cleveland Ave., New Berlin, WI 53151
1-888-617-7333 Single System Dual System
$109.95 $139.95
FREE S/H
Adds Up to 50 Hours Run Time
www.vmsales.com
866-551-1590 See Trail iler Liife April 2009 Han H dds On
TRAILER LIFE March 2010 63
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062-TL1003 RV Marketplace
1/11/10
2:50 PM
Page 64
RV MARKETPLACE >
G-6-:)<7:; Brand New, Best Price
Make Access to Your RV Easy and Safe! • Easy set-up - NO TOOLS REQUIRED • Many styles to choose from • Stores in RV Storage Compartment
)TT Y]QM\ JZIVL[ )TT [QbM[ 1V ;\WKS 1-877-483-3071 www.sunrisedecks.com or call 1-866-225-8873
Protect Your RV Today Reinforced Construction
100% MADE IN THE USA
SUNBRELLA RV COVERS Compare Our Pricing Full ll 6-Y YR Warranty, nty, Zipper Doors, High UV rated fabrics Water Resistant & Breathable
CalMark Cover Co. Covers for all types of RVs.
1-800-838-7236
www.calmarkcovers.com
RV & PORTABLE STYLES
LOSE THE “ WAIT ” Reach 3 million shoppers Today! NO WAITING!
“C CAN SHIP TODAY” HICKLIN POWER SYSTEMS DES MOINES, IA 1-800-234-8989 OR
515-986-9557
www.hicklinpower.com
www.RVSearch.com
“IIF YOU DIDN’T BUY IT FROM US, YOU PROBABLY PAID TOO MUCH”
NOW AVAILABLE — TRAILER LIFE READER SERVICE ONLINE!
For FREE additional information on products and services in this issue, visit www.trailerlife.com/info ADVERTISERS
Sampson Equipment
GENERATORS
ADVERTISERS’ INDEX
Log on today or call toll-free
1-800-SHOP-4-RV
Albany RV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .CV4E B&W Trailer Hitches . . . . . . . . . . . .36 BD Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Banks Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Born Free Motorcoach . . . . . . . . . . .53 Camping World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .CV3 Carrier Transicold . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Casita Enterprises Inc. . . . . . . . . . .40 Chevrolet Motor Division . . . . .CV2-P3 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58-61 Dealers & Destinations . . . . . . . . . .65 Deltran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Dicor Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Direct Sat TV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Essex Credit Corporation . . . . . . . .13 Essex Credit Corporation . . . . . . . .15 Essex Credit Corporation . . . . . . . .17 Fisherman’s Cove Resort . . . . . . . .53 Geico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Good Sam Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Hensley Manufacturing Inc. . . . . . .25 Hole in the Wall Camps . . . . . . . . . .28 Honda Generators . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 LevelEase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Mule Days Celebration . . . . . . . . . .50 New Horizons RV Corp. . . . . . . . . . .35 Northwood Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . .CV4W NuWa Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Power Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Progress Manufacturing, Inc. . . . . .27 Progress Manufacturing, Inc. . . . . .29 Progressive Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . .9 RV Buyer’s Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 RVB Top 50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20-21 RVT.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 RV Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . .62-64 Roadtrek Motorhomes Inc. . . . . . . .16 Scamp Travel Trailers . . . . . . . . . . .25 Sea Eagle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Sea Eagle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Thetford Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Trailair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Transfer Flow Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 While every effort is made to maintain accuracy and completeness, last-minute changes may occasionally result in omissions or errors.
64 March 2010 TRAILER LIFE
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065-TL1003 Dealer Dest Lo
1/11/10
2:51 PM
Page 65
DEALERS&DESTINATIONS > ARIZONA
ARKANSAS Lake Dardanelle State Park
a place where you can get away from it all b u t s t i l l h a ve i t a l l .
Â&#x2021; 'H*UD\ FRP
U s e ou r h o o ku p s
to reconnect.
IDAHO FREE
Idaho Campground Guide
888-AT-PARKS ArkansasStateParks.com
BUYING OR SELLING AN RV IS SO SIMPLE www.RVSearch.com or 1-800-746-7478
INDIANA
NEW MEXICO
INTERNATIONAL
RV WORLD us Call ou pay y e r h! befooo muc t
Located in Elkhart, Indiana.
Featuring:
them Buy theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re re whe built!
â&#x20AC;˘ Mobile Suites, Elite Suites, Select Suites â&#x20AC;˘ Grand Junction â&#x20AC;˘ Cedar Creek â&#x20AC;˘ Cardinal â&#x20AC;˘ Work and Play (Toy Haulers) â&#x20AC;˘ Phoenix Cruiser B+ â&#x20AC;˘ Berkshire Class A â&#x20AC;˘ Georgetown Class A
1.800.VISIT.ID www.rvidaho.org
800-697-7649 www.internationalrvworld.com
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066-TL1003 America’s Outba
1/11/10
2:57 PM
Page 66
AMERICA’S OUTBACK > by Bill Graves
BEREA, KENTUCKY GREETINGS FROM THE FOLK ARTS AND CRAFTS CAPITAL OF KENTUCKY
“W
here the bluegrass meets the mountains” — I’m in Kentucky, a place called Berea. It’s just off Interstate 75, 40 miles south of Lexington. About 10,000 people live here, but that number is changing constantly as it’s among the fastest growing communities in the state. By decree, Berea is the Folk Arts and Crafts Capital of Kentucky. And therein lies the attraction of this town and the reason for its extraordinary growth. The sounds of industry here are not factory whistles, or big trucks rolling through town. They are the sounds of a weaver’s shuttle, the cutting of jeweler’s saw, the woodworker’s plane, the bellows of a metalworker’s hearth, or even the melodic tones of a dulcimer. Its economy, supported mostly by tourists and discriminating shoppers, is based on the premise that there is always a market for quality and handcrafted items, especially if they are one of a kind. But there is more to this story: Berea has a liberal arts college that’s free — students get a tuition-free education in return for work, both at the school and off campus. It all began here during the incubation period of the Civil War. Reverend John Fee opened a church that was anti-slavery, anticaste, anti-rum and anti-sin. Those he didn’t anger here in the South with his anti-slavery message, he likely alienated with at least one of the other three. Still, he had 13 parishioners. But he had a stubborn faith, so he pressed on preaching against slavery. His message pulled in supporters who gave him land and endowments. In 1855 he established a school open to all races. He wrote of a college “giving an education to all colors, classes, cheap and thorough.” Thus the foundation for Berea College was laid, and with it, the town of Berea. The interracial college struggled to survive, where in time and place segregation was a way of life. In 1904 the state outlawed education of blacks and whites together and the U.S. Supreme Court upheld it. But in 1950, things changed and the school again opened its doors to African-American students.
Local students get free tuition at Berea College in return for their work at one of the many craft shops — from weaving to woodcrafts and everything in between.
For a kid to be accepted at the school, the income of his family must be below a certain level. Those who qualify pay no tuition during their four years here. A student told me that he thinks of Berea as a one-generation college. “If my kids qualify to go here, a qualification based on my income, that means that out there in the world I didn’t do so well.” To describe Berea as a “college town” brings up images of football-Saturdays, beer parties at fraternity houses and high jinks usually associated with college kids. Berea College has no football team, no fraternities or sororities and the town is dry. Aside from carrying a full academic load, every student has a parttime job, which leaves little time for being a “college kid.” I asked a young freshman about that. He said, “You might hear that an exciting Saturday night here is a tailgate party in the Wal-Mart parking lot — pop and Doritos.” Looking me straight in the eye, he said, “Don’t believe it.” The school is not just the focus of the town; it really is the town. The school owns much of it. For example, it owns the Boone Tavern — a 58-room hotel, built in 1908. It’s furnished out of the College Woodcraft Department. The dining room is staffed 80 percent by students. Shops in Berea sell things that are available nowhere else. Tourists looking for touristy stuff, like things made in China, best just keep on drivin’. Welcome to America’s Outback. q Bill’s e-mail address: roadscribe@aol.com. Next month Bill will be in Tennessee.
66 March 2010 TRAILER LIFE
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003-TL03 PG CV3 CAMPING WO
1/11/10
2:36 PM
Page CV3
MORE STANDARD features than similar RVs!
EXCLUSIVE PRICE SAVINGS WITH THIS AD ONLY!
Ultra-Lite Travel Trailers
Floor Plans Starting At:
*
$
20,999
Full Size Travel Trailers
Floor Plans Starting At:
$
18,999
^
Mid-Profile 5th Wheels
Floor Plans Starting At:
†
$
29,999
CampingWorldRVSales.com
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004-TL03 PG CV4W NORTHWOOD
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Page CV W4
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