RVers Bulletin Board.

Changing Seasons: Many RVers will note that while summer brings the end of traditional family vacation times, and the start of a new school year, others will relish the new-found freedom to stay in the suddenly less-croweded campgrounds and RV parks. What a difference some years make!

FMCA Redmond, OR: We had the opportunity to visit this year's FMCA Natginoal Rally with a day pass. Though the event was obviously downsized from prior years, the mood was upbeat, and the rally-goers were obviously enjoying the exhibits, seminars, and show coaches. Much in evidence this year were options for downsizing to Class B or C units. That said, there were some new designs for Class A units that were attracting attention -- particularly where innovative features and greatly improved fuel economy were part of the presentation.

Startling Stats: I'm aware from survey's we've done for the Good Sam Club's RV Owners' Advisory Council that the number of motorized and towable rigs presently on the road are approximately equal. We've done surveys that have more than 20,000 randomly selected members responding that adding together Class A, B and C motorhomes; and adding together travel trailers, fifth wheels, tent trailers and other towed vehicles, the percentage of motorhomes of all types is approximately equal to the percentage of towed vehicles of all types. That's a snapshot in time as to what's on the road at the moment. A recent RVIA report on new shipments of RVs reflects that the number of new towables shipped is some 15 times more than the number of new motorized RVs. That's an astonishing number, and may reflect huge changes in RVer preferences are taking place. We may amplify on that, and suggest what this present statistic may mean in a future article.

Signs of the Times: A sign board seen along the Oregon coasts pronounces: "He who sings his own praises is most likely a soloist"....

Satellite Internet: Most readers at this site have a keen interested in staying connected while traveling by RV. And of course as the technology changes, so do the pros and cons of the various methods we all have available for staying connected. We were into our fourth year of using Satellite Internet when we concluded that it was time for a change. Not because satellite is not a viable option for many RVers, but because of our particular RVing lifestyle. We believe this analysis will be of interest to many other RVers weighing the alternatives.

A Disturbing Issue: While it's a bit beyond the scope of our usual focus here, we were surprised recently to be sent an email flyer that touted a new WiFi device that ostensibly would appeal to RVers. It claims it can "hack" into any nearby secured wireless network, and give the user "free access" to the Internet. Even more surprising at this end, apparently such devices are now not an uncommon offering. This would seem to be the virtual equivalent to what we know in the physical world as "breaking and entering" -- and we find this sort of activity entirely unacceptable -- to say nothing of the potential legal impropriety here.

RV Park Prices: One would think that with low inflation and the current economic stresses the cost of staying at RV parks would be relatively flat. However, as we researched some possible destinations for our summer travels to Montana, we were quite surprised to find a number of parks in popular summer travel areas are really straining the boundaries of reason. In some areas around the Tetons and Yellowstone a daily rate of well over $50 is not uncommon. And even in Bend, Oregon, we were shocked to see peak season rates approaching $100. That happened to coincide with FMCA's gathering in nearby Redmond -- but we're not favorably impressed with the business judgments involved.

RV Industry's Upward Trend: Most indicators suggest that the RV industry is now in a recovery mode. But of course that's based on a year-to-year comparison with a very dismal state of affairs just a year ago. What's not yet clear is, on the assumption we've seen the worst of the economic impacts, whether we may be looking at some significant changes in the RV lifestyle.

Kudos to SKPs! Many RVers likely did not realize that there was a plan to eliminate the discounted camping fees offered in conjunction with the Golden Age passport program. Some timely and effective efforts by the Escapees RV Club seems to have made a difference. See the press release at: http://www.escapees.com/hot_article.asp?ID=284 It's always nice to see RVer organizations effectively representing member interests...

Census -- Are Full Timers Counted? The head counters are hard at work rounding up the headcount information (and more), with the apparent modus operandi of using the street addresses of individuals as the way in the door. But what about those folks that are full timing, and have at best a Postal Mail Box. Are they being included?

Increased Caution Advised: With States dealing with unprecedented budget woes, it's easy to foresee increased diligence is needed for RVers to ensure their status is properly established, maintained and documented. This is of specific importance to full time -- or even extended time -- RVers; and for those who are seeking to avoid state sales or registration taxes.