2009: This
book will shortly be going out of print but at this time (November 2009)
can still be purchased through Amazon.com.
Revised in 2000, this book
is behind the times when it comes to GPS, e-mail,
computers and such but the general information in the book is as valid
as when it was written. Fuel prices are even worse and I think I called
them “outrageous” then! The only way to continue (or start) RVing
with high fuel costs is to take your time as you cross the country. When
you stop, stay a month and see everything within a 50 mile radius (or
whatever radius is comfortable for a day’s trip for you).
There are lots of people who choose to be very specific in their travels.
I heard of one couple who wanted to visit every county in each state. Others
want to visit all the Civil War or Revolutionary Battlefields. Someone else
wants to visit every National Park. You can still afford to do all that, just do
it at a slower pace.
It is awfully easy when you first start full-timing to try to see
everything in the first weekend. I strongly urge you to slow down and really get
the feel for the places you visit. Talk with the locals and take part in
whatever is going on in your location. I have friends right now that are
part-timers but they took off last spring and they are now sitting along the
Atlantic Ocean in Florida. They met someone locally who had a cottage within
sight of the water who offered them a place to park. They have been there for
several weeks walking the beach, enjoying the sunshine, and visiting exciting
activities almost daily.
But back to the book. I have never been a “technical” person so
everything I have written is easy to understand. I RVed by the seat of my pants
and managed to survive and enjoy.
The best advice I ever gave anyone and you’ll read it somewhere in the
book, was that when I had major
mechanical problems, I would stop at a NAPA store and ask for the town’s best
“shade-tree” mechanic. Now if you are under warranty, you need a specific
place but my rig was older than dirt and I always managed to find myself in
trouble somewhere east of nowhere. I was always fortunate, however, in finding a
very good mechanic, usually in a tiny backwater building where he had to work
outside. These guys can usually fix anything. Of course that has become more
complicated with electronics, too.
These days you will probably have access to the Internet and will be able
to find whomever you need.
Border crossings have become a little more complicated since 9/11/01 but
a current passport should work fine on both borders, and is required now.
Canadians no longer offer the Goods and Services Tax (GST) refund.
The
book will take you through relationships, safety concerns, expenses, GVWR,
insurance, getting your mail, licenses, etc. It is practical, easy to
understand, and full of suggestions and ideas. It will cover campgrounds,
boondocking, solar, and where to look for help when you have problems you can’t
handle.
With that, I leave you to read the book and glean from it as much as
possible, then…
2009
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