RV Transporters Needed
March 9, 2010
by Jaimie Hall Bruzenakas appeared on RV Home Yet? March 6, 2010
RV Business reports that “Classic Transport, Elkhart, Ind., is backlogged six weeks on deliveries, according to CEO Bill Garvey. ”Drivers aren’t crazy about coming to IN in the snow.’”
Wave Express, on the other hand, has capitalized on the backlog by working directly with the dealers and had an easier time recruiting drivers in those markets rather than in Indiana.
Transporting RVs does have its downsides. You will wear out your truck much faster. Even Garvey admits, this is not full-time work. “We recruit part-time drivers, 50-70 year-olds. We are not able to recruit full-time drivers because when you sit down and do the math it doesn’t work out to full-time income.”
One way to add to your income is to team up with your spouse. Another is to get assignments where you take an RV in the opposite direction after you deliver the first, though that may not be easy to arrange. You’d probably be on your own for this and how many RVs are heading to Indiana?
If you are looking to break into this type of work, now would be a good time. Drivers who respond when the company has a backlog will be at the top of the list when deliveries aren’t as plentiful.
Jaimie Hall Bruzenak
Please add your comment below or email Jamie at calamityjaimie@gmail.comreprinted with permission
Would You Pay for Better Wi-FI?
March 6, 2010
by Jaimie Hall Bruzenakas appeared on RV Home Yet? March 5, 2010
RVers do often complain that the “free” Wi-Fi service is less than desirable. Service may not reach all parts of the park and, when it stops working, the owner cannot be found or may not rush to restore service. Some RVers do download large files, slowing the service down for everyone. An outside provider might respond more quickly, or at least that is the theory.
In your RV travels, would you be willing to pay for Wi-Fi access in an RV park or would you choose the park with free Wi-Fi? Or, does Wi-Fi access not matter? Possibly you have your own equipment like satellite Internet or an Aircard? Vote below and see how you stack up.
Would you pay for Wi-Fi in an RV park to have better service? trend
Jaimie Hall Bruzenak
Please add your comment below or email Jamie at calamityjaimie@gmail.comreprinted with permission
Interesting RV Poll Results
March 2, 2010
by Mark PolkMark is a regular contributing author The outcome of any poll depends on several factors like; what type of poll it is, how the questions are worded, who is asking the questions and of course who does and does not participate in the poll.
Each week we conduct an RV poll in our e-newsletter (Mark’s RV University). The RV poll is not a scientific poll, a political poll or a marketing poll. It is basically used to give me some idea of what our newsletter readers are interested in, how they use their RVs and just for the fun of it. I thought it would be interesting to look back at some of our past RV polls and see how the participants responded.
Here’s what I found out.
- 85% travel with the refrigerator on and 15% travel with it off
- 53% prefer diesel and 47% prefer gas
- 79% eat more meals in the RV and 21% eat more meals out
- 89% conduct a spring check-up on their RV before using it and 11% don’t
- 67% said the recession won’t change plans to use the RV and 33% said it will
- 72% said their average RV trips are one week or less and 28% said their average RV trips are two weeks or longer
- 54% own motorized RV’s and 46% own towable RV’s
- 91% plan two or more summer RV trips and 9% plan only one
- 63% store the RV on their own property and 37% make other storage arrangements
- 82% check the tire pressure before each trip and 18% don’t
- 24% said a hybrid RV chassis would affect their buying decision and 76% said it wouldn’t have any affect
- 90% said they use environmentally friendly holding tank chemicals and 10% don’t
- 63% use their RV in the winter and 37% don’t
- 51% RV green and 49% don’t
- 100% have taken advantage of free overnight parking at one time or another
- 70% have stayed in a friends or relatives driveway before and 30% have not
- 77% were against the new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations and 23% were not
- 86% are not fulltime RVers and 14% are
- 83% use a GPS in their RV and 17% don’t. Of those, 62% were led down the wrong path one time or another, but 93% would still recommend a GPS to other RV owners
- 81% were prepared for the digital TV switchover in their RV and 19% were not
- 19% frequently stay at state or federal campgrounds, 34% stay at private campgrounds, 5% stay at public campgrounds and 42% stay at a combination of all three
- 49% have experienced at least one tire blowout with their RV and 51% have not
- 81% have stayed in their RV during severe weather and 19% have not
- 70% have experienced rude behavior from other campers and 30% have not
- 67% use a pre-departure checklist when they RV and 33% don’t
- 98% have one or more slide outs on their RV and 2% don’t have any slide outs
- 60% shower in the RV more than the campground bath house and 40% shower in the bath house more than the RV
- 88% winterize their own RV and 12% have it winterized by an RV dealer
- 34% take bottled water with them, 14% use filtered water and 52% use both bottled & filtered water in their RV
- 92% take pets with them on RV trips and 8% don’t
- 59% wash their RV as needed, 30% wash it after each trip, 7% wash it before storing and 4% never wash it
- 71% pack as much food as possible before leaving and 29% buy groceries when they arrive at their destination
- 30% pre-cook meals before leaving and 70% don’t
- 30% traveled by RV last Thanksgiving, 36% traveled by car, 1% by plane and 33% stayed home
- 36% have weighed their RV and 64% have not
- 33% have used their RV as a guesthouse and 67% have not
- 84% have cleaned their RV roof at some point and 16% have never cleaned their RV roof
- 78% perform routine maintenance on their RV and 22% take it to a dealer for maintenance
- 72% have dry camped with their RV and 28% have not
- 81% have camped in a national or state park and 19% have not
- 31% have had problems with rodents in their RV and 69% have not
Happy Camping,
Mark
Mark Polk is founder of RV Education 101 and RV University
Are You Running from “Why”?
March 2, 2010
by John ImlerJohn is an RVchurchesUSA Ambassor and author of It’s Never Too Late (Read John’s first article in this series answering the question “Why”) Don’t let the whys in your life cause you to run from God. We have all struggled to find answers to why we were going through certain circumstances. Sometimes we run because we don’t see any good reason for them and we feel that we are being treated unfairly by life. Sometimes we run because we don’t like the answers we are getting.
On the streets are countless individuals who for one or more reasons are on the run from God. Some are just aimlessly wandering about as ships tossed by the violent winds of each new set of circumstances. They wander without employment, food, shelter, family, or friends. But worst of all they wander without hope or God.
On those same streets are other individuals who are running from their circumstances and filling their lives with endless activities of every kind. They do not see God in those circumstances nor are they even asking God
WHY. They see their circumstances as meaningless coincidences without any reason or purpose.
While God speaks to us through Bible study and prayer, I firmly believe that He also guides and teaches us through the circumstances that He allows or sometimes causes which we experience daily. But we must first ask of Him the reason and then listen for His voice.
We must learn to run to God and not from God in our search for the answers to the whys of our lives.
My book Its Never Too Late is a story that clearly illustrates the total futility of one who ran from God. As a stiff necked and wayward former pastor, it took me too long to realize the truth that one cannot hide from God (Psalms 139:7-12).
John welcomes your comments either below or email him directly at john@faithrescued.com
Don’t Mess With Carbon Monoxide
February 26, 2010
by Mark PolkMark is a regular contributing author Carbon monoxide gas is invisible, odorless, and deadly.
It’s produced when any fuel is burned; this includes gasoline, propane, natural gas, wood and coal. It is extremely serious when combustion by-products are not vented outside. Carbon monoxide is the number one cause of poisoning deaths in the United States each year. Here’s what you can do to prevent the danger of carbon monoxide in your RV.
In RVs carbon monoxide gas usually results from:
* Exhaust leaks from either an engine or a generator.
* Improper use of portable powered heaters.
* Someone else’s vehicle or generator when camping in close quarters.
If your RV doesn’t have a carbon monoxide detector you need to purchase a battery operated one designed for use in RVs. Test it every time you use the RV. Replace its batteries when you change clocks for daylight savings time.
Here are some more important notes about carbon monoxide:
* Inspect the generator exhaust system before using the generator, every time.
* Avoid leaving windows down and roof vents open when in close proximity to vehicle and/or generator exhaust.
* Follow all directions and safety cautions and warnings when operating gas powered heaters.
* If you use a portable generator direct the exhaust away from the camping area.
* Never use the range burners or oven to heat the RV!
* When cooking with the range burners use the range fan & always leave a window cracked open for fresh air and ventilation.
Learn how to recognize the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning:
1) Dizziness
2) Vomiting
3) Nausea
4) Muscular twitching
5) Intense headache
6) Throbbing in the temples
7) Weakness and sleepiness
You may also experience an inability to think coherently.
If you or anyone else experiences any of these symptoms get to fresh air immediately. If the symptoms persist seek medical attention.
Shut the vehicle or generator down and do not operate it until it has been inspected and repaired by a professional.
This information is an excerpt from our RV Safety Features, Tips and Tricks DVD.
Happy Camping,
Mark
Mark Polk is founder of RV Education 101 and RV University
Ever Ask “Why”?
February 23, 2010
by John ImlerJohn is an RVchurchesUSA Ambassor and author of It’s Never Too Late I have, and I still do. As we travel the Christian journey we are
going to experience circumstances that we do not understand. Being human, it is natural that we want to know why our loving God allows or perhaps even causes them.
Job’s trials were not caused by God but by the devil in an effort to get him to turn away from God. In an effort to understand the whys of our own trials, we must recognize that the battle between the forces of good and evil have been going on since the Garden of Eden and that it is being fought all around us today (Eph. 6:12).
We must seek God’s wisdom (James 1:5) to recognize the true cause of our trials. Remember, “in all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrong doing” (Job 1:22).
It is amazing that those with no faith in God seldom blame Him for their troubles but that those who believe often ask, “Why did God allow this to happen to me?” While we are on this earth, our physical and spiritual lives are not disconnected, but totally interconnected. It is in our circumstances (physical lives) where the spiritual warfare takes place.
When we become believers and followers of Jesus Christ, we are volunteering to become soldiers and to participant in a spiritual battle. We can expect victories but also battles that try our soul, our spirit, and our faith. It is even quite possible that the more we seek to please Him, the more we will be aware of that spiritual battle.
In studying the Bible we become aware that Jesus and His disciples were constantly waging the battle against the devil and his evilness. Who could have experienced this battle more than our own Savior in His ministry, in the Garden, before Pilot, and on the cross? He promised that in this world we would have trouble but He also encouraged us to “take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
I will be praying this week for each one who reads these words and ask that you also pray for me as I sort out the whys in my own life. May we together live as Peter admonished us in 1 Peter 5:6-10.
As always I welcome your questions or comments.
John welcomes your comments either below or email him directly at john@faithrescued.com
posted by RvchurchesUSA
Gas To Go Over $3/Gallon
February 22, 2010
by Keith Bennett
The RV Travel Examiner
The U.S. Energy Information Administration has predicted that gas prices will continue to rise as we get closer to warm weather and that the $3 mark should be crossed in the spring and summer of this year. The demand remains very low in the U.S. but overall demand is up, mainly due to China. This continues to put upward pressure on the price of crude and therefore the price of gas.
RVers are very price sensitive to fuel costs and coupled with many state parks being closed for economic reasons; we predict that RVers will stay closer to home. The patterns may be very similar to 2009. The patterns may change if RV campgrounds increase rates to take advantage of fewer choices for RVers due to state park closures.
In informal chats with RVers the resistance point for a full hookup seems to get intense the closer the rate gets to $40 per night. Where is your resistance point for staying in a private RV campground if gas is at/above $3/gallon? Drop a comment with your thoughts.
Happy Camping
You may comment below or visit Keith’s site at The RV Travel Examiner for additional RV Travel articles.
Got Any Throwaways?
February 17, 2010
by John ImlerJohn is an RVchurchesUSA Ambassor and author of It’s Never Too Late It was like a dagger through my heart. The call was from my daughter who informed me that my oldest granddaughter
was in jail on drug charges. This was not the first time—it was just another time. How many times would there be? I had never visited her when she was in jail before and didn’t intend to this time either.
In response, I almost screamed into the phone, “I think it is time for some tough love. Let her sit it out. It will maybe do her some good. Give her time to think for a change.” My daughter’s response surprised me and made me think. “Dad, I don’t have any throwaway children!”
I would later come to realize that my daughter’s reaction was also God’s reaction when Adam and Eve disobeyed Him in the Garden of Eden and partook of the forbidden fruit at the serpent’s suggestion. God could have just returned them to dust from which they were made. But He did not set that example for us to follow. He had given them the ability to choose to follow His directions or that of the serpent. But when they failed, He continued to love them and even made clothing for them to cover their nakedness.
Although He did punish Adam and Eve and send them from their paradise, God still loved them and sat out to bring them home to Him again. He spared no effort or time in doing so either. Throughout the Old Testament God constantly worked to get mankind to follow His commandments. He finally sent His own Son, Jesus Christ, to provide the ultimate sacrifice for all of mankind.
Sometimes it would be so much easier to just throw some individuals away than to suffer the disappointment and heartache that God’s way provides. So as I pondered my own earthly father’s reaction to my behavior as a young man, I realized that there were times when perhaps I could have been thrown away, disinherited, disowned or written off as hopeless. But my earthly father continued to love me and provide for me.
So it was with my heavenly Father. Hadn’t I once been a servant of God but listened to Satan’s lies and turned my back on Him. Hadn’t I disobeyed God many times, yet God had never given up hope and sent the Good Shepherd to rescue me.
Now I realize that God’s way was the way to deal with my wayward granddaughter. Although the way has not been easy, today she is gainfully employed, has two beautiful sons, and is drug free.
Do you have any “throwaways”? Have you given up hope? Although continuing to give love to a wayward child is difficult, it is amazing what God’s way can do with prayer and faith. Jesus Himself challenges us to provide that special love that comes from Him in John 14:32-36. Tough love is really loving when it is tough to do.
John welcomes your comments either below or email him directly at john@faithrescued.com
posted by RvchurchesUSA
Hosting Opportunities for RVers
February 10, 2010
by Jaimie Hall Bruzenakas appeared on RV Home Yet? February 10, 2010
The RV Daily Report notes that the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) is concerned that there is a shortage of trained hospitality employees to work and manage RV parks that now offer more amenities and live entertainment. Snowbird RV resorts in the Phoenix area regularly offer big-name entertainment plus have loads of activities and excursions planned for winter guests. Not all owners and managers have the experience to run RV parks and resorts at this level.
Linda Profaizer, president and CEO of the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds, says that parks struggle to find managers and support staff with the proper training and experience. She goes on to say, “Much of the hospitality industry does not even know that hospitality, entertainment and management job opportunities exist in the private park sector, which is why we’re trying to get the word out.”
ARVC is stepping up to the plate in several ways. They have a section at their Web site for national job listings. The have developed a fast track park management training program at The National School of RV Park & Campground Management, held in Wheeling, WV. They’ve also begun to develop park management and guest service training programs through local universities. The first one is being offered through Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff.
This creates more paid opportunities for Workampers who are looking for management positions or work as activity directors. Those still needing to make a living might find this a good career with a chance to move from park to park. See ARVCs Education page for more information about the programs they offer.
Jaimie Hall Bruzenak
Please add your comment below or email Jamie at calamityjaimie@gmail.comreprinted with permission
Where’s The Spare?
February 10, 2010
by Mark PolkMark is a regular contributing author Why don’t some RV manufacturers include a spare tire with a new RV? Is it a liability issue or a cost issue? I have heard both sides of the story over the years, and it usually depends on what type of a RV you are talking about.
I have owned three towable RV’s and two motorized RV’s. Two of the towable RV’s came with spare tires when I purchased them and I ordered a spare tire as an option on our Class C motorhome, but I could not get a spare for our Class A motorhome.
It seems ridiculous that you buy an RV, designed for traveling all over the country, and the one thing not included is a spare tire. Let’s try to find out why there’s no spare!
It has been rumored that many years ago an RV owner got hurt while changing a tire on his motorhome and that he sued the RV manufacturer. This is supposedly why many motorhome manufacturers opt not to include a spare tire, especially on larger motorhomes.
Admittedly changing a spare tire on a large motorhome is not the same as changing a tire on your automobile. From a liability standpoint the argument is because of the size of the RV and the weight of the tire and wheel it can be dangerous for an individual to attempt changing a tire. Plus you would need to carry some special type of equipment to safely and properly change a tire. I would have to agree, but why not include a spare (without a jack or the other necessary equipment) and have a mandatory warning label stating the dangers of changing a tire along with a recommendation to use a professional road side tire service to change the tire for the owner.
Here is what some RV and chassis manufacturers have to say:
Why doesn’t the RV come with a spare tire?
The combined weight of the tire and wheel is approximately 110 pounds. Even if you feel comfortable lifting that amount of weight, other variables pose a problem when it comes to changing an RV tire. You may find yourself on the side of the road in a confined situation, or during the nighttime when it is raining.
Jacking up the side of the RV would be difficult. Leveling jacks are not designed to lift the entire wheel off the ground to change a tire. To change a flat RV tire, it would be necessary to store the correct jacks and jack stands for safety. The next hurdle would be the lug nuts, which are torqued to 500 pounds and difficult to remove. Once removed, and while reinstalling, a tool to properly retorque the lug nuts would be needed. All these necessary tools, combined with the actual spare tire, would take up a considerable amount of space and add additional weight to the RV. Call roadside assistance for tire repair and save yourself the aggravation.
My vehicle doesn’t include a spare tire. Where can I get one and where can I store it?
Most larger motorhomes don’t provide a spare for several reasons. Generally, the wheel assembly is too cumbersome and heavy for one person to change alone without risking injury. We’d recommend that, in the case of a flat, you enlist the help of a roadside service crew to fix your flat tire. If you do decide to obtain a spare wheel assembly, contact your dealer for details on ordering one and the proper way to store it.
Now that we know why some motorhome manufacturers don’t include spares why don’t some of the towable manufacturers include spares?
This is where the cost issue comes into play. RV manufacturers look at every penny going in to manufacturing the RV. Not including a spare in the base price of the RV can save money, so they list the spare tire as optional. What this means is when the RV dealer orders the unit they can add a spare or not add a spare. If a dealer is trying to bring a unit in based on price point they limit the options included on the unit. When I was a RV sales manager I included a spare tire on every towable unit just because it made sense and it really wasn’t that expensive.
You still need to consider the safety aspects of changing a tire on a trailer. Even though it’s smaller and lighter than a motorhome tire you still need equipment like a jack, jack stands, lug wrench and torque wrench. In addition to the equipment required, you need to have a basic understanding of how to safely and properly jack the trailer up. But again, if you have a spare you can always call a roadside service to change it for you. If you don’t have a spare you may be stranded in some out of the way place until the tire can be ordered and come in. This could take a couple of days, or longer.
That brings me to how this article came about. We are planning a cross country RV trip this summer and I refuse to go without a spare tire. Our motorhome has 22.5 inch tires with 8 lug rims. When I tried to locate a tire and rim it was difficult to find one. I’m sure I could order one from the manufacturer, but I would be afraid to know what the cost is. We have a good roadside assistance plan so what I decided to do was to just buy the tire itself and if I have a flat the roadside tire service can mount the new tire on the rim. It is less weight to carry and it eliminates the possibility of delays due to ordering and waiting for a tire to come in, if it isn’t in stock.
Regardless of whether or not your RV came with a spare I think it’s a good idea to get one, and I think for safety reasons you are better off having a roadside service plan that will change the tire for you.
What do you think?
Happy Camping,
Mark
Mark Polk is founder of RV Education 101 and RV University
The Purpose of Bible Study
February 9, 2010
by John ImlerJohn is an RVchurchesUSA Ambassor and author of It’s Never Too Late Recently I read that the goal of studying the Bible is personal application. I could not agree more;
however, it is so easy just to read the words without concentrating on how to apply them in our own lives.
The Purpose of Bible StudyIt is of questionable value to just read the Bible if we are not going to apply its teachings to our lives. I Corinthians 10:11 says that “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us.” It would seem then that we should seek to apply what has been written to our daily lives.
After we have repented of our sins, accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior, and confessed Him with our mouths (Rom 10:9), we should make the study of the Bible a regular part of our lives. Only as we apply its teachings and allow Christ to live out His life in us are we able to do as Jesus commanded. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34, 35). In John 14:15 He gives further instruction as to the importance of applying His teachings to our daily lives.
No matter which book of the Bible you choose to start studying, perhaps you may want to join a Bible study group near you. I can assure you that you will find it beneficial to your growth as a Christian.
One of my favorite books is Proverbs. I find it chuck full of wisdom that still needs to be applied to our daily lives in this 21st century. Its principles were echoed by Christ himself throughout the gospels. Its words are often like a two edged sword; however, there are also many nuggets of humor to lighten it so that it is not too heavy. Proverbs 30:33 is an excellent example of this humor.
John welcomes your comments either below or email him directly at john@faithrescued.com
posted by RvchurchesUSA
Choosing Our Destination
February 2, 2010
by John ImlerJohn is an RVchurchesUSA Ambassor and author of It’s Never Too Late While many would rather not consider the question of their final destination, our Guidebook (the Bible) indicates that the choice is being made every day of our journey (Matthew 6:24).
As soon as we begin to make our own decisions, we are choosing our final destination. At that point we decide which of two roads we are going to travel. One of those roads may offer more earthly excitement but it is the way of the foolish and leads to destruction (Proverbs 12:15; Matt. 7:13). The other road is more difficult (Matthew 7:14), but it offers the luxury of a personal Guide, Jesus Christ (John 14:6), and leads to eternal life.
We must seriously consider our decision—making sure that it is really a decision not just a temporary consideration of the two options. In Luke 8:11-15, Jesus tells of those who considered the choices, yet made different decisions. The Apostle Paul warns about those who hear the Bible message yet do not arrive at the right destination (Heb. 4:2).
Webster defines “decide” as “to conclude or settle.” He further says that this definition is the least specific and that a more complete definitions can be found in the meaning of the word “settle” which “stresses finality of decision” and/or “resolve – implying formal deliberation and finality of decision or determination.” It is this resolve that Christ spoke of in Luke 8:15.
Perhaps we should look at the time of our death as just a stopover on our way to our final eternal destination. We could look at it as a time when we go through a check point or appear before a customs official to see that our names are written in God’s Book of Life. Remember, we will be taking nothing with us on this last leg of the trip (1 Tim. 6:7).
These two destinations – commonly referred to as Heaven and Hell – are totally opposite in what they offer. The Bible describes one as the place without God (2 Thessalonians 1:9) and the other as a place where God dwells (Acts 7:48-49). Since God is the source of all that we know as “good” (James 1:17), it would seem wise that we make the decision to assure that His dwelling place is our home for eternity.
However, that is a choice each of us must make. John 3:16-19 invites you to choose your destination today.
John welcomes your comments either below or email him directly at john@faithrescued.com
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