RV Home Yet?

Tour vintage trailers in Palm Springs

2010-02-08T16:34:22-08:00

As part of Modernism Week in Palm Springs a number of vintage Airstream trailers will be on display and open for tour. The events for Modernism Week run from February 11 - 21. The vintage Airstreams other vintage trailers will be on display throughout the Ace Hotel Grounds, from Friday, 2/19 at 4 pm, until Sunday 2/ 21 at noon. There is no cost to view the exteriors; a $10 fee will include a tour of the interiors.

One of the Airstreams will be exhibited by Kristiana Spaulding. Ms. Spaulding has purchased and redecorated several Airstreams and now rents them out. In addition, she makes jewelry. She will have her 1962 Airstream Bambi 16-footer, named “Norma” on display. You can read Norma's story and see photos at her Web site.

Check the Modernism Week for more events. For more of a description of the vintage trailer display, see this article.

It sounds like a fun event. If we were RVing in the area, we'd stop by. It's always neat to see how people have decorated these vintage trailers. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

How can I Workamp in my RV when I'm too chicken to tow a car?

2010-02-07T19:36:12-08:00

This was contributed by J.J. Dippel, solo RVer who travels "toadless" in her Class C with her cat.

RV’s that are Class A, B, or C present a situation that can be an issue for RV travel. Once you are parked and “hooked up,” you have no means to go anywhere involving a considerable distance unless you tow a car. Towing a car, even for convenience, brings on other challenges and headaches.

I have traveled in a Class C since 2004, and I’m still too chicken to tow a car (called a towed vehicle or "toad"). I carry an electric scooter that can go 25 miles on a charge, but even that presents limitations as to which types of roads I can travel on. But nonetheless, in 2009, I decided I was ready to try Workamping anyway. Adrienne Kristine was my inspiration. If she can do it, I can do it! The only difference between Adrienne and me is that she is a full-timer, and I’m a part-timer (and I travel with a pet).

Workamping encompasses both paid and volunteer positions. For purposes of this article, my Workamping was volunteer. I participated in two wonderful opportunities.

During May of 2009, I served as a camp host at a state park in my home state. The closest laundry facility was three miles away at what was generally a “gas station stop.” Even worse, the closest good grocery store was 30 miles away, although you could get a few “convenience items” at the same “gas station stop” where the laundry facilities were located. The big issues for this opportunity were food and laundry, which required some strategic planning.

During July and August of 2009, I served as an interpretive host at a federal facility in Kentucky. I had a very nice RV site, and it was within walking distance of the work site. Further, free laundry facilities were provided at this location. Best yet, I had a schedule with days off. The challenges to this assignment were food and entertainment.

Following are the ways I addressed the “challenges” to each volunteer assignment...

J.J. managed at both assignments. To read how and the rest of the article, go to RVLifestyleExperts.com. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Telling stories in Tucson

2010-02-05T18:27:04-08:00

We are in Tucson for a week. Fortunately we have a social director in the person of DeAnna, our friend who now travels only part time with her husband, Al. DeAnna loves the culture in Tucson and let us know about a storytelling event that takes place monthly at the Congress Hotel in downtown Tucson. The series is called Odyssey, and is a program of StoryArtsGroup, Inc. The theme for February? Exposed: Naked in Public.

Lest you be horrified (or disappointed), the storytellers were not naked. Their stories were about times they were exposed - physically or emotionally. Six tellers, plus an impromptu teller, told a variety of stories, each ten minutes long. While not of the same caliber of the tellers who come each year to Pine for the Tellebration (photo), their stories were interesting and revealing, to say the least. This is a popular event - at least this theme was - the place was SRO.

You can reserve a seat if you purchase dinner in the cafe. While DeAnna said it wasn't the best meal, the woman sitting to my right said they had just upgraded the menu and had more choices. She had a ham and cheese grilled sandwich with an egg on top! However, she said the salads looked delicious. Reserved seats were in front and took up more than half the chairs, so it is a good way to be sure you get a seat.

We opted to eat at our favorite Tucson restaurant, Cafe Poca Cosa, just a few blocks away on Pennington. Besides delicious food, the presentation is fabulous. Unfortunately I accidentally deleted the photos I took of our dinners! (At the Web site, click on Passion and you can get a glimpse of a few dishes.) George had Pollo Mole Negra (a chicken mole) and I had Pollo Crema Chili Ahumado. Mine was scrumptious.

The only negative about coming here is that no two day's menus are the same. The chances of finding my dish again are practically nil and I would get it again in a minute. Each meal- lunch and dinner - has a choice of eight items all created that day after the owner/chef, Suzana Davila, shops and decides on the menu. Your server b,rings the menu written on a chalkboard. It changes between lunch and dinner. You can order a single item or a platter with three items. You don't know what the items she'll choose for your platter so if you don't eat beef or pork, it's not a good choice. When you have a group, it's a wonderful way to get a taste of each menu item. The house margaritas were excellent too.

Next month, March 4, the storytelling theme is "New shoes: the fashion show." If you are in the area, you can have a fun evening by attending. Get there at least 20 minutes early to get a seat. Cost is $7 at the door. Don't bring your RV; no parking for large vehicles. We all enjoy a good story and this is a fun way to peek into someone else's life and Tucson culture. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Another city grapples with homeless encampments

2010-02-03T22:01:24-08:00

RV Daily Report today says that another California city is grappling with homeless encampments and deciding whether they should be allowed to continue and in what form. According to MercedStar.com, about half of the residents are registered sex offenders. A committee was appointed by the City Council to investigate this issue and is reporting tonight.

Probably because of all the laws in California, one element they are debating is whether to make the campgrounds, if continued, ADA handicapped accessible!

As one commenter pointed out, regular citizens have to pay their mortgages and for services and don't get help. While I have sympathy for those who have become homeless due to job loss and the economy, sometimes our actions encourage the role of the victim. In some cases, people are better off economically getting handouts than trying to find jobs and taking care of themselves. And, at the same time, some who really need a helping hand, and aren't looking for a career as a welfare recipient, don't receive it.

It is a positive that Merced is looking at the issue and apparently considering the long-term consequences of allowing campgrounds for homeless. RVs aren't mentioned so perhaps this is tent city or a combination of the two. We'll have to see what the council decides after their open meeting tonight. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

U.S. agency in Haiti says "No" to FEMA trailers

2010-02-02T18:44:37-08:00

RV manufacturers and dealers have suggested that, instead of auctioning off thousands of RV trailers that FEMA bought for disasters, they send them to Haiti for shelters. All these trailers on the auction block are expected to reduce demand for the purchase of new RVs. Sending them to Haiti would be a good solution, in their opinion.

According to an article at CanadaEast.com, "The U.S. Agency for International Development, which is co-ordinating American assistance in Haiti, has expressed no interest in sending the trailers to the earthquake-stricken country. FEMA spokesman Clark Stevens declined to comment on the idea and said it was not FEMA's decision to make."

Several victims of formaldehyde poisoning spoke out against the move. "Just go ahead and sign their death certificate," said the son of a woman who contends his mother died from the fumes. A couple of the Haitians interviewed said they did not want them. However, Mississippi state Sen. Billy Hewes said, "If these trailers were good enough for Mississippians, I would think they were good enough for folks down in Haiti as well."

How much formaldehyde the trailers still contain is unknown. FEMA isn't testing them, only making buyers sign a statement that they will not be used for housing.

So, the controversy continues. What do you think? Should we send the trailers to Haiti? Auction them off? or what? Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Send FEMA trailers to Haiti
Opinion piece in eTruth.com on pros and cons
Refund on formaldehyde trailers

Budgeting for the RV lifestyle

2010-02-01T19:34:32-08:00

Wednesday, February 3, is when "Budgeting for the RV lifestyle" will be held. This is the first session in the ten-month series, "RV Lifestyle Wednesdays with Jaimie." Held on the first Wednesday of the month, the series will run through November. Each Webinar will be held at 6 CT/ 7 ET/5 MT/4 PT and last 90 minutes. We'll use the first 45-60 minutes to cover the topic, followed by 30-45 minutes for question and answer.

Budgeting for the RV Lifestyle will cover preparing a realistic budget that is based on your income and spending. You’ll see sample budgets used by RVers and typical costs for insurance, vehicle registration and have tools to compute your own. You’ll have the tools and information to decide if you are financially ready to begin RVing.

Read about the series here. For a description of individual sessions, go here. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Strike it rich in Quartzsite!

2010-01-30T05:10:00-08:00

Probably not, though they are finding gold on our neighboring claim.

We invited RV friends out to visit our claim. About 30 people caravaned out to our gold claim east of town up in the foothills. We are fortunate that our claim is easily accessible by any vehicle including an RV if you come in the right way. Our co-owner, Bob Amdor, talked about the interesting history of mining in the area. Several hundred people used to live and prospect not far from our claim. Colorful characters have worked this area for more than a century.

Right behind our claim is patented land. At one time the government allowed claim holders to obtain the title to the land if they met certain requirements. That practice has stopped but land patented before that time is owned by individuals or corporations. Our neighbor has a sizeable operation to our north and his land extends behind ours. Last year at this time, he used equipment to dig a large hole in the wash, the likely place for gold. He stopped with one hole so we figured he hadn't found enough to make it worth his while. Turns out his equipment broke and he is waiting for parts. There is gold there.

After the talk, Bob explained the boundaries of our claim, which is a placer claim. We have the surface mineral rights. Then he talked about safety- mainly from cactus, mine shafts and insects or reptiles, and people were free to use their metal detectors or wander around. A few began searching for treasure with metal detectors. All this land has been well used by various people, which translates to "junk." With metal detectors, you find a lot of nails, pull tabs and other small metal pieces. The metal detector goes off like crazy so you are in hopes it is gold- but more often than not, after you dig way down, it is a bullet or piece of wire. When we have used dry washers, we do find at least small flakes of gold and sometimes nuggets.

We all had fun walking around and finding metallic treasure. Then Bob, George and I visited Frank next door to learn more about what he was doing. He showed us galena that is prevalent in the area and also samples of the gold he is finding. It's enough to make his operation worth while. Our partners and George and I will likely not get rich, but there's enough gold in them thar hills to keep the prospectors still hunting. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Yuma gouges RVers?

2010-01-28T18:13:39-08:00

I came across an article on the RV Daily Report that Yuma is charging $3,100 to hook up electricity to RV lots. Whoa! That's incredible. The purchaser bought four lots in January 2008. She was not aware of any extra fees to hookup to electricity. She was then charged $3,101 per lot when it came time to do so. She appealed, asking for a refund for two lots and a waiver for the other two.

The council, fearing that more lot owners would seek refunds, denied her appeal.

This goes to show you two things: Jurisdictions are desperate for money. And, thoroughly research before you buy. In this case, the purchaser says that the fees were added after she purchased the lots. However, you may be able to find out about things like this in many cases prior to buying. Take time to investigate.

A number of RVers in one of the groups we belong to have purchased property or lots in the Yuma area. It is relatively inexpensive and makes a nice winter home. It has some amenities without the traffic and crowds of Phoenix or Tucson. However, fees of this magnitude could drive potential purchasers away. It will definitely make land prices go up. In this economy, it could make it more difficult to sell (or afford to buy) property. Buyer beware in Yuma. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Finding jobs in Quartzsite

2010-01-28T14:17:17-08:00

A number of RVers we know did work in Quartzsite this season. In fact, we met up with about 20 at Desert Sunrise RV Park at a Workamper gathering. Some were working here, some taking it easy and taking in the Quartzsite experience. Bev and Jim, who hosted us at the park, are here for several months working as managers. Others picked up jobs during the various shows. One couple had a booth at the tent, selling their art quality photographs.

Workampers, by the way, is another name for RVers who work while living the RV lifestyle. Some are retired, some are not. There are hundreds of different opportunities types of for working on the road.

The Quartzsite RV Show is also a place to find jobs for the summer. A number of companies were represented in the big tent and immediately outside. It's an excellent opportunity to talk to a company representative and get your questions answered. You might even get an interview and a job offer.

We first spotted Adventureland's booth. Adventureland is an amusement park in Iowa. They have had a successful Workamper program for a number of years, started by Steve Anderson, who is now owner of Workamper News. Gary Pardekooper, HR Director, had several Workampers assisting him at the booth. Pictured are Pat Langston (L), Gary, and LaVaughn Petitt (R). Bert Bertrand was just out of sight to the left (camera shy!) and Ed and Marty Castro had the day off. Gary has interviews lined up elsewhere in the area, so you might be able to catch him in the Southwest if you check at the Web site. They are a featured employer at Workamper.com.

Another large employer of Workampers is Amazon.com. Several workers from this past season were at our gathering. Amazon hires at three locations - in Kentucky, Kansas and Nevada. The work is short term but intense. The pay is excellent for seasonal work and includes an RV site. You do need to be in good physical condition. Ben Serio, Nikki Warren and Rick Todry, representing their warehouses, were taking names of interested RVers plus held a couple of introductory meetings. We found out that the Phoenix warehouse isn't likely to need RVers since there are plenty of locals to fill the jobs. They would probably have lots of applications!

In addition, we saw a booth for Oregon and Washington State Parks to entice RVers to camphost for their parks. Three forest service concessionaires were also looking for employees for their campgrounds: California Land Management, American Land & Leisure, and Thousand Trails.

Xanterra, a concessionaire in a number of national parks, was represented at Crater Lake Lodge. Their booth was set up to attract visitors and employees.

Quartzsite, that little desert town that comes alive in January each year, has both local jobs and is a place that employers have learned is good for recruiting summer workers. Keep that in mind next year. It could work for you. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Photos by George Bruzenak

Hiking Quartzsite

Article at RVLifestyleExperts.com

The Glory that is Q

Quartzsite news and Wednesdays with Jaimie- RV Lifestyle ezine

2010-01-27T20:34:33-08:00

See the latest RV Lifestyles Ezine with news from Quartzsite, AZ plus information about Jaimie's Webinar series on the RV lifestyle and Workamping. Columnists Tom and Nancy Vineski talk about the advantages of tilting your solar panels.

See the bonus tip for getting rid of those pesky ads on your screen. (On some pages, there might be nothing left!)

Jaimie Hall Bruzenak