Busy weekend in Central Virginia as the leaves started turning... The Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive (near Rt 64/250) entrance had heavy traffic. We stopped by the Humpback Rock Vistor Center and noticed a number of RV parking spots.
Did anyone have challenges this past weekend with parking??
Happy Friday Good RV Turners!!
I received a nice note from Lisa Harris today (see below) who's really getting into RVing. Lisa attended the GRNARR -- Great North American RV Rally -- last week that was held in Redmond, OR. Remember, next year they're just going to call it The Ralley. Makes me want to say: GRNARR!! Lisa's email on the event are provided below.
NOTE: Lisa, thanks for your kind words about the site, and thanks again for you note. Oh, Lisa also sent a photo of the King of the Rig content too.
Have a great weekend!
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I felt like a kid at camp at Great North American RV Rally in Redmond, Oregon. The weather was great, the setting was beautiful, everyone was friendly, and nobody left empty handed. In fact, I won some great prices too!!
As a newbie to the RV world, I went to learn about RVing from the greatest experts around – RVers themselves!
Good Sam VIP’s “King of the Rig” contest was a big draw – the grand prize winner won $5,000! Not a bad way to leave a rally!
I would definitely attend the Daytona rally after this great experience. As a start to my future in RVing, I bought a Good Sam Club Membership, and have started actively reading the postings on RV.net to learn as much as I can before I become a full timer.
RVers are the nicest people in the world – I made new friends, got a wealth of information, and had the best time!
Thanks for letting me share my rally experience on Good RV Turns! I am a big fan of your site!
Lisa Harris
Santa Barbara, CA
Newbie RVer ;-)
The RV event that has been known as The Great North American RV Rally is changing. It kind of reminds me Kentucky Fried Chicken becoming KFC. Anyway, beginning next year, the event will simply be called “The Rally.”
The great news is The Rally will be held in Daytona Beach, Florida?
Daytona Motor Speedway, and its annual race, the Daytona 500, became a third-year recipient of the Good Sam Club Welcome Mat Award for being the most RV-friendly NASCAR event in 2005. To express their gratitude, Rally event coordinators chose Daytona Beach, Florida, for the 2006 gathering hosted by the Good Sam Club, Camping World President’s Club, Coast to Coast Resorts, Woodall’s and MotorHome and Trailer Life magazines.
The Rally will be held April 7-10, 2006, and will feature an incredible lineup of activities, contests, seminars and entertainers for all participants.
For more information regarding the 2006 Rally, visit www.rv.net/rally.
For those of you have jackets and t-shirts with the old The Great North American RV Rally logo, I suggest you might want to think about selling those items on eBay!!
RVing is red hot, and RV travel in the coming months is expected to outpace traditional travel by 33 percent. Plus, RV sales are booming. What does this all mean? If you're in the insurance bix it means more insurance claims.
Do you know what top 5 claims are processed the most? Go on -- make a few guesses!
You might be surprised to learn that the top five claims includes things having to do with pets, gas stations and refrigerators among others. The unofficial list was published by GMAC Insurance. If you don't already know, GMAC services Good Sam's Emergency Road Service, VIP Insurance as well as the Continued Service Plan. In fact, Good Sam offers special discounts to Good Sam Club members that you can't find anywhere else.
The list and the press release are provided below.
Hope you're enjoying a great holiday and Summer!!
Todd
ST. LOUIS -- 4th of July Vacations: RV Travel Soars, On-Road Safety More Critical Than Ever
Fourth of July is the unofficial start of the summer vacation season, and this year, more Americans than ever are touring the country in Recreational Vehicles (RVs). RV sales are at a 27-year high, and the increase in RV travel in the coming months is expected to outpace traditional travel by 33.5 percent (source: RVIA.org).
As more people jump into RVing, it's critical to know the basics for driving and operating these big rigs. To help keep the roads safe this summer, RV experts at GMAC Insurance, the nation's leading RV insurance specialist, issued the top five RV claims along with tips to avoid getting into these situations.
GMAC Insurance top five RV claims:
1. Refrigerator fires and propane tanks. GMAC Insurance receives at least 400 claims per year due to refrigerator fires caused by leaking propane tanks. A rig can burn up in as fast as six minutes as a result of leaks in the propane tank system. Another problem: Tailgating sports fans wanting to show their support have even painted their tanks the teams' colors. Dark colors more readily absorb the sun's rays and can cause the tank to overheat and explode.
-- How to avoid it? First, don't paint your propane tank. Second, have propane tank lines and connections checked by a certified RV dealer each year.
2. Hitting gas station overhangs and bridges. Forgetting the RV's height and getting lodged under the gas station overhang has ruined more than one vacation.
-- How to avoid it? Create a constant reminder by posting a sticky note with your RV's height on your dashboard.
3. Forgetting to retract steps and awnings. Just as some of us forget to take our gas caps off the top of our cars, RVers often forget to retract the steps and awnings on their RVs. Open attachments can be torn off the side of an RV, leaving gaping holes.
-- How to avoid it? Use a pre-trip checklist that includes a reminder to retract the awnings and steps.
4. Tire blowouts. The three major causes of tire blow-outs are: over or under inflating tires, old tires wearing out and water tank damage.
-- How to avoid it? Clean your tires and keep them blocked from the sun's damaging rays whenever possible. Also, check your tire pressure regularly and purchase new tires every seven years, regardless of mileage or visible wear.
5. Animal infestation. When RVs sit over the winter months, mice and squirrels like to make your RV their home. They chomp through wires and lines, debilitating the entire vehicle.
-- How to avoid it? Start your RV every week to scare the animal guests away.
Let me introduce you to Camping World. Camping World has 42 retail locations and two collision repair centers and offer more than 8,000 products geared toward the RVing. If you've never been to one of their retail stores don't worry because they have an extensive mail-order catalog and online shopping network. Did you know that Camping World repairs RV and has a service centers staff trained professionals?
Here's a recent release on maintenance tips including some great tips for pet owners traveling the open road.
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(Bowling Green, KY)— While traveling the open road in an RV can be lots of fun and entail exciting experiences, there is always the chore of housekeeping. Too bad Hazel doesn’t travel door to door in RV parks! To make life easier, Camping World carries a host of products designed to help keep your recreational vehicle tidy.
Keep the interior of your RV looking shiny and new with products from Blue Magic®. New Dash Wax works great on cleaning and conditioning the leather and vinyl in your RV, truck and auto. Dash Wax contains UV-32 sunblock to prevent cracking and fading of dash, seats and trim and keeps leather and vinyl soft and supple. Leather and Vinyl Cleaner, also from Blue Magic®, is safe to use on all leather and vinyl surfaces. The easy-to-use spray-on cleaner safely removes dirt and grime from leather and vinyl on auto interiors, furniture, luggage, shoes and more.
One of the leading brands in cleaning, Quickie offers the new Homepro line of handy cleaning accessories that provide superior performance and style. The Quickie Dust Pan and Whisk Broom features a unique interlocking design to conserve space. The durable fiber bristles used on all brushes and brooms extend the life of the accessories longer than that of normal household products. The All Purpose Broom features a frame made of durable resin. Cleaning in tight spaces is no problem with the angle cut shape. Stiff inner fibers take care of heavy dirt and debris while fine dust is easily handled by the soft inner fibers. You’ll find hundreds of uses for the Quickie Scrub Brush so be sure to have more than one on hand. The stiff fibers endure even the toughest heavy-duty cleaning jobs. All products boast the new hang up feature that provides easy and space-saving storage.
With over 60% of RV owners traveling with pets, keeping your RV clean can be challenging. New Roll-It Clean™ will leave your home and RV virtually free of pet hair. The 7” wide roller works well on carpets, seats, upholstery and clothing to remove pet hair, dirt, lint, crumbs and more. A 90-sheet roll of pull-off sticky surface, an ergonomic-easy grip handle and plastic storage case are included. Roll-It Clean is great for RV, SUV, truck, auto or home use.
Hard to reach places are made non-existent with the Perfect Pole by Swobbit®. The strongest, easiest to use telescoping handle extends from 3 to 6 feet to reach any area of your RV. It is designed to work with any Swobbit® uni-snap accessory. The patented Insta-Just tracking system makes extending the pole a cinch.
Indoor rugs and floors will be easier to maintain with Outrigger RV Step Rugs installed. Available in Castle Gray, Atlantic Blue, Walnut Brown and Forest Green, this universal step rug provides both style and durability. Rugs are made with a micro-ribbed texture to provide better traction and are UV protected to hold up in most weather conditions. No tools are necessary for installation.
Keeping items orderly and in place is important, especially while traveling. The SmartPad® secures dash- and table-top items even while turning, braking, or traveling on bumpy roads. The unique SmartPad grips almost any surface with no adhesive. Its soft silicone rubber material won’t damage surfaces, leaves no marks and can withstand both hot and cold temperatures. The SmartPad® can be washed and reused as many times as needed. A great way to secure sunglasses, cell phones, coins, and much more while traveling—pick up one today.
Shop now for these and many more new products available at Camping World stores, as well as online and in mail order catalogs. Pick up a catalog at your nearest Camping World SuperCenter or call toll-free 866-601-2323 to request one.
About Camping World
Since 1966, Camping World, www.campingworld.com, has grown from one store at Beech Bend Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky to 42 locations and 350 service bays nationwide and is still growing. Our single 16-page black-and-white catalog has expanded to 12 full-color issues each year. Today, 42 locations with more on the way, an award winning website, and more than 25 million catalogs and sale flyers distributed annually make Camping World the world's largest retailer of RV accessories, supplies and services.
I love lists and, Good Sam Club just released theirs that include products of major businesses from North America that cater to the RV industry. RVers know it.
But did you know that RV industry is still the fastest growing travel segment on the continent. It's growing in part because RVing is attracting families, baby boomers, retirees, tailgaters, outdoor enthusiasts and simply travelers who have a burning desired to get out there.
As we explore the roads, villages, town and major cities of America this summer, we'll stay in one of more than 8,000 commercial campgrounds or at a major motor speedway for the races.
The destinations, products, and service providers listed below share a commitment to serve the RV community and to deliver comfort and convenience. The award winners represent what the nearly 1 million members voted as the most RV-friendly businesses. Winners will be honored at an award dinner in Redmond, Oregon, at the Great North American RV Rally, July 11-14.
The 2005 Good Sam Club Welcome Mat Award Winners!
Dinghy vehicle: Saturn
Tow vehicle: Ford F350
Motor oil: Pennzoil
RV show: The Florida Super Show in Tampa, Florida
Fast food chain: Wendy's
Ice cream parlor: Baskin-Robbins
Sandwich shop: Subway
Gas station: Flying J
Propane outlet: Flying J
Sit-down restaurant: Cracker Barrel
Outlet mall: Tanger Factory Outlet Center
Golf course: Pinehurst in North Carolina (tie)
Walt Disney World, Florida (tie)
NASCAR event: Daytona 500
Shopping center: Wal-Mart
Tourist attraction: Walt Disney World
State to fish: Alaska
Pet supply store: PETsMART
Crafts store: Michaels
Casino: Harrah's Casinos (nationwide)
State to visit: Colorado
Province to visit: British Columbia
I received a press release yesterday about the upcoming 2005 Great North American RV Rally from Affinity Group, Inc. The release is provided below.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Common Bonds Create Instant Communities
June 7, 2005
(Redmond, OR) – From Seattle to Smithburg, RVers across the country all share common bonds: A passion for the outdoors, a love of the road, a sense of adventure and a desire to learn. The 2005 Great North American RV Rally brings together those who share these bonds and transforms them into an almost instant community.
The Rally is scheduled for July 11-14 in Redmond, Oregon, at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center. The 132-acre facility offers participants plenty of indoor and outdoor space for the scheduled seminars and activities, as well as taking a leisurely stroll or simply sitting and catching up with friends.
“All too often, we get so caught up in our busy day-to-day routines that we forget to just kick back and enjoy the little things, such as sharing stories with friends,” said event organizer Bev Dalton. “We like to make the Rally a place where RVers can do just that. Here they don’t have to worry about anything. We take care of all of the details.”
Each year, the Rally brings in more than 5,000 rigs and more than 12,000 people per day, many of whom travel with pets. From the time the RVs first pull up at the facility, bonds can already be felt being created. By the time they’ve set up camp, they’ve already met and befriended those around them and are usually exchanging stories by the time evening rolls around.
“People love meeting other people,” continued Dalton. “The most common sight at each of our Rallies is people sitting in their lawn chairs, swapping stories about their travels, grandchildren and whatever else may come up. It’s really an amazing feeling when you get to experience the many relationships being established.”
Travel experts have proven that recreation vehicle (RV) travel is an ideal way to strengthen both family ties and friendships that can sometimes be weakened by our fast-paced way of life. The Great North American RV Rally helps to renew those bonds while fostering new relationships at the same time.
This year’s event has more than 5,500 RVs registered and nearly 12,000 people are expected to attend. The Rally is hosted by the Good Sam Club, Camping World President’s Club, Coast to Coast Resorts, Woodall’s and MotorHome and Trailer Life magazines.
For more information call 1-877-749-7122.
About the Great North American RV Rally (GNARR)
In its sixth year, the Great North American RV Rally has become the center stage for RV owners to gather annually. Held in a different location each year, RV enthusiasts from nearly every state and Canadian province flock to the Rally to take part in the festivities. Although RV rallies have been around for nearly 30 years, GNARR serves RVers as a whole by offering the most comprehensive seminars and exhibits. Leading experts in the industry are on site to answer questions and provide information on the latest technologies and innovations. Exhibit booths feature the latest RV products and nearly 1,000 new rigs of all shapes, sizes and models are on display for test-driving and comparison-shopping. The Great North American RV Rally is just one more way that the Affinity Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries make RV ownership and the RV lifestyle more enjoyable.
Contact: Ron Epstein, Associate Publisher, Affinity Group, Inc.
805.667.4422, repstein@affinitygroup.com
Julie Calzone, CEO/President, Calzone & Associates
337.235.2924 ext. 3 - jcalzone@calzone.com
Information, information, information.
Trailer Life Directory is packed with information on the best RV Park, campgrounds and RV travel resources.
In fact, the new 2005 Trailer Life RV Parks, Campgrounds & Services Directory is your own personal portal for complete campground and RV Park information. The Directory lists all Good Sam Club discount locations and full details for over 1,000,000 RV Park Sites in the US, Canada and Mexico.
There's also an Exclusive Triple Rating System with over 300,000 changes since 2004. As Dad always says "Know before you go!" So hit the road with the right resources full of great information with Trailer Life.
I ran into this blog -- Flying Cloud -- about a couple that is restoring a 1963 Flying Cloud Airstream. This thing is going to be beautiful.
Brian and Leigh look like they are having a blast but have certainly hit a few road bumps before the start of their journey. I'm going to drop them a line about Good Sam Club's Emergency Road Side Assistance. Oh, they've also posted a schedule of their trip on the blog as well.
You can also read my post on RV insurance here.
Are you paying too much for your RV Insurance? Click here for a free quote from Good Sam VIP
If you're looking to gain access to millions of people who want to buy or sell new or used RVs this summer you'll need to visit www.rvsearch.com
Here's a favoriate I'm adding to my wish list a 2003 Tiffin Allegro Bus 40' W/3 Slides:
In addition to some great spotlights on current RVs for sale, I recommend taking a look at the buying and selling tips that offer some tips.
RVSearch.com has Six Great Tips When Buying an RV:
1. Be just as careful as if buying through your local newspaper.
2. Don't put your money down until you do the following:
i. Acquire and verify the seller's address, phone number and e-mail address
ii. Match the address to the title to the RV, and if they don't match, find out why.
iii. Get a detailed statement from the seller that specifies whether the RV is being sold to you with a warranty or "as is". This can be in addition to the receipt, or included on the receipt.
3. Consider having a professional inspection performed by a qualified RV mechanic on any vehicle you plan to purchase.
4. Know what your state requires to transfer the title to the RV from the seller to a buyer, and fulfill those requirements. This information can usually be found from your local Division of Motor Vehicles.
5. Consider using an escrow service to smooth the transition of goods between you and the seller. They will hold your payment until you receive the RV you purchased. Be sure to find a reputable escrow service before turning over any money; your Better Business Bureau and/or your attorney may be able to help with this. In addition, be sure you understand all the terms of any escrow agreement.
6. Don't allow yourself to be tempted by a deal that seems too good to be true, unless you have enough facts to assure yourself of a good result. Be skeptical, be smart, and you'll be successful.
