Purchasing an RV is a big
decision -- literally. At 20 or 30 feet in length, an
RV just might be the largest item you'll ever purchase,
outside of your home. While there are many factors that
should be part of your decision, one of the first choices
you'll need to make is whether to buy new or used. At
Cruise America, we've found that a...[More]
Feel the burning urge to get away? Away
from your parents? Away from school? Away from responsibility?
You're not the only one. More and more young people
are choosing the road less traveled and carving out
their own path. So check this out. You can get yourself
an RV, see the country, and still go to college. As
long as you've got...[More]
The writer GK Chesterton once said: "The
whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign
land; it is at last to set foot on one's own country
as a foreign land." He might almost have been talking
about the road trip - that great American journey...[More]
Coolers and road trips
were made for each other. Coolers are also wonderful
for family outings -- a day at the beach, a sporting
event, or even a trip to an amusement park. They're
even great for grocery shopping on hot summer days,
and they're indispensable for picnics and backyard barbecues.
As uses for coolers have multiplied, so have innovative
designs. Whether you're setting out to conquer Route
66 or just heading up the road for a picnic in the park,
here are tips for choosing and using the best coolers
for your needs...[More]
From Cape Cod to Cape
Flattery, Los Angeles to New York, hostels have been
springing up all over the place in recent years. But
what exactly is a hostel? And are they really the sort
of place in which you'd want to stay? [More]
While record temperatures
are beginniing to spread warmth around the American
southwest, the Midwest and northeastern regions of the
country are still locked in winter's deep freeze. Even
though we'd all probably rather be thinking about beaches
and bathing suits, we sent the IceDozer Plus, a new
ice-scraping tool, to Geneviève
Lauzière in Quebec...[More]
I'll confess that after
five years of full-time RVing, I've collected sewer
gadgets that fill two, five-gallon buckets. In fact,
I've probably got at least one of every sewer connector
ever invented. They're all supposed to serve the same
purpose--make sure that black water goes from your rig
into the park pipe without spilling on the ground...[More]
I had to make a quick
trip out to Sturgis, South Dakota during the annual
event known as the Sturgis
Motorcycle Rally to do a radio interview. Because
this was going to be a solo trip, I took the opportunity
to try out the Napier X-Treme Sportz Pac tent package
that we sell at American
Road Shop...[More]
Many of us who have thus far avoided using
a GPS receiver may be wondering what a GPS receiver
does, what benefits the technology offers, and which
models to look into. Let's start with a description
of the technology. Global Positioning Satellites (GPS)
are a series of satellites that work in combination
to provide... [More]
Pet lovers understand that once you bring
animals into your life, they quickly become members
of the family. In fact, a study recently released by
the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association
showed that 74 percent of dog owners think of their
pet as a child or family member. With such a high percentage,
it should come as no surprise that many of these families
want to take their adored pet with them whenever they
travel... [More]
A carefully planned RV vacation can be
one of the most carefree, recuperative, exciting vacation
experiences you'll ever have. But it's not for everyone.
At my company, Tracks & Trails, we go to great lengths
to head off problems for people who buy our RV vacation
packages. But any trip that involves navigating unfamiliar
territory is likely to produce a few stressful moments.
You could encounter bad weather or get lost a time or
two, forcing you to alter your plans. Take the time
to think about how you handle these and other uncertain
situations... [More]
As the busy summer travel season approaches,
millions of Americans are planning to load up the car
(and their pets) to head for vacation destinations across
the country. Yet, the prospect of a road trip or hotel
stay can spark fear and panic in even the most docile
pooch or kitty, leading to destructive behaviors that
may disturb other passengers or harm the pet. Much can
be done, however, to smooth out the trip once owners
are equipped with the right knowledge...
[More]
Vacation season is here. Millions of Americans
will be hitting the highway to see our nation's great
parks, camp in the mountains or swim at our wonderful
beaches. Most families face a dilemma: how to fit everything
in the car. Families travel with friends and pets. When
there are more people, there's sure to be more luggage
and gear. Young people on the go with smaller compact
cars and SUVs need to haul sports gear like bikes, tents,
canoes and golf clubs... [More]
The single-lane
dirt road was plugged with about twenty SUVs on a four-wheel
drive road trip because one poor fellow had two flats
at once! We were all lined up behind him. He had no
air compressor and no one around him had on-board air.
Fortunately, I had the cure. It's called a Power Tank.
The Power
Tank looks like a SCUBA (diving) tank. But instead of
oxygen, the Power Tank holds carbon dioxide (CO2). The
CO2 is used to fill tires faster than an air compressor!
[More]
Finding a device to convert
DC power to AC may seem like it should be a simple task,
but when you start shopping for a power inverter for
your RV or road trip vehicle, you'll soon find that
many choices will confront you. With prices ranging
from less than $40 to well into the thousands, it can
be difficult to know what features are important and
how to choose a unit appropriate to your needs... [More]
In February of 2002 we purchased our first
DataStorm antenna from MotoSAT and quickly found that
there were many more uses for the Internet than we had
ever considered before. Now we no longer get any of
our credit card statements by mail -- I simply get an
e-mail that says, "Your statement is available
for download." I then schedule my payment, and
I have never had a late credit card payment since. I
also schedule my motorhome payments each month to be
deducted at the right time, and I can track my bank
account, investment accounts, insurance accounts, and
almost anything else online anytime I like and as often
as I like. Like many RVers, we use DataStorm to run
our business on the road... [More]
The shine on our six-year
old Filon (fiberglass) sided RV was gone. Glass fibers
were even exposed on the surface. Waxes no longer worked
and painting was the only recommendation the Filon manufacturer
could give. Searching the Internet under "fiberglass
restoration" revealed several other alternatives
for a fraction of the cost of painting. "Poli Glow"
was the product I chose which the boating industry has
used since 1991. The two step process couldn't be easier...
[More]
