RVIA Expo, Nov. 30, 2010

Greetings from Louisville, Kentucky! Today was the opening day for the annual RVIA trade show here, and our initial impressions are that the industry is very upbeat about the future.  The day started off as usual, with the opening breakfast and industry presentation by the RVIA.  The reports indicated that all segments of the industry, motorhomes, towables, etc, experienced a significant increase in sales compared to 2009.  Of course, 2009 was by all reports, a disaster, so beating that sales level wasn’t too difficult.  Forecasts for future sales do indicate future growth, and hopes are high that will in fact be the case. Read more  Read More →

Daily RV Deal: 2000 Alpenlite 29RL

2000 Alpenlite 29RL Previously $ 28,950 – Now $24,500 29 ft. 2000 Alpenlite 29RL fifth wheel that is capable of sleeping 4! Features include large shower, air conditioning, queen bed and much more! Offered by Scotts Valley RV in Scotts Valley, CA. Email seller for details on this 2000 Alpenlite 29RL! Find more great RVs on  Read More →

Where Deserts Meet: Joshua Tree National Park, CA

Joshua Tree National Park is an amazingly diverse area of sand dunes, dry lakes, flat valleys, extraordinarily rugged mountains, granitic monoliths, and oases. Cholla Cactus Garden nature trail is a pleasant walk in the park. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved Explore the desert scenery, granite monoliths (popular with rock climbers), petroglyphs from early Native Americans, old mines, and ranches. The park provides an introduction to the variety and complexity of the desert environment and a vivid contrast between the higher Mojave and lower Colorado deserts that range in elevation from 900 feet to 5,185 feet at Keys View. Few roads pass through Joshua Tree, but entrances at both north and south ends of the park connect in a cross-park scenic drive, with spur roads to specific attractions. With 813 species of plants, Joshua Tree is renowned for its plant diversity. No wonder that when the area was first proposed for preservation in the early 1930s, the name suggested was Desert Plants National Park. The park consists of two deserts: the Colorado in the eastern section, which offers low desert formations and plant life, such as creosote bushes, spidery ocotillo, and jumping cholla cactus; and the Mojave in the western part. This higher, cooler, wetter region is the natural habitat of the Joshua tree. Related to the yucca bush, the Joshua tree was named by Mormon pioneers heading west. The strange, contorted branches, it is said, made the sojourners think of the Biblical figure... Read more

RVIA Expo. Monday Nov. 29

Greetings to all from Louisville, Kentucky!  Linda and I are parked at the Expo center campground.  (Under the topic of “name dropping”, we are next door to Bob Tiffin’s son’s motorhome)  It is nice to see that at least some of the manufacturers actually “go rv’ing”! Since  the actual show doesn’t start until tomorrow, we went over to the center, registered, and then went on a tour of Louisville, and our main objective was to visit the Louisville Slugger factory and take the factory tour.  If you are in the Louisville Ky area, and if you have ANY interest in baseball (and what good American doesn’t?), this is the place to go.  The factory, museum, and gift store are all located together, downtown, near the Ohio river.  The downtown area is very clean, and parking in this area is plentiful.  We parked right across the street from the museum, and of course took the requisite photo of the world’s largest baseball bat. Read more  Read More →

Daily RV Deal: 2010 Open Range

2010 Open Range Previously $ 58,640 – Now $41,900 34 ft. 2010 Open Range fifth wheel that is capable of sleeping 4! Features include corian countertops, large side bathroom, LCD television and much more! Offered by Genuine RV Store in Nacodoches, TX. Email seller for details on this 2010 Open Range! Find more great RVs on  Read More →

RVIA EXPO, LOUISVILLE KY

Linda and I are getting the motorhome ready for our annual trip to Kentucky to attend the RVIA show in Louisville to gather information on the general state of the RV industry, and to view new products at the show.  We will be reporting on events as they occur, here on RV.net blog. Read more  Read More →

Daily RV Deal: 2006 Monaco Signature

2006 Monaco Signature Previously $ 318,900 – Now $309,900 44 ft. Class A 2006 Monaco Signature that is capable of sleeping 6! Features include 2 LCD TV’s, GPS navigation system, tile floors and much more! Offered by DeMartini RV Sales in Grass Valley, Ca. Email seller for details on this 2006 Monaco Signature! Find more great RVs on  Read More →

Salton Sea, CA

Following along the San Andreas Fault, California State Highway 111 winds around the eastern shore of Salton Sea which occupies the Salton Basin, a remnant of prehistoric Lake Cahuilla. The Salton Sea is a haven for bird watchers © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved Lying 228 feet below sea level, Salton Sea is an inland saline lake in the Sonoran Desert of extreme southeastern California. It is bordered on the south by the rich agricultural areas of the Imperial Valley and on the west, by Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Both the Salton Sea State Recreation Area and the Sony Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge are located on its shores. The Salton Sea is currently 35 miles by 15 miles and can be as long as 40 miles by almost 20 miles in particularly wet years. It has an average depth of nearly 30 feet and, at its deepest, is 51 feet. It contains 7.3 million acre feet of water and evaporates 1.3 million acre feet each year. There is a five-mile-long trench on the south end of the Sea that is 51 feet deep. Interestingly, the bed of the Salton Sea is only five feet higher than the lowest spot in Death Valley. It is estimated that over 1 million visitors spend time at the Salton Sea each year. From the highway you will spot the sea past fields of citrus; it looks much more like a huge mirage. The Salton Sea is the big mystery here. How and why it came into being is a fascinating story. The Salton Sea is a place that’s been accurately dubbed the weirdest body of water in America.... Read more

VIDEO: One for College Football Fans!

Once again a cool breeze is blowing, leaves are gently falling, and we’re raking said cold leaves out of our frigid backyard. Yes, autumn has returned. Kristy and I hail from the Deep South, where college football is as intrinsic to local culture as fried chicken, fried okra, and fried… well, just about anything. Read more  Read More →

Daily RV Deal: 2008 Carriage Domani DF302

2008 Carriage Domani DF302 Previously $ 57,501 – Now $39,995 31 ft. 2008 Carriage Domani DF302 fifth wheel that is capable of sleeping 4! Features include Arlington cherry cabinetry, 2 LCD TV’s, convection/microwave and much more! Offered by Scotts Valley RV in Scotts Valley, CA. Email seller for details on this 2008 Carriage Domani DF302! Find more great RVs on  Read More →

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