Let’s Talk NOOK !

Let’s Talk NOOK ! Recently I wrote an article about the Amazon Kindle (one appropriately if unimaginatively titled Let’s Talk KINDLE !). The crux of my essay was that e-readers are the best thing to hit RV’s since flush toilets. There are many e-readers available for your purchasing pleasure. One of the most popular rhymes with “book.” Why did I choose to focus on Kindle? Conspiracy theories abound. Am I biased? Have I loaded up our investment portfolio on AMZN? Or am I merely an Amazon fanboy who wears Jeff Bezos pajamas? Nah. While I may be a bit of an Amazon fanboy, I wrote about Kindle because Amazon is currently KING KONG of the e-reader world. Yes, if recent sales figures are to be believed, Amazon is now perched on a skyscraper high above E-Reader Metropolis with Fay Wray sitting on its lap. Or is that Jeff Bezos in a dress? Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in a dress? This is wrong on many levels. Anyway, with Kindles selling faster than mouse ears at Disney World, it’s good to be King Kong. But if there’s a pesky swarm of biplanes on the horizon, it’s the Barnes & Noble NOOK. The author's book on his wife's NOOK. The Nook is a series of e-reader devices sold by everyone’s favorite brick-and-mortar bookstore behemoth. These range from inexpensive e-ink readers (Nook Simple Touch) to more robust tablets (Nook Color & Nook Tablet). You can buy Nooks online, in 90,000-square-foot bookstores, in shady back alleys,... Read more

The RVs We Drive – Woodall’s Bloggers Discuss their Personal RV Choices

The RVs We Drive | This Week Only at Woodall’s Campgrounds, RV Blog and Family Camping Blog! This week in the Woodall’s Blog – The RVs WE Drive! Read our expert bloggers as they share the pros and cons of various camping units – from their own personal experience. These posts are about their favorite RVs! What is your RV of choice, and why do you choose that vehicle for your camping trips? Tell us by submitting a guest blog about it at http://blog.woodalls.com/authors/guest-blogger-submission/ . Here’s what one blogger had to say: Looking for Fun with the Fun-Finder How did we select our current RV? Well, I’d like to report that we had unlimited funds and time to select nothing but the very best that satisfied our every whim and need. I’d like to tell you that, but it wouldn’t be true. Instead, I’ll tell you what is probably a common story. We had camped for ma… READ MORE  Read More →

Meet the GO! by SylvanSport

At SylvanSport, a Brevard, North Carolina-based startup company, Tom Dempsey and his team of designers set out to put the cool back into pop-up campers. Tom Dempsey sits inside a GO camper with a customer's two dogs, Diggidy and Gertie. The GO pop up camper, built by Sylvan Sport, is a highly engineered 800-pound camper that can carry extra outdoor equipment such as canoes and bicycles and be towed by a small car. (Credit: citizen-times.com) As an entrepreneur, Dempsey saw an opportunity to make camping, already a relatively affordable vacation option, more comfortable for a new generation, reported the Asheville Citizen-Times. They came up with the Go, an 800-pound lightweight but solidly constructed platform that turns into a spacious living quarters that you can tow behind a Prius, instead of a huge pickup. The Go is billed as “Mobile Adventure Gear” rather than a trailer, which brings to mind the old-fashioned aluminum box on wheels. “Pop-up campers are part of the entry-level RV world, which hasn’t really changed in the last 40 years,” Demspey said. “We wanted to take the pop-up camper out of the RV world into the REI world.” The Go has proved a hit with enthusiasts eager to drive cross-country to Brevard to pick up their $8,000 campers, ordered online. Dempsey sees “a massive paradigm shift away from SUVs and big trucks to more compact cars, but people still want to play even if they own a Prius, so we hitched our wagon to a trend to more efficient vehicles.” Dempsey... Read more

RV Driving On Extreme Mountain Grades

A Lug_Nut point of view.  Extreme mountain grade driving is something most RVers prefer to do in their towed vehicle rather than with their motor home or truck trailer combination.  Steep climbs and drop- off downhill grades can turn a pleasant days run into a white knuckle survival experience.  So what exactly is considered extreme mountain grades?       Interstate highways and the majority of state routes are generally limited to 6% to 7% grades.  This means for every 100 feet travelled you would climb or descend six or seven feet.  A long downhill grade of this descent requires a constant resistance of lower gear operation, Pac Brake, Jake Brake and or service brakes.  The heavier the vehicle the harder it is to maintain a reasonable speed.  While you can generally use your brakes to check and maintain your speed in your automobile or light truck, the same cannot be said for most RV rigs.  Brake friction to slow a heavy rig quickly produces excessive heat that may lead to poor braking efficiency or even full brake failure.  While drum type brakes are perhaps more affected by this, disc systems can also overheat and fail. Extreme mountain grades can be upwards of 18%, well over double what you would normally encounter in the U.S or Canada.   These can bring the climb speed of a heavy motor home or trailer combination into single digits on the speedometer at full throttle.  Likewise on the descent an extreme resistance will be required to hold back the vehicle. ... Read more

Highline RV Luxury Equal To Top Coach Converter

A Lug_Nut view.   5th wheel trailers are going to new heights and rival highline motorized coaches like the Prevost conversions.  Like the Canadian built Prevost Coach, this 5th wheel is also being designed and built by a Canadian company.   This two story fiver is 53 feet in length and 13 feet 6 inches in height.  It will weigh in at about 40,000 lbs. when completely outfitted.       Specifications: Trailer Length: 53’ Over All Length: (Trailer/Tractor) 70’ Trailer Weight: Appox. 40,000 lbs. Over All Height: 13’ 6” Number of Slides: 4 The rear conversion type cap powers open to reveal a garage that will accommodate a medium/small automobile.  Ahead of this area, and still on the bottom level, a bedroom, bathroom and micro kitchen suitable to accommodate a driver or for a guest suite is present.                             A curving stairway from the bottom level leads to the kitchen and dining area of the upper level.  Heading toward the rear brings you into a spacious living room that expands on both sides with large slide outs.  The master bedroom and bath are located in the rear of the coach.  This area also has two large slides.    This unit employed a 535 horse power Volvo diesel powered tractor with a 10 speed auto shifting transmission.  The extended cab tractor was luxuriously appointed with leather sofa and lazy boy like chairs.  So, how much will this set you back when they become available?  Better count on spending upward... Read more

Shasta RV Achieves Major Milestone

Earlier this year I reported that Elkhart, Indiana-based Forest River Inc. was reviving an iconic nameplate with the launch of Shasta RV Manufacturing, a stand-alone business unit, and that the new product would be a “significant departure” from the distinctively styled, diminutive trailers. I further reported that Middlebury, Indiana-Shasta RV had introduced three lines of recreational vehicles—the Shasta Freeport, an ultra-light trailer; Shasta Revere, a luxury towable; and Shasta Cynara, a Class C motorhome. Now after only seven full months of production, Shasta RV has reached a major milestone, according to a recent news release. Shasta RV’s production team celebrated August 3 as its 1,000th Revere travel trailer rolled down the production line at the company’s Middlebury, Indiana, manufacturing facility. “It’s really a testament to the quality of the product,” noted Shasta President Brad Whitehead. “It’s a solid, feature-rich unit—and dealers have been extremely responsive.” The conventional stick-and-tin trailer is available in lengths from 21 to 32 feet, and offers consumers a choice of 17 floorplans. Forest River Inc., Elkhart, Indiana, acquired the iconic Shasta brand when it purchased Coachmen Industries RV Group in 2008. It resurrected the out-of-production nameplate last August, and Shasta began full production in January. Shasta RV's production team celebrates the construction of the 1,000th Revere travel trailer at the company's... Read more

Vintage Airstream Business Expands

Vintage Airstream trailers will always have a place in Rory Burmeister’s heart and in his business. Mintage restoring a classic Airstream. Credit: mintageairstreams.com) But after three years of restoring retro travel trailers, Burmeister was inspired to do more than bring these travel icons back to life, The Missoulian recently reported. “We are taking what we have learned from that process and we are building our own trailers, taking what we know works from the Airstream and changing what doesn’t,” said Burmeister, owner of Mintage Airstreams, an East Missoula, Montana, company that restores vintage travel trailers. “Beginning in August, we will begin building vintage-looking trailers that have a modern twist.” Partnering with CTA, a Montana-based architectural and engineering firm, Mintage Airstreams will begin producing a high-end vintage-looking trailer, and also the Mintage “Canned Ham,” a smaller travel trailer whose name is inspired by its shape, and the Mintage “Teardrop,” a petite travel trailer light enough to be hauled behind a Subaru. “CTA is helping us design our own high-end trailer that is Airstream traileresque—something that is our own shell and is built from scratch in our shop,” Burmeister explained. “There isn’t anyone doing deluxe high-end traveler trailers like we envision, so we believe we will really fill a niche. “What will make ours over the top is the attention... Read more

THE GRAND CIRCLE — PREVIEW

By Monique & Barry Zander, the Never-Bored RVers Our next big adventure begins this coming Sunday when we pick up Monique’s brother and sister-in-law in Las Vegas and take them back to our trailer parked in the Nellis Air Force Base RV park*. Our first excursion with our French relations was three years ago, when we toured from Salt Lake City through the Sawtooth Mountains, into Yellowstone, over to a working cattle ranch in Oregon and down into the some of the world’s most beautiful spots in northern California.  Four of us living for four weeks in a 28-foot travel trailer.  Two words describe that 3,500-mile jaunt:  “SPECTACULAR” and “FUN.” Unposed Photo of Monique Planning the Route We expect the same experience over the next five weeks as we motor around “The Grand Circle,” which takes in more of the world’s most inspiring spots, these in southern Utah and Colorado, through the Four Corners and into Arizona.  Monique has poured over maps, travel books and internet downloads over the past three months putting together a route that will expose our guests to hundreds of miles of natural beauty, several Native American cultural events and a few surprises. In the next five weeks, you’ll have a chance to join us on this adventure through our RV.net blogs.  As on our Canada and Alaska trip last summer, how often we will be able to post will depend on time and technology. Time – Several days will fly by as we hitch up and drive for long hours, stopping... Read more

Coming soon to a Community near YOU?

Rarely a week goes without a media story about some community somewhere in the United States or Canada imposing restrictive rules, regulations, ordinances, and general hassles on owners of recreational vehicles. Parking restrictions on RVs Rusty Powers stands with his son-in-law, Anthony Lyles, by his RV, that is in violation of a city bylaw because it is too big and will have to be moved elsewhere. Image courtesy Maple Ridge News Here’s a typical article that appeared in The Palm Beach (Florida) Post News: For years Wellington has enforced its laws so that a recreational vehicle or boat must be parked on the side or rear of a lot and behind a 6-foot wall, fence, or landscaping—the maximum height village rules allow. But, perplexingly, village rules also say that the vehicle must not be “clearly visible” to drivers or neighbors. “If it’s 15 feet high but behind a six-foot fence, then I’m sorry, but my sight says it’s clearly visible,” resident Donna Weaver said. Are RV Parking Restrictions out of Control? In British Columbia, Leeann Costa lives on a quarter of an acre and stores her 12-metre (39-foot)-long recreational vehicle at the side of her house. Last month she received a letter from the Maple Ridge bylaw department and learned she must remove her RV by April 20, reported Maple Ridge News. “We’ve lived here for 25 years. We’ve had an RV ever since we lived here,” said Costa. “All of a sudden because somebody complained,... Read more

Sutton RV: Top Airstream Dealer in West

George M. Sutton RV has become the premier one-stop dealership for unique, high quality lightweight products. Their flagship brand is Airstream. Airstream has released its list of “Top Ten” dealerships for 2010-2011 and has named George M. Sutton RV “Number Two” behind an East Coast outlet. Located in Eugene, Oregon’s third-largest city, Sutton RV has sold nearly 100 new and used Airstream products this past year. Coupled with its sales excellence, George M. Sutton RV is Airstream’s West Coast leader in service, parts, and both warranty and body repairs, according to a company news release. Founded in 1996, Sutton RV is a family-owned business, a tradition in the Sutton family since 1921. Both George’s father and grandfather owned and operated George M. Sutton Ford, Inglewood, California, for 37 years. The Sutton family was featured in Life Magazine as an example of American Life in December 1956. George and Martha Sutton In addition to Airstream’s tribute, George M. Sutton was elected President of the Oregon RV Dealers Association (ORVDA) at their Spring Meeting in Salem, Oregon. An association of dealers, suppliers, lenders, and associates who are dedicated to promoting the welfare of the RVing public, ORVDA is also focused on legislative issues that affect their ability to do business. “For example,” explains Sutton, “the laws that define an RV versus a manufactured home are convoluted. Currently, when an RV is larger... Read more

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