RV’s popularity sizzling this summer

RV’s popularity sizzling this summer



With gasoline prices where they are, it wouldn’t seem to be the ideal time to hit the road in a 30-foot recreational vehicle that scores under 10 miles to the gallon.

But Carl and Terry Haley know a bargain when they see one, which is why the Los Angeles couple recently paid $16,000 for a used home-on-wheels.

“It was almost an impulse buy,” Carl recalled, one that had its origins, as so many impulse buys do, in a trip to Las Vegas.

“From the moment we saw it, we loved it,” the 41-year-old math teacher said of the 1997 Fleetwood Flair he and his partner acquired from friends they recently visited in Sin City. “We just saw ourselves taking vacations in this vehicle,” saving money not on gas but on hotel rooms and meals.

The Haleys are on to something. While shipments of all RV vehicles – a category that includes towable campers and “toy haulers” for transporting jet skis, dirt bikes, etc. – were down 12 percent in the first half of the year, shipments of motor homes were up more than 2 percent.

And RV rentals are up about 4 percent this summer, according to industry estimates.

“Summer vacation is sacred in this country, and people aren’t going to let $100 extra in gas expense stop them from going on vacation,” said Phil Ingrassia, a spokesman for the National RV Dealers Association.

At El Monte RV, the nation’s No. 2 RV rental operation, rentals are up 4 percent this summer after dipping 4 percent last year.

Going into the 2007 travel season, “we were a little worried,” said Joe Laing, director of marketing at the Santa Fe Springs, Calif.-based company. “But the price of gas doesn’t seem to have really affected peoples’ plans.”

California officials expect visitation at state parks and campgrounds to exceed last year’s record of 77 million visitors. Campsites for tenters or RV users will be scarce between now and Labor Day for those without reservations. At Kampgrounds of America, business is up 3.3 percent summer, and advance bookings for August are up 22 percent.

“Everything on the coast from Mexico to the Mendocino coast is probably thoroughly booked for the rest of summer,” said Roy Stearns, a spokesman for the state parks department.

The dollar’s weakness against the euro and the British pound, which increases the buying power of travelers from countries that use those currencies, has helped. Britons and Germans are avid RVers, according to Laing, who said about half of El Monte’s business comes from foreign travelers. (Most of the company’s 50 U.S. locations have German-speaking staff.) “And the Europeans have absolutely no problem with our gas prices,” he added. Gasoline prices in Germany, for instance, topped the U.S. equivalent of $7 a gallon earlier this year.

Laing and others in the industry contend that, even with high gas prices, vacationing by RV can be economical, especially for families with kids. Meals can be cooked on board and lodging, of course, is included.

At El Monte RV, the average rental cost is $1,100 a week, although a 30-foot “slide out” motor home that sleeps eight costs about $2,100 a week. A spot at an RV campground can run anywhere for $20 or $30 a night to well over $100 a night at upscale resorts (some of which have minimum RV size requirements).

The economics change considerably when it comes to buying an RV as opposed to renting. Thirty-footers average around $100,000, with luxury models priced well into the hundreds of thousands.

Despite the uptick in motor home sales, it’s been a tough year in the industry. A big reason: RV manufacturers, which did a lot of business supplying temporary housing to hurricane victims in 2005, built large numbers of towable RVs last year in anticipation of another strong storm season.

It didn’t happen, so shipments were cut way back this year while dealers work through excess inventory.

And it’s not clear how much profit dealers are making on their sales. Dealers contacted for this story wouldn’t discuss pricing, but when Mark Brownlee of Temecula, Calif., was shopping for a motor home recently at an RV expo, he found bargains aplenty.

“They were dropping them $50,000 on their $250,000 units,” he said. “They were way down there.”

Analysts at Kelley Blue Book, the automotive information provider, said prices of used RVs are holding up well this summer.

“Even among the current economic turmoil, the RV industry has remained robust,” Kelley analysts reported. “The baby boomer generation has entered prime retirement age; therefore owning an RV is an alternate way of traveling on a lower budget.”

An Informative Review Of Rv Insurance Companies

There are a number of insurance companies that focus primarily on insuring recreational vehicles (RVs). These companies provide comprehensive policies that thoroughly protect RV owners. Some of the top RV insurance companies are Gilbert RV insurance, RV America Insurance, Progressive RV Insurance, and Good Sam RV insurance. Each of these companies has numerous options for RV coverage. RV owners will be able to find the coverage they need with one of these top companies for a reasonable price.

Gilbert RV Insurance offers several options for RV owners. Some of the best things about Gilbert are the replacement cost coverage, the purchase price coverage, and the full timer coverage. The replacement cost coverage guarantees that the client will receive a new RV of the same model, body and size if the original RV is totaled.

The purchase price coverage is similar. It gives people the option of being paid the total price paid for the RV in the event that it is totaled. The full timer policy is perfect for people whose RV is their primary residence. This policy provides total coverage for the RV and has higher liability limits.

RV America Insurance provides a number of options for owners of all types of recreational vehicles. The most unique aspect of RV America Insurance is that it works with six different RV insurance companies. This insures that RV owners will get coverage that is specialized to meet their needs at a low cost. Some of the options available include flood, theft and fire coverage; full timer coverage; total loss replacement; and 24/7 roadside assistance.

Progressive RV Insurance is perfect for covering many types of recreational vehicles. Progressive is a top rated car insurance company. They apply their excellent vehicle coverage for RVs, but also understand that an RV is like a home on wheels. Progressive offers full RV coverage including personal effects coverage, campsite coverage, and emergency placement coverage in case RV owners need somewhere to stay while their RV is being repaired.

Good Sam RV Insurance is a part of the Good Sam Club for RV owners and campers. The Good Sam Club offers members emergency roadside service and extended warranties on RVs as well as comprehensive insurance. Some of the many features offered are full RV replacement, full timer coverage, permanently attached items coverage, and personal effects coverage. Good Sam saves RV owners on average of $312 a year on RV insurance and received an “A” rating from A.M. Best.

These top-rated RV insurance companies can provide RV owners with the coverage they need. From occasional RV users to full timers, everyone can find a policy to fit their needs.


http://www.e-rvinsurance.com/

RV sales up despite high gas prices

RV sales up despite high gas prices

By Oren Dorell, USA TODAY


Americans are defying high gas prices and jumping into gas guzzling recreational vehicles for their summer vacations.
Two of the largest owners and managers of RV campgrounds in the USA said their lots are booked this July 4th vacation week and much of the summer.

Sales of RVs have shot up 22% in the past three calendar years. Last year 390,500 RVs were sold, the most in 28 years, according to the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association. This year they are on track to dip slightly, RVIA says.

"This week will be one of the busiest if not the busiest for the entire KOA system," says Shane Ott, president and chief operating officer of Kampgrounds of America, the USA's largest campground chain with 450 campgrounds and 72,000 camp sites.

RV parks say changes in how the vehicles are used along with a rise in ownership among affluent people is driving higher sales. The average cost of a new motor home is $260,000 says Richard Coon, president of the RVIA.


"When you're talking about motor homes, those people don't care about gas prices," he says.

Jerry Gelinas, vice president of marketing for Thousand Trails, which manages 81 campgrounds across the country, says customers tend to be baby boomers, retirees and young families with a healthy amount of discretionary income.

Gelinas says RVers increasingly want to use parks as destinations rather than mere stopovers. Parks are responding by offering more attractions such as pools, tennis courts and live entertainment. Rather than cooking nightly over propane stoves families can often buy prepared foods and takeout.

Coon says that compared to all the other expenses of a vacation, such as motels and restaurants, RVs are "still an economic way to go." If gas went up a $1, a family traveling 1,000 miles in a motor home that gets about 10 mpg would spend $100 more on gas, he says.

That's not to say RV owners are ignoring the cost of fuel.

Families are saving money by "going shorter distances and staying longer," says David Woodworth of Fish Camp, Calif., an RV historian.

Industry surveys show that owners have also slowed down to 55 mph or 60 mph, to conserve fuel, Coon says. Fuel mileage is "not great," but it's better than it was 10 years ago, Woodworth says.

The industry has introduced more efficient engines, and new materials that make motor homes and trailers lighter. Felix Kramer, founder of the California Cars Initiative, which promotes energy efficient vehicles, isn't surprised gas prices aren't scaring off RV owners.

"In terms of the percentage of people's annual income, expensive gasoline is not all that much," Kramer says.

But the 18 million RV owners plugging in every night "would be ideal plug-in hybrid candidates," he says. They would no longer need expensive on-board generators to operate appliances and they'd have silent, emissions free vacations.

Alex Kouris, 38, set out June 22 from Marengo, Ill., with his wife, Rachel, and two sons in a 34-foot-long motor home for a trip that will end Sunday. The 90-gallon tank cost about $200 to fill and he expects to pump in another $800 of diesel fuel the whole trip.

"You kind of get used to it so you kind of budget it in," he says.

Protests kill revised RV parking rules

Protests kill revised RV parking rules

Written by Ben Marrone/Sun Post
By Ben Marrone

MANTECA — An effort to make the city zoning code more understandable and “user-friendly” was derailed when more than 70 people showed up at a planning commission meeting Tuesday, June 26, to protest what they thought would be harsher restrictions on keeping boats and RVs in residential neighborhoods.

The changes to the city zoning code, according to a report from city planner Erika Hollander, were meant to fix certain sections that were “unclear, inadequate or outdated” and make code enforcement and project reviews “less bewildering to the … citizen.”

However, a change in the city’s storage requirements for recreational vehicles caused near panic after a local newspaper reported that the city was trying to reduce the number of RVs and boats people could keep on their property.

Many people showed up at the Tuesday planning meeting with the mistaken idea that, under the new code, every RV in a residential neighborhood would have to be parked in a garage.

Manteca resident Dave Wampler, who said he skipped his 25th wedding anniversary to attend the meeting, told the planning commission he had bought his house because it had a place to store an RV and he could not understand why the city would take away that ability.

“What is wrong with you people Do you have nothing better to do You should all be ashamed of yourself for something like this,” Wampler told the commission. “I don’t get it. Is it not America any more”

In fact, the change put forward by city planners would require RVs to be parked at least as far from the street as the front door. The existing law says an RV can be parked as close to the street as the city’s minimum front-lawn setback, which in most cases is 20 feet.

RV owners whose homes sit farther from the street than the city requires would have had to move their vehicles back several feet under the change, planning manager Kathy Wold said, but increasing setbacks was not the intent.

City code-enforcement officer Greg Baird had suggested the change, Wold said, because he thought the existing code language was unclear.

Most of the people who showed up at the meeting, however, were uncertain about what was being changed.

Dozens of people stepped forward to declare their outrage about rumors they’d heard and to ask the planning commission to explain what was being changed and why. Applause and cheers from the crowd followed most of the comments.

Their questions remained unanswered for nearly 1½ hours, because commission chair Brian Gookins said he wanted to hear everyone from the public before he had city planners respond.

Finally, planning head Kyle Kollar suggested that if planners were allowed to explain the change, people would probably have fewer questions about it.

But questions and protests continued after Wold’s brief and sometimes confusing explanation. Kollar then suggested throwing out the change to the RV parking code because it was not worth the controversy.

“If this is going to cause community uproar, I’m not sure it’s worth going through,” Kollar said, to enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.

The planning commission voted unanimously to scrap any changes to the code governing recreational vehicle parking. They postponed other code changes on the agenda until their July 24 meeting.

Most of the audience went away satisfied, but the level of outrage and mistrust residents showed at the meeting suggested that RV parking in the city was already a sore spot.

Many people who spoke to the commission complained about items they thought were proposed changes to the code, but which had been written into the law for years.

For example, a provision that allows residents to keep just one RV or boat or trailer outside a garage has been on the books since 2002 and will remain active after Tuesday’s meeting.

Residents also complained that a code change would prohibit trucks weighing more than 8,000 pounds from parking in residential neighborhoods. That item, too, has been on the books since 2002, though it would have been eased by the proposed code change.

The proposal would have made regular pickups exempt from the 8,000-pound limit.

n Comment on this story at www.sunpost.net, or to reach Sun Post reporter Ben Marrone, call 239-6351, ext. 305, or e-mail bmarrone@sunpost.net.

Retired couple packs life into RV to seek new adventures

Retired couple packs life into RV to seek new adventures



Ralph and Gisela Jones sit in their RV with their 9-year-old German shepherd, Gretchen.


For Gisela and Ralph Jones, retirement means selling their house, moving into a motor home and setting off across the U.S. for new adventures.
Once Ralph retires in November, the couple will travel the country in their recreational vehicle, visiting every region from Florida to Alaska.

"I love Frederick but there's so much of this country that's beautiful that we haven't seen," Ralph said.

Although they love the area, they have no family here, Gisela said. The couple has four grown children who have scattered across the country from Connecticut to Idaho.

"Our family is all over the place," she said.

Their first trip will be to Kentucky to spend Thanksgiving with their daughter's family.

They have been going on camping trips for around 20 years. In the last five years, they have planned their move into a motor home, researching their options and talking to people who live full-time in RVs.

The Joneses are part of a group called "Escapees," which helps full-time RV-ers get started and stay connected with other full-timers.

As members of Escapees and similar networks, they get discounted rates at some camping sites and camp free at others.

They will do some work camping as well. They get to live free at several campsites in exchange for working at the registration office, cleaning the bath houses or doing other jobs.

After Thanksgiving, they will move for three months to Disneyworld, where they can work part-time and camp for free. They will get unlimited access to the parks and several free passes so they can take their grandchildren to the park.

"They think it's great," said Gisela, who looks forward to spending more time with her grandchildren.

From there, the Joneses will loop around the U.S. for a year, with stops planned in Texas, the Grand Canyon (the place Ralph most wants to see), and Idaho. Then they will head back east, returning to Frederick briefly next fall.

They haven't planned how long they will spend in any one place, or where exactly they will go.

"There's a lot to see you don't know anything about," Gisela said. "We may stay a week, we may stay a few days."

They plan to buy a new 40-foot motor home with all the amenities of a house, including a bed, kitchen, sofa, entertainment system, and a washer and dryer.

They will miss their friends in Frederick, where they have lived for 22 years, they said.

But "there's plenty of people out there that are waiting to be our friends," Ralph said.

It will be a unique experience, he said. In the past, "we've always had a home to come back to."

This time, they'll be taking their home with them, wherever they decide to go.

Parking can take the fun out RV ownership

Parking can take the fun out RV ownership

The former Marine base at El Toro has become a haven for oversized vehicles, but as park development progresses, they will have to move.
By Tony Barboza, Times Staff Writer
June 25, 2007


Bill Kogerman used to land his F-8 Crusader fighter jet on the runways of El Toro Marine base when he was stationed there in the 1960s and '70s.

These days, the retired Marine lieutenant colonel lives in Laguna Hills and is a member of Orange County's Great Park board of directors. He uses the same runway as a parking spot for his 35-foot, blue and white, dolphin-decaled recreational vehicle.

"It's nostalgic, but I did it mostly for the convenience," he said.

Kogerman is not alone. The expansive runways and taxiways of the former Marine base have become landing spots for more than 2,300 RVs, boats and a few cars.

At a time when many Southern California cities are banning RV parking on their streets — even in driveways — Irvine is welcoming Winnebagos, Coachmen and Holiday Ramblers to the ample stretches of concrete that are slated for demolition to make way for the 1,300-acre Great Park.

For $1.7 million a year, the city since 2005 has leased part of the runway space to All Star Services as a 55- to 65-acre parking lot. The company also leases acreage from Lennar Corp., which is developing the commercial and residential properties. The Orange County Great Park Corp. uses the money to maintain the grounds as it starts its massive transformation.

RV and storage industry experts said it may be the largest motor home storage facility in the country, and it has attracted RV owners from as far as Nevada, Wyoming and Germany.

"I've never seen anything even close to this size," said Bob Lee, 67, as he looked down a seemingly unending line of RVs parked in slanted rows. Lee, a transit supervisor from Mission Viejo, pays $145 a month to park his 34-foot Winnebago Adventurer on a former taxiway, taking it on weekend trips up the coast.

Irvine leases other parts of the base for recycling, strawberry and bean farming, and even test-car driving, but RV storage is the most lucrative, providing most of the $2.7 million the park brings in each year.

"We are trying to be good stewards of what we have and generate as much revenue as we can to offset our expenses," said Rod Cooper, operations manager for the Great Park Corp.

If all goes as planned, most of the base, which closed eight years ago, will be demolished, then sculpted, planted and irrigated into one of the largest municipal parks in the country, at an expected cost of more than $1 billion. The park will feature a tethered helium balloon ride, a man-made canyon, orchards and sports fields encircled by 3,600 houses and condos, along with commercial areas.

Those who park their RVs at the base say they'll be in a pinch to find another place to store their vehicles. "It's going to be quite chaotic," said Marti Rogna, manager of All Star Services. "I don't even want to think about it at this point."

California law prohibits street parking of oversized vehicles for more than 72 hours at a stretch. Twenty-two Orange County cities, including Irvine, have ordinances that further restrict RV and boat parking.

"It's an eyesore," said Larry Herman, a councilman in La Palma, which banned parked RVs and boats on the street or in driveways. The ordinance "really has improved the appearance of our city. You can look down the streets now and you don't see the big 35- and 40-footers people have today."

After La Palma's 2005 ban, residents of neighboring Buena Park started noticing more RVs moving onto their streets. This week the City Council will debate whether to enact its own ban.

"There's a definite sense that people are getting chased out," said Sue Bray, executive director of the Good Sam Club, a national RV owners group. "We don't want our streets to become storage lots, but with building going the way it is, a lot of people just don't have space to keep an RV even if it is permitted to be there."

Some owners are bracing for a run on space elsewhere when the El Toro RVs are given 30-day notice to leave. Some are considering heading to the Inland Empire or as far as Arizona to find a suitable spot for a reasonable price.

Irvine officials say they would like to keep the RVs around at least three more years. But there are no guarantees; the current contract runs through September.

Rogna, the lot manager, said her customers' top concern seems to be the future of their spaces. "They're always asking, 'How much longer?' "

Developers get green flag to sell RV lots near speedway

Developers get green flag to sell RV lots near speedway



Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier
This area at the Race Day Center condominiums has been prepared complete with electric and sewer hookups. Bristol Motor Speedway is just across the street.





BRISTOL, Tenn. – A unique zoning law has opened the door for recreational vehicle parking near Bristol Motor Speedway and created financial opportunities for developers, the city and Sullivan County.

Bristol Tennessee City Council late Tuesday unanimously approved a Recreation Vehicle Development District to accommodate the influx of RVs near Bristol Motor Speedway during racing events.

A representative for one local developer tossed out a preliminary site proposal before council members had time to vote.

Mike Hamlin, attorney for Bristol’s Interstate Development Co., displayed a preliminary drawing of a lot that would be behind Race Day Center condominiums across Volunteer Parkway from BMS.

"Some have views of the speedway; others do not," Hamlin said of the lots. "But we expect a median price of about $75,000 given that we will have buyers with financial means.

"We expect these people will be downtown and at restaurants making a financial contribution to the city."

Interstate Development officials were not available for comment on Wednesday, and it is not known how many lots might be placed on the site.

Electric and sewer hookups already are installed, while marked, rectangle tracts are awaiting buyers.

Bob Icenhour, Sullivan County’s property assessor, said the company has planned an RV development at that location for some time. He also said the company stands to make "a bundle of money" when the land is subdivided.

"An acre is selling for more than $124,000 out there," he said. "So when you think about selling a piece of ground about the size of a motor home for $75,000 – yeah, they’ll be making out."

Icenhour said both the city and county also will benefit.

At a market value of $75,000, the county-assessed tax each year would be $474.38, and the city’s assessed tax would be $453.75. Combined, lot owners would pay $928.13 in property taxes. But such fees won’t unsettle RV owners, Icenhour said.

"The RV people [will] drive a half-million-dollar motor home up there," he said. "I don’t think they’re going to worry about the cost of a lot, and they’re only there a couple times a year."

Icenhour said RV owners are not necessarily getting special treatment.

"There’s no favoritism to it," he said. "If they [developers] can sell the lots instead of rent them, why not?"

For about two years, city staff looked at ways to develop regulations that would allow the sale of privately owned RV sites near the speedway.

"In this instance, all internal streets will be private, but each site, or lot, will have infrastructure hookups or access," said Mike Sparks, deputy city manager/development. "And the recreational vehicles must have full kitchen and bathroom facilities internal to the vehicle."

Sparks said he and his staff looked at a similar development near Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C.

"We used ideas from there and from resorts in Asheville, N.C., and the Florida coastal area," he said.

After researching the issue, city staff decided to place some restrictions on the developments.

Occupancy of any individual lot in an RV development must be vacated each year for a minimum of 90 consecutive days. In addition, RVs cannot occupy the purchased lot for more than 30 consecutive days, according to the new zoning ordinance.

Similar districts are in place at NASCAR tracks in Richmond and Fort Worth, Texas, said Kevin Triplett, BMS vice president of public affairs.

"Given the parameters, this is not unusual," he said. "RV use varies from track to track. Most are similar, and they [tracks] are generally located miles outside the city, and we are too."

Bristol Mayor Jim Messimer said the city wanted to accommodate the RVs at racing events, but did not want to create a permanent campground.

"This is a first," he said. "There’s still a lot of land out there near the speedway, but the majority of that right now is for camping. They [RVs] have been parking at several locations. This is a step to make a place for them, but it also keeps them from having a permanent home. We don’t want to create trailer parks."

The lots fall under the city zoning ordinance’s special-use provision within general business and planned business districts.

The developments must be a minimum of two acres with a maximum density of 13 units per acre. It’s the same density permitted for multifamily residential development.

ggray@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2512

http://www.tricities.com/tristate/tri/news.apx.-content-articles-TRI-2007-06-21-0007.html

Developer ditches plans to replace Bayview RV park

Developer ditches plans to replace Bayview RV park
Jessica Meyers
Staff writer
June 7, 2007

Frank Bixenstein just found out he might be able to keep his view of Lake Pend Oreille and the Coeur d’Alene Mountains – the scene that gives Bayview its name.

A developer has scrapped his plans to replace the 32-slot View of the Bay Mobile Home and RV Park with condominiums. Instead, Hayden developer Bob Holland has put the Bayview property up for sale for $1.6 million.

Last fall, park residents like Bixenstein were handed eviction notices and told they’d have to move by the end of this September.


Now, that may not be necessary, although no one can say what a new owner might choose to do, given the ever-increasing value of lake-view property.

“The sale was not expected,” said Bixenstein who spends almost every weekend in Bayview and feared losing the $14,500 he spent on an early 1970s trailer that is now too old to move to another park. “I feel better if it did sell and somebody was to buy it and leave the trailers there,” he said, already planning to remodel the deck and cover it with a roof.

Holland, who owns Waterford Park Homes LLC, has invested in numerous developments in Bayview and remains a controversial figure in the town located off the southwestern tip of Lake Pend Oreille.

As The Spokesman-Review has previously reported his plan to build a new marina at Bayview was stymied, and Holland was fined, when the Idaho Department of Lands halted the project due to damage caused to a kokanee salmon spawning bed.

Holland declined to be interviewed.

Waterford Marinas manager Tina Arendt, who coordinates Holland’s Bayview properties, denied widespread speculation in the town that the sale of the trailer park has anything to do with financial difficulties.

“We have a lot of projects going on that are higher priority” than redeveloping the trailer park land, she said.

Holland has previously talked of developing the Harborview Marina, formerly the Bayview Marina, with high-rise, multi-unit condominiums. Waterford Park Homes paid just over a million dollars for the Bayview trailer park two years ago, the newspaper previously reported.

Arendt said Holland plans to continue that project when his permit is renewed. He also plans to redevelop the nearby Vista Bay Marina, Arendt said.

And although Holland considered selling the company’s Scenic Motel property in Bayview, it is not on the market.

Hobart Jenkins, chairman of Bayview Chamber of Commerce’s Development Analysis Committee, is among Holland’s critics and among those wondering what the developer plans next.

“I think he is in some degree of financial pressure,” Jenkins said.

He cited 22 violations by Holland’s company in a year and a half including evading zoning rules and failing to report sewage leaks.

“He doesn’t think he can get approval for the grand plans that he had for Bayview within the line of credit that he has,” Jenkins speculated.

It is unclear what will come of the sale of the trailer park. Paul Scott, the Coldwell Banker Realtor handling the property, said the key location has garnered it attention with at least six possible investors.

Even residents are expressing interest. Bixenstein, 60, said there is discussion among tenets of forming a co-op and buying shares. Most residents pay $335 a month for a slot and consider these homes their summer getaway. Bixenstein pays an additional $20 monthly for his lake view. “I would be on the train if they decide to [buy] it,” he said, “but I don’t think everyone would do it or could afford that much.”

Half the park has already left. Retired Air Force Col. Skip Wilcox, 71, is one of the people who moved in anticipation of September’s eviction. “I’m not happy because I had to sign a lease on a new house and it would be difficult to get out of a lease here,” he said.

But he’s not sold on going back, even if he could.

“We don’t know what the new owner will do or who it will be,” Wilcox said. “We just hope Holland sells it to someone not in his hip-pocket.”

RV sale lures road warriors to fairgrounds

RV sale lures road warriors to fairgrounds
By RICK GERSHMAN
Published June 4, 2007



TAMPA - They came from all over to attend the sale. Couples from Lakeland and Sarasota. A man from Spring Hill. One family from a suburb of Gainesville.

But then, if you're looking for a deal on a recreational vehicle, you probably don't mind doing a little driving.

Sunday afternoon was the final day of the RV Super Sale at the Florida State Fairgrounds, and potential buyers browsed the offerings throughout the Expo Hall.

Why buy a vehicle that doubles as a home?

Beth and Charlie Wimbry, plan to tour Canada this summer.

Larry Daniel plans to take his grandkids on a tour of the Southeast.

And Sarah and Jonathan Kroeger, longtime road travelers with cross-country plans approaching, just want an upgrade.

That's why the practically palatial, 40-foot Gulf Stream Scenic Cruiser caught their eye.

The Kroegers, 60-something retirees from Land O'Lakes, enjoyed their tour through the 2005 Gulf Stream.

"She's a dream, " Jonathan Kroeger said.

But the listed sale price - a little less than $220, 000, down from the listed "suggested retail" of about $280, 000 - was a bit out of the couple's ballpark. So they kept shopping.

And then, the obvious question: With gas prices topping $3 per gallon, hasn't driving around the country in a home-sized vehicle become rather expensive?

"It requires some changes in your budgeting, and where you go, and figuring where's worth going, but this is what we do, " Sarah Kroeger said. "I want to see the Great Stalacpipe Organ in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley this year.

"And if gas is $10 a gallon. then we're still d--- well going to do it."

Boat and RV sales not suffering, despite high gas prices

Boat and RV sales not suffering, despite high gas prices
5/30/2007 4:18 PM
By: Jessica Mokhiber







-- Click to Watch Video --
Boat and RV sales
Temperatures are rising, and more and more people are going to be heading out on their boats and in their RVs for the summer. But with the gas prices rising, are sales of boats and RVs slowing down? Jessica Mokhiber caught up with some people, whose answers may surprise you.




It costs more these days to get to where you're going, and not just for cars. With gas prices at near-record highs, it also costs more for boaters and people with RVs to fill up.

Dockside Landing Boat and Yacht Owner Craig Merrell said, "First of all, it's on the news channels on a daily basis."

So you may think that less people are boating. But it seems that's not the case.

Boat N RV Warehouse owner Geoffrey Hoffman said, "It's more a conversation people have in our showroom. People talk about gas prices, but it doesn't affect a recreational purchase."

"People are still coming in. People are still coming in on vacation. People still need to get away and enjoy themselves, and getting out on the water is one of the best ways to do that," said Merrell.

Hoffman, who also sells RVs, said gas prices haven't slowed down those sales either, but he thinks people may drive them less.

"Maybe on an RV, they'll leave it on the campground at the site more than they'll tow it around," Hoffman said.

But he agrees with Merrell and said in this day and age, people need their leisure time, and he thinks that's why gas prices aren't slowing down sales.

"We work really hard, and it's a stressed-out society these days, and people put a premium on their leisure time, and they work really hard for it," said Hoffman.

Merrell said, "All in all though, for experienced boaters, and people who love to boat, I don't think gas prices have affected things too much this year."

RV Campgrounds Full Despite High Gas Prices

RV Campgrounds Full Despite High Gas Prices
By Josh Hinkle, Reporter


Watch Video




LINN COUNTY - The nation is still guzzling gas, despite it’s high price. The national average per gallon is $3.20. Iowa's average is even higher at $3.29.

Instead of going the distance this summer and continuously filling up, many travelers are saying goodbye to their cars and hello to an RV.

Joe and Pearl Coder say they found the right spot to vacation, only a few miles from their home. Squaw Creek Campground is just outside Cedar Rapids, and it kept them from spending their savings on gas.

County campgrounds are full and we found many of the RVers, like the coders, are also not far from home for the same reason.

It hasn't slowed everyone. Gary Ketelsen owns Ketelsen RV and sales have hit a record high, 10 percent higher than last year when gas was much cheaper. Even RV rentals are up.

"We're finding that two families are going in together to cut expenses in half," said Ketelsen.

Piloting one of these portables can be expensive. Some only get 8 miles per gallon of gas. And the rentals can run you $2,000 for a week. But, if you are going the distance, it will save on hotel costs.

While the Coders are enjoying their vacation very close to home, they say the price at the pump won't prevent them from visiting their son in New Orleans nearly a thousand miles away at the end up the summer.

They do hope the price at the pump goes down by then. But, travel agents we spoke with in the area Tuesday say the Coders are not alone.

Despite the high gas costs, most people aren't canceling their trips, especially if it's something they've had planned for a while.


http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/7734472.html

Angry RV owners flood Lethbridge meeting

Angry RV owners flood Lethbridge meeting
Last Updated: Tuesday, May 29, 2007 | 11:27 AM MT
CBC News


Lethbridge aldermen will take nearly a month to mull over a proposed bylaw limiting recreational vehicle parking in the southern Alberta city.

None of the approximately 75 people who spoke at Monday's public hearing was in favour of the changes, which would limit the amount of time RV owners can park a motor home in a driveway or backyard.

The bylaw, which aldermen will vote on June 25, would force owners to move their vehicles after 48 hours or face fines and possibly jail.

Upset motorhome owners said Monday that the changes violated their rights to store what they want on their property.

"Clearly I acknowledge that I've struck a nerve," said city solicitor Doug Hudson, who authored the proposed bylaw.

In the leadup to the public hearing, more than 330 people wrote letters opposing the bylaw outright, compared to just 30 supporting documents.

Lamar VP Lives in RV

Lamar VP Lives in RV
Jennifer Heathcock
May 23, 2007 - 7:41PM


The drive to and from work can be stressful for many of us, but a Lamar University administrator has found an alternative to the hassle of dealing with rush hour traffic--he's a V-P who lives in an R-V.

It's not your typical RV park.
Dr. Barry Johnson parked and set up 7 years ago, on campus.
"I want to be here close by and be accessible."
Living in an RV at Lamar serves a larger purpose for Dr. Johnson. He wants to be closer to the student body.

"I do this voluntarily. I don't have to live on campus, it's not part of my job description."

But most don't know who lives in the RV.
Johnson wants to be at Lamar if there's an emergency.
"I heard sirens, looked out and saw the flames."

And he was on campus when a residence hall under construction caught fire. The VP wants to be able to deflect the heat from Lamar University President Dr. Jimmy Simmons.

"Don't want him to walk out in the morning, at 6 o'clock in the morning, see the newspaper and the media's on his front steps and he doesn't know what's going on."
Even the students agree it's a good idea.

"Yeah, I think it's an advantage because it makes us feel like he's one of us."
They say Dr. Johnson fits in with the students and better understands them.
Being in touch with the student body is his job, full time.
Even when he's at home.
Dr. Johnson and his wife have a home in Wildwood, North of Beaumont, and often drive the RV back home.


http://www.kfdm.com/news/lamar_20561___article.html/johnson_don.html

High Gas Prices Keeping Some RV Owners Closer to Home

High Gas Prices Keeping Some RV Owners Closer to Home

May 23, 2007 05:20 AM MDT



OREGON -- The first big camping weekend of the year is just a few days away. So now that gasoline is in the $3.50 range, and diesel fuel not far behind, are people heading out or staying home? We checked Maumee Bay State Park, and found a lot of people with plans to camp this summer, but reservations about what high gas prices will do to their season.

Kathy Kazmarski of Sylvania is getting around the pinch at the pump because her RV has gas left over from a winter trip to Florida. Even if she and her husband did have to fill up, they'd still be here. "We spent a lot of money to buy a motor home and I'm not going to let it sit in a storage area," said Kazmarski. "You buy it to use it."

As Memorial Day weekend approaches, Maumee Bay State Park Assistant Manager Steve Stibaner predicts only bad weather will keep people away. "We only have 24 walk-in sites and as of today, we only have 2 left," said Stibaner. "A lot of people are still coming out and we expect a full campground this weekend."

But Alan Belle of Genoa, who's staying with friends in their RV this week, has already made adjustments on his summer camping schedule. If gas stays around $3.48 a gallon for regular, it would cost about $260 to fill up a 75-gallon RV tank. "We had a nice trip planned for Colorado Springs and by the time we paid for gas for two people, it would be round trip around $800," said Belle. "So we figured we can fly and get cheap flights out there for half of that probably."

Belle's friend Bob Meilink is paying about 70 cents less per gallon because his RV is fueled by diesel. But even though he's a full-time camper, he's staying local. "We were going to go east, but now we're going to stay here and just spend the summer here at home and head back west in the fall, hoping the prices are better," said Meilink.

Gas is now more expensive than any other time in history. Analysts blame increased demand and lower refinery capacity for the jump in fuel prices.

Posted by AEB

RV owners happy with camping experience

RV owners happy with camping experience
The Edmonton Journal

TORONTO - A total of 97 per cent of RV owners are satisfied with their RVing experience, says a study released by Go RVing Canada.

"Coming into the long weekend we are thrilled that our customers are telling an independent study that they love their RV experience," Catherine Fortin Major, Go RVing public affairs director. "This really supports all kinds of positive anecdotal evidence we have been hearing for the last year on showroom floors and in campgrounds."

The 2007 National Ownership Study was conducted as part of Go RVing's 2007 National Market Assessment Report conducted by MRP Market Research Inc. The report was based on major national Internet panel and 3,176 individual interview conducted nationwide.

Survey respondents were asked the question: Considering everything about RVing, how satisfied are you with the RV lifestyle?

"Interestingly, women were slightly more apt to be completely satisfied with the experience than men, but the difference is only a few percentage points," Fortin Major said.

The satisfaction rates come on the heels of marketing studies that demonstrate that RV ownership is more broad-based than ever with the overall percentage of household ownership increasing to some 14 per cent of Canadian households.

"Canadians have really endorsed the RV lifestyle in the past decade. The freedom, flexibility and family experience are all factors impacting the shift to RV ownership of choosing the RV and camping lifestyle," said Fortin Major.

The Go RVing coalition was formed in 1997, and consists of RV manufacturers, RV dealers and campground operators. The coalition serves as the Canadian RV camping industry ambassador to provide the public and media with information about the benefits of RV travel. The coalition also seeks to enhance consumer information and satisfaction with the RV experience.

The coalition is working hard to get the message about RVing out to the Canadian public. The Go RVing advertising campaign has increased from $250,000 in 1997 to more than $2 million this year.

"We have seen a dramatic shift in consumers choosing the RV lifestyle and that has been accompanied by all-time record high brand awareness and brand recall," says Marty Bloemberg, chairman of the Go RVing board. "Indeed, brand awareness has more than tripled since 1999 when we first began measuring Go RVing results."

For more information please visit GoRVing.ca.

Walker citizens to decide on new RV park

Walker citizens to decide on new RV park
by Dean Morrill, Editor
The Pilot-Independent
Last Updated: Wednesday, May 16th, 2007 04:20:46 PM


Walker citizens will have a chance to make their opinions known on whether an RV park at the corner of Highway 371 and 34 is good for the community.
But before a public hearing can be held, the council passed a motion requesting the planning and zoning board change the ordinance and allow for a public hearing.
The date for the public hearing was discussed, with the June 4 council meeting the likely date it would be held.
Gary Wilkening, who was sworn in at the beginning of the council meeting, said this is something the city needs and agreed with Jeff Kellogg, who made the proposal, that it is an ideal site.
"Let's put it out there for the people to have a comment on," Wilkening said of beginning a process to amend the ordinance to allow the RV park.
John Fjelstul agreed, seconding the motion while also adding it would be good for the community.
Kellogg brought plans for a self-contained RV park, which would be operated through AmericInn to the May 7 council meeting, a proposal that was also made last year but voted down under a different council. The 13, 10-by-30 foot landscaped sites would only include electricity and be for only short-term stops.
"We feel there is a need and it is a great location," said Kellogg, who added this park would be a way RV owners could stop, stay a few days and help the economy.

In other city business, the council
Decided to extend the sanitary sewer from the Nelson property south to the Walker Area Community Center. The cost of the project was estimated at about $16,000.
The council also approved a change order in the amount of $355,370.45 to revise the Tower Avenue and Second Street project bid to reflect the changes to end Tower Avenue at Division Street.
Another aspect of the project included a partial payment of $29,388.60 to Aspen Construction for the Tower Avenue remobilization fees. The council agreed this was the best course after the project was stopped because of the artifact dig site.
Approved payment of $10,100 to Landecker & Associates for the Tower Avenue street project.
Passed a motion to send an estimated $1.1 million Walker Airport project out to bid. The start date is expected to be around Aug. 20, which would close the airport for a few weeks in September and October.
The Airport Fund has about $380,000, with the remaining amount expected to come from a federal grant the city has to apply for.
Approved a conditional use permit for the construction of a 11,240 square foot Memory Care Facility at May Creek Lodge. The city said owners Ann Noland and John Rogen would need to meet the conditions set forth for additional parking and a water retention pond to allow for stormwater retention.
Approved a request from Brad Spry of State Farm Insurance to hold an open house celebration at its office and parking lot June 1.
The tent will be put up the morning of the open house in the parking lot in front of the insurance building and behind Orton's BP, and taken down the same day.
Heard from Orv Rosenberry who thanked the council for allowing the volunteer tax committee to use the Fire Hall to prepare and file more than 359 electronic tax forms.
Approved Olson Electric to install new bulbs on the City Park pole lights and repair lens at a cost of $660.
Approved Landecker & Associates, the city's business firm, to prepare the SWPPP for the Walker Industrial Park, meet with Minnesota Pollution Control and meet the proper National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit requirement at a cost of $7,920.
Purchased a 16-foot boot and 15 horsepower motor for $800 so city employees can put in and take out the city's docks instead of hiring someone. The city still needs to purchase a trailer for the boat and motor.
Approved the Walker Cemetery Board's recommendation to amend the cemetery rates.
Shortly before 9 p.m. and after business was discussed, the council closed the meeting so they could discuss a pending lawsuit and strategy with a lawyer from Minnesota's Cities.

Retired military buddies meet up for Hutch RV rally

Retired military buddies meet up for Hutch RV rally


By Jon Ruhlen

The Hutchinson News


jruhlen@hutchnews.com

War united them once. Now, the bond they developed on the battlefield has found a new place to thrive - on the road.



Joe 'Bud' Fagan and his wife, Eileen, stand in front of their RV at the Kansas State Fairgrounds. Fagan, a retired Navy warrant officer, and his wife drove from San Diego with another couple to attend the SMART National Muster. Photo by Jon Ruhlen.


About 300 retired military members from across the country are expected to attend the 2007 SMART National Muster RV rally in Hutchinson.

Their shared experiences during at least 20 years of military life combined with their love of the road gives the group a unique connection, said Vietnam veteran Gary Allen.

No one who hasn't been to war understands the bond between men who face death together, said Vietnam veteran Gary Allen.

"And, it's a good excuse to get out of the house," he added.

The rally begins Thursday at the Kansas State Fairgrounds, but RVs have already started to trickle into town.

Allen started his career in the Nebraska Army National Guard at age 17 for reasons both patriotic and personal.

"Quite honestly, I joined the Guard to impress a couple of girls," he said.

What started out as a two-hour drill once a month morphed into a career that took up "24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year for 36 years," Allen said.

His military career included a tour in Vietnam in 1969 as a second lieutenant in charge of an infantry platoon in the 23rd Infantry Division.

Allen said one of the good things about SMART is that it presents a chance to run into old Army buddies.

"Life becomes a little different after retirement," he said. "It becomes a little more important to see these guys when you retire."

After retirement, the traditional rivalries between the branches of service become nothing more than a source of good-natured ribbing, as do the differences in rank.

Allen, a retired Army colonel, rubs shoulders with Elmer Denning, a retired Air Force chief master sergeant.

Denning is a longtime Hutchinson resident and former assistant general manager of the state fair.

Or, Allen can exchange greetings with Joe "Bud" Fagan, who was in charge of maintenance of fighter squadrons for the Navy at the end of his 27-year career.

Although they may have carried rifles across the highlands of Central Vietnam or worked on fighter jets on aircraft carriers, the SMART members plan to spend their time at local attractions such as the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center or the Kansas Underground Salt Museum.

Fagan, who drove from San Diego with his wife, Eileen, was at the fairgrounds Monday.

"I think it's a neat town," he said. "And it would be a great place to raise a family."

Blood drive

SMART and the American Red Cross are hosting a blood drive during the National Muster.

Hutchinson residents can give blood from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Sunflower North Building at the Kansas State Fairgrounds.

Donors must be in general good health, weigh at least 110 pounds and be 17 years old. Individuals 16 years old may donate if they have a signed parental consent form, available at www.bloodgiveslife.org.

Donors are asked to bring their donor card or a picture identification.

Union considers limits on RV parking

Union considers limits on RV parking

By Eric Reinagel
Press & Sun-Bulletin
UNION -- The town board is exploring the possibility of limiting where and how long recreational vehicles, or RVs, can be parked in the town.

Town officials have recently received a rash of calls from people complaining about neighbors parking RVs in residential driveways for extended periods of time.

Councilwoman Rose Sotak said at a recent work session that one Union resident complained, "I don't live in a campground."

Sotak said she is not surprised by the complaints.

"I drive by a couple, and I can understand why some people are calling. Some of these are really, really big," Sotak said.

The town currently has no restrictions on RVs, although boats must be 10 feet from property lines, said Steve Rafferty, Union code enforcement official.

Board members discussed limiting how long RVs could be parked in certain areas of the town, but made no formal decision.

Councilman Michael Arcangeli suggested the town ask people to move RVs if they get complaints.

The board also discussed restricting the length of time portable-on-demand storage (PODS) could be on a property. A resident would have to get a permit to build a storage shed, but does not currently need a permit to use PODS, Rafferty said.

Paul Hudson, Union's director of community development, suggested changing town policy to require residents to buy a 30-day permit in order to place PODS on their property. No formal decision was made, however, at the work session.

Car + bus + RV + building = bad news

Car + bus + RV + building = bad news




Fourteen people were injured in a bizarre chain-reaction accident in the Third Ward yesterday involving a Trans Am, a Metro bus, an RV and a brake shop. It happened just after 5 p.m. as the bus was headed south on Dowling Street; while it was crossing the intersection at Pierce, a Trans Am headed east on Pierce ran a red light and slammed into the bus. The crash sent the bus careening off into the parking lot of the brake shop, where it hit an RV. The bus and RV then crashed into the wall of the brake shop, causing it to collapse. Among those injured were the Trans Am driver, the bus driver, some passengers on the bus and a brake shop employee who was hit by falling bricks when the wall collapsed.

Travis Jones, a passerby, stopped and helped one of the people in the Trans Am: "I just stopped the car and got out and ran over to him, and a guy was coming up with a knife, cutting the seatbelt lose and jerking him out of there and pulled him away from the car," Jones told KHOU. "He was screaming and hollering that his leg was broke, and I mean it was twisted pretty bad." Metro spokesman George Smalley said none of the injuries were too bad: "The good news in this is that nobody was more seriously injured," he said. Witnesses reported that the Trans Am ran the light, which indicates that the bus driver wasn't at fault. Police haven't issued any citations yet, but Metro will run a drug test on the bus driver as part of a routine investigation into the accident.

Move that RV

Move that RV
Clarington looks at ban from driveways

May 9, 2007
By Jennifer Stone
More from this author

CLARINGTON -- Homeowners... move that RV.

Clarington is looking at a zoning bylaw amendment that could make it illegal to park recreational vehicles in residential driveways.

"We would never allow someone to build a fence that is 12 or 15 feet high," said Ward 1 councillor Adrian Foster. "Using your driveway to store these large things is not something I think is acceptable to the vast majority of our residents."

Even campers and seasonal or off-road vehicles such as four-wheelers or snowmobiles, will be considered in the review.

But those who already have such items onsite may have a reprieve of sorts.

"While new zoning restrictions may correct future problems, they will not be able to address current issues," said a report to Clarington's General Purpose and Administration Committee. "Properties currently possessing these vehicles would have legal non-conforming status."

Staff has been directed to do more research and hold a public meeting, then present findings to council.