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Quote of the month
What I hear, I forget. What I see, I remember. What I do, I understand. - Confucius
 SODA-CLUB SODA MAKERS: THE ULTIMATE
HOLIDAY GIFT FOR RVERS
Transform
water into fresh, fizzy seltzer or soda in seconds with a Soda-Club soda maker.
Each compact bottle of concentrated sodamix is like having 36 cans of soda on
board! 27 delicious flavors -- regular, diet and caffeine-free. Regular flavors
have much less sugar, carbs and sodium than store bought drinks, and diet
flavors are sweetened with Splenda®. No more lugging and storing heavy, bulky
bottles and cans of soda on the rig -- and no more empties to deal with.
Three-year warranty and money-back guarantee.
SAVE $30 when you use promotion code RVED with your online
order:
http://www.sodaclubusa.com/referrer.asp?redirect=rv_boat_camp.asp&referrer=0005_0020_0195_0001
Read Marks review of the
Soda Maker:
http://www.rvuniversity.com/article.php?story=2005110210345743
Editorial by Mark
Hi Everybody,
We would like to wish everybody a happy holiday season. Can you believe Christmas is almost here? I can’t believe another year is almost over. The older I get, the faster time seems to go. Hopefully you are ready for the holidays. We’re planning a trip to Pennsylvania in our motorhome over the Christmas holidays. Most people head south during the cold weather, but for some reason we head to the north. The boys are hoping for some snow and we enjoy cold weather camping from time to time. The last time we went camping in the winter there was one day where the high was 12 degrees. The furnace never stopped running, and my five year old niece slept on the sofa wearing a sweater, mittens, scarf and a hat.
Speaking of cold weather, if you’re storing your RV where temperatures drop below freezing be sure and take the time to properly protect your RV from the damaging effects of winter. Properly winterizing and storing your RV can save you time, money and headaches next spring. For those of you who wait until the last minute to get your RV ready for winter, or if you have questions about how to get it ready, you’re in luck. We are offering a Christmas special on all of our RV Education 101 videos, to include our “Winterizing and Storing” title. From now through December 15th all VHS and DVD titles are on sale for $18.95. Be sure and type “newsletter discount” in the key code box on the order form to receive the sale price.
For those of you who have asked for a book rather than a video, my new book, “The RV Book” is at the printer and should be available by the 1st of the year. I’ll keep you posted.
Have a wonderful holiday season!
Happy Camping,
Mark
Watch Mark's "RV Savvy" segments on the RVTV
Television show. http://www.outdoorchannel.com/index.cfm?site=2
Feature Article by Mark;
RV Travel Security Checklist - This is an excerpt from my Checklists for RVers e-book
For one minute, try to think the way a criminal would think. If you were at a rest stop looking for your next target or victim, what would you look for? Let’s pretend for a moment that you were going to target a vehicle. Which would be more appealing, a car whose owner stopped for a quick bathroom break or an expensive looking Class A motor home, whose owners are out walking their dogs? I don't have the mind of a criminal but this is an easy choice. That expensive looking RV probably has expensive contents inside like, jewelry, cameras, and a laptop computer.
Okay, we have come to the conclusion that we, the RVers, are the prime target for the criminal mind, so what can we do to protect ourselves? That’s what this RV security checklist is for. To give you some ideas on how to protect yourself and you're personal belongings when you're traveling in your RV.
* Don’t stay overnight at a rest stop. Rest stops attract criminals. If you stop at a rest stop it should only be for a short break and then back on the road. Lock the RV and take turns using the facilities, always leaving someone in or close to the RV. Always be on the look out for anything or anyone that looks suspicious. Keep your cell phone handy in case you need it and don't open the door for anybody, unless you know who it is.
* Rest stops aren't the only place you need to be concerned about. Every time you stop to refuel there are certain precautions you need to take. It’s easy to be vulnerable to a thief at a gas station or a truck stop. I have a bad habit of leaving my wallet on the console of our Class C motor home. The door isn't locked and your spouse is taking advantage of the time to walk the dogs. This is how quick it can happen. Get in the habit of locking the doors whenever you or someone else is not physically in the RV.
* Most robberies occur at night and most travel related robberies occur at rest stops, gas stations, convenience stores and ATM machines. Try to schedule most of your stops during daylight hours, and whenever you stop be aware of your surroundings. If something doesn’t look right leave.
* Wal-Mart or other parking lots where you might stop to get a few hours of sleep can present security problems too. You should always park in a well lit area and the entry door of the RV should be facing where most of the activity is. A thief prefers to work where it is dark and where it is least likely to draw any attention. Close your curtains or blinds so it’s not possible for someone to look inside. Don't open the door for anybody unless you know who it is.
* As much as we would like to believe that campgrounds are 100% safe and secure don't let your guard down. You don't need to be paranoid, just use some common sense. Don't leave expensive equipment lying around unsecured. Vehicle tow bars, hitches, bicycles and other items need to be under lock and key.
* Keep any valuables inside the RV, secured and out of sight. It’s a good idea to purchase a small fire proof safe to store valuables and important paperwork in. The safe might protect your valuables from the hazards of a fire but it will still need to be stored in a secure, out of the way place, inside the RV.
* Always lock the RV when you're not physically at the campsite. Do not store valuable equipment in outside storage compartments. Believe it or not, a vast majority of RV’s use the same exact key as yours for outside storage compartments. If you store valuables, like golf clubs, fishing gear or tools in the outside compartments you may want to have the locks changed.
* Before you leave on a trip make sure your Emergency Roadside Service Plan is current. In the unfortunate event that you breakdown on the road try to pull off in as safe a place as possible and call for help immediately. Stay with the RV until help arrives.
* It’s unfortunate that we live in a day and age where we need to take these added measures to protect ourselves. I don't want you to feel like everybody you meet during your travels is a thief or has bad intentions. Just use common sense and be aware of what is going on around you.
Plan your trip, travel safe and enjoy your RV experiences. Remember, getting there is half the fun.
Happy Camping,
Mark
The Original Checklists for RVers
An RV Education 101 3rd edition E-book
By RV Expert Mark Polk
RV Education 101's Mark Polk knows first hand that checklists help to simplify our daily lives. If we don't write down what we need to remember, inevitably we forget something. This can be especially true with RVs because there are just too many things to remember. You will want to protect you and your investment in a routine and safe manner. Mark has an extensive background in RV service, sales and management. In this 80 page e-book he has compiled all the checklists an RVer will ever need, all in one place. There are over 35 checklists applicable for pop-ups, travel trailers, fifth wheels and motorhomes, to use from the time you purchase your RV until you store it for winter and everything in between. It includes checklists for Pre-delivery Inspections, Basic Inventory, Tools & Supplies, Getting There Safely, Campground Set-up, Pre-Trip, Home Security, Dinghy Towing, Essential Items, Nice to Have Items, Traveling with Pets, Awning Operation, Winterizing & De-winterizing your RV, Storing your RV, Battery Testing Chart, Spring Prep, and much more. This e-book has been updated with 10 extra checklists! Checklists for RVers will be downloaded immediately after purchase and is delivered in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. You can read it on your computer or print it for reading later.
BUY NOW!! $12.95 80 pages
Click here if you need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader
Marks Tip of the Month: Always keep carbon monoxide poisoning in mind during cold weather camping. You cannot see it, taste it or smell it. Never use the range burners or oven as a source of heat. If your RV did not come equipped with a carbon monoxide detector you should purchase a battery operated model designed for use in RVs. You never know when you will be parked in close quarters with another RV running a generator. Always test your carbon monoxide detector for proper operation before leaving on a trip. For more information about carbon monoxide poisoning go to>> http://www.carbonmonoxidekills.com/
Everything a dog might need in an emergency whether at home or on the road. The Canine Companion kit contains 42 first-aid, health care, wound care, bandaging, and comfort/safety items; with easy to follow instructions written by Dr. Bloomfield, specifically for each product. RV Education 101 feels this kit is a smart necessity if you are going to travel with your dogs. Canine Companion - "Emergency First Aid and Travel Kit for Dogs"
By Peggi McDonald, Author of "RV Living in the 21st Century"
From my new “RV PACKING TIPS” e-book:
***The ’S’ style plastic holder packaged with a new pair of socks makes a perfect tea towel holder. Hook one end on the hanging rack in front of the stove and a tea towel on other end.
***Empty, sectioned liquor and wine boxes make versatile storage spots for shoes, file papers, craft supplies, etc. They fit well in outside RV storage pods.
***Rectangular baskets (under-the-shelf-type or wicker style, etc.) sit on RV upper cupboard shelves to keep glasses and small stuff secure. Place plastic items between breakable items.
***I keep earrings in small 2” zip style plastic bags from craft stores - all bags of related colours are pinned together and store well in a flip-top box. Finally I wear the earrings I want – not a pair I find that match complete with backs.
***Necklaces either hang on a hook inside my bedroom cupboard door, OR I attach them with 'S' hooks to a sheet of plastic craft mesh – the mesh is secured w/screws.
Anne and Peter Taylor from Ontario submitted these next tips.
***Small plastic baskets, approx 9x6x5, from Dollar stores keep all the miscellaneous bottles & small cans together in food cupboard (vinegar, oil, etc.).
***Controlling electric/computer cords is always a challenge.
***Old favourites such as storing non-connected cords in a decorated empty toilet paper rolls is one option.
***More recently I discovered that wrapping elastic ‘ponytail holders’ (with bobbles on the ends) around cords and wires efficiently keeps them in place – especially all the computer cables/cords. These ‘holders’ have a million uses.
Do you have your copy of the RV Packing Tips e-book? It’s really like getting “Three E-Books in One” http://rv101.rvliving.hop.clickbank.net/
RV LIVING IN THE 21ST CENTURY. Peggi has taken the best of her internationally-acclaimed first book and has revamped and updated it to reflect the changing technology and rules in post-9/11 North America. This book is for the new or experienced RVer. There are so many tips from “how to” subjects as well as practical advice on "what to do" when you have medical problems on the road, and how to choose an emergency roadside service. The security tips for your house while you are away and health & safety tips are just a couple of subjects out of many that are invaluable and give you peace of mind! There is so much information we couldn’t possibly list it all. RV Education 101 highly recommends this book: "RV Living in the 21st Century" Details
Now Available- DVD: Better Business Bureau: Buying a Recreational Vehicle
Learn the biggest mistakes RV buyers make in this 50-minute DVD from RV Travel and the Better Business Bureau, so you can avoid making them yourself. Information for this program was developed through extensive research; examination of consumer complaints to the Better Business Bureau; and interviews with industry leaders, dealers, RV repair professionals and actual RVers. Viewing this Better Business Bureau DVD is the very best insurance you can get in avoiding making some of the classic and often costly mistakes new RVers make. Released in October 2005.
BUY NOW DVD$19.95
Viewer feedback about RV Education 101 RV training videos
Dear RV Education 101,
We would like to thank you for making such great products! My husband and I recently purchased a Class C motorhome and with our purchase we were given a copy of your DVD “Learning RV’s the Easy Way, the DVD pertaining to Class C operation” from our dealer. This DVD was very valuable. Being first time motorhome owners, we had much to learn and your DVD helped to answer many of our questions. As a result, we also purchased your RV e-book “Checklists for RV’ers” as well. RV E-Books We have printed it and have it in a binder that we keep in the motorhome – what an important tool! Your products will keep us from having to learn things “the hard way!”
P.S........thank you for the wonderful customer service. I think all businesses should take a lesson from you! There are so many businesses today that just treat people like a number, not a human being. I appreciated our conversation. Like I said before, it's a big step up for us (owning a Class C motorhome) and there is so much that you have to know! But like the Mastercard ads, never having to go to the restroom in the woods again - PRICELESS! I think the winterizing dvd would be GREAT! I will get that on Tuesday. A big money saver, for sure! Again, thank you. If you and your family are ever visiting Alaska, come and say hello!
Thank you!
Happy Customers
The Welborn Family
Anchorage, Alaska
Training Videos
Campground Cooking By: Pat Watson
Pat and her husband, Francis, live in Holland, Ohio, and love cooking and entertaining their friends and family, especially at KOA campgrounds! Her new cookbook, "Campground Cooking", is a collection of more than 200 fun, easy recipes designed for RV cooking. Pat says all of the recipes can be made using an RV oven, crock-pot, microwave or electric skillet. She even has sections on cooking with foil and recipes for grilling. Many of the recipes can be adapted for cooking over an open fire, and it's great for busy cooks at home.
Turkey Soup
This hearty soup is a wonderful way to use leftover turkey. Chicken or roast beef can be substituted for the turkey. Enjoy!
1 cup cooked turkey, chopped
1 quart chicken broth
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1 large potato, diced
4 carrots, chopped
1-(14 oz) can diced tomatoes (with green chilies, if desired)
Garlic powder, seasoned salt, and black pepper to taste
Cooked noodles
Mix all ingredients together except the noodles; simmer 1-2 hours until vegetables are tender. Add cooked noodles to desired thickness. Serve with garlic sticks or garlic bread for a wonderful meal!
Now available as an instant e-book! Cookbook details 77 pages
RV Education 101 strongly supports the sale of these Cookbooks. Pat is donating 10 percent of her profits from the book to benefit the KOA Care Camps Trust for kids with cancer. You can find out more about KOA Care Camps here:http://www.koacarecamps.com/
A Michigan couple was found dead in their RV.
The cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning. The sad thing was they had a carbon monoxide detector, but it wasn’t hooked up properly.
http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/business/index.ssf?/base/news-30/113337655214470.xml&storylist=mibusiness
Monthly Product
Discount
A Christmas Special for our newsletter readers (an extra dollar off of our sale price). All RV Education 101 VHS and DVD titles are on sale for $18.95 until December 15th. Make an RVer happy this holiday season, and at this price get yourself a couple too! Merry Christmas from us to you!
Training Videos
Christmas newsletter readers SALE PRICE $18.95 each BUY NOW
You MUST type: “newsletter discount” in the Key Code box of the order form to receive the sale price, or call your order in and let us know you saw the special in the newsletter. We will adjust your total when your order is processed. Order Now! or phone 910-484-7615
There are slide-outs on RVs and then there are SLIDE-OUTS. Fleetwood RV is introducing their patent-pending SpacePlus™ full-wall slide-out in the 2006 Discovery, Excursion and Providence Class A diesel motorhome lines at the 43rd annual RVIA tradeshow in Louisville, KY. It was first introduced in the 2005 Pace Arrow, offering a 27 foot slide-out wall with over 390 square feet of open living space. http://fleetwoodrv.com/ What will they think of next?
Campground Attractions by KOA - Klamath Falls
Check out the eerily surreal landscape at Lava Beds National Monument, where you can rent a flashlight and a lamp for exploring underground caves and trails. Guided trips are also available. Don't miss a visit to Crater Lake National Park, where a trip around Rim Drive will reward you with great views of the lake and surrounding mountains and forests. During winter, the region is a mecca for wildlife watchers-the Klamath Basin hosts the largest concentration of wintering bald eagles in the contiguous U.S. Take the ten-mile walking/biking trail through marshlands and uplands at Klamath Marsh, part of the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge, or view and photograph eagles from behind a blind at sunrise. Positively mesmerizing. KOA camping in Oregon
All New 2006 KOA Campground
Directory - The 2006 KOA
Directory is all
you'll need to plan your family's camping fun, whether your trip takes you
across North America or just down the road from your home. Order your copy
today! http://koa.com/orderadirectory/
Onan® Energy Command™ 15W
Onan, the industry leader in RV power generation products and services, has launched its newest power generation management tool, Energy Command-15W (EC-15W), a remote-start tool for RV generators. Read More.
Generator Q & A
Q. How frequently should I change oil if I won't be using the generator for several months?
A. Typically just like a car, change oil for seasonal temperature changes. For long storage, see you Operator's Manual for extended out-of-service protection.
Q. Do diesel generators need exercising like gasoline generators?
A. Yes, it helps lubricate the seals and engine components and keeps carbon from building up. Regular exercise also heats up the generators windings and removes or expels excess moisture. In sets equipped with brushes, exercising helps prevent corrosion build up on the slip rings. Funroads.com - RV, Motorhome, RV parts
Happy Camper is excited to announce that their 2006 Camping Guide will be available both in print - and on CD-Rom! They are in production right now on both items, and are taking pre-orders due to high demand for the CD-Rom.
CD Features include: * The entire fully-detailed 2006 Camping Guide * A 30-day FREE trial membership - which makes it a great GIFT * RV Education 101 Sampler: Safety Articles, Tips, Hints * Classic RV Essays by Chuck Woodbury * Recipes * Camping Tips * and MORE! * Self-contained, with bonus-features available online:
Pre-order your CD today to guarantee fast delivery.
Join 1/2 price camping today at http://www.camphalfprice.com
RV Refrigerator tip by Les Doll a working certified RV technician and author of: How to inspect and evaluate a used motorhome the "PAINLESS" way e-book
RV refrigerators are much different than the one in your house. They don't have compressors and they work off the principle of absorption. You should turn the RV refrigerator on several hours before putting food in it. It is best to leave it on overnight and put your food in it just prior to leaving. Always keep a small thermometer in your RV refrigerator so you can monitor the temperature. Food can begin to go bad at temperatures above 40 degrees.
Hi-Humidity Switch on Dometic Refrigerators: The hi-humidity switch operates a small heater element in the freezer door frame. The purpose is to control the humidity that may collect around the door opening during very high humidity situations. The circuit draws around 6 amps and will kill a battery within 12 hours or so. In addition, this switch is not controlled by the refrigerator on/off switch - if it is on, it is on and uses 12-volt current. The very first thing I check when a customer has a battery draw down complaint is this switch. VERY often it is left on ... If your battery goes down for no apparent reason, check this switch!
How to inspect and evaluate a used motorhome the "PAINLESS" way. The e-guide was written by Les Doll, a working Certified RV technician, with years of RV construction and maintenance experience. In this guide you will find many little-known secrets and methods used by professional buyers to evaluate a used RV. This one of a kind electronic guide is your step by step road map to the selection of a trouble free used RV.
BUY NOW!!! $14.95
Information packed e-books:
RVers Guide to Internet Access on the Road Confused about staying in touch while traveling? This e-book will clarify things for you!
How to Buy an RV, Before you Buy it E-Book Looking for your first RV? This e-book is a MUST for you!
How to BUY and SELL RV's on E-bay !! Need to get rid of your RV, or are you looking for one? Learn the insider’s tips from an RV dealer with this e-book!
Have you ever been curious if there was a recall for your RV or RV chassis? If so, you don’t have to be curious any longer. Click on this link to find out!
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/recallsearch.cfm
Rest Areas and Welcome Centers by William C. Herow
This is a very popular title and now it has been completely updated and revised! Quickly and easily locate rest areas, welcome centers, roadside turnouts, and scenic vistas along America's Interstate highways. Find out where these areas are and the facilities available such as restrooms, phones, picnic tables, vending machines, RV dump stations, and designated pet walk areas.
Rest Areas & Welcome Centers also includes Cracker Barrel locations and discount stores like Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, K-Mart, and Target. Easily find travel centers like AmBest Truck Stops, Flying J Travel Plazas, Love's, Petro, Pilot, and TA Travel Centers. These places welcome RVers with services such as propane, diesel fuel, restaurants, and dump stations. Some even offer free overnight parking!
Also included is state tourism contact information, a convenient list of toll-free numbers for hotels and motels across America, and an RV dump station locator.
Rest Areas & Welcome Centers is a valuable resource for anyone that travels America's Interstate highways. 240 pages
Select this link to view a sample chapter
(Adobe Reader PDF, 184KB).
$12.95 BUY NOW
Popular items at RV Education
101:
""Live Your Road Trip Dream"
RV
E-Books
RV
Travel Videos/DVDs
Travel Trailer Towing, Weights, Hitch Work &
Backing
Class A Motor Home 101
Travelers Guide to the Firearms Laws
Family Outdoor Emergency Kit
Natural Wonders of the SE Coast -
When you think of
the East Coast you usually think of big cities, but there are many natural areas
that have been set aside as well. Our adventure begins in Virginia Beach as we
follow the coast south through the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
One-third
of all the salt water marshes along the East Coast are located in Georgia. An
eco-tour explains how important the marsh is to the creatures that inhabit it,
like oysters, crabs, wading birds, and manatees.
The Everglades is the place
to visit for natural wonders. The national park is one of the most unusual in
the country. The East Coast contains many natural wonders that most people are
not aware of, come along for the ride! by John Holod
..Available in DVD $26.95 & VHS $21.95
Video details Order
Now!
Would you like to attend some RV shows this winter, but you’re not really sure where or when they are being held? The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association RVIA offers a very good, searchable database of RV shows>> http://rvia.org/rvshows/index.cfm
The new 2006 North American
Directory, a special commemorative edition to
celebrate 70 years of Woodalls' service to the industry is available for
pre-publication sale:http://www.woodalls.com/shop/display.cfm?productID=DWNCD6&deid=800
Drive your RV with
confidence -For many years Richard (Dick) Reed has been very active in
the RV life style. He realized that many people, who would love to travel in a
recreational vehicle, were fearful of driving or towing the larger vehicles.
Having many years experience in truck driving instruction and a long time love
for travel and camping Dick proposed a school that would offer students
instruction in how to safely drive their own Recreational Vehicle unit.
http://www.rvschool.com/index.htm
General and Unsubscribe Info
About us:
Our goal with this monthly newsletter is to provide you with helpful information to make all of your RV experiences more enjoyable. I left my position as an RV Sales and F&I manager in 2000 to start my own company, RV Education 101. We produce educational videos, DVDs and e-books on how to use and maintain your RV. The reason I left my job was due to my concern about the lack of educational and safety awareness material available to the RV consumer, in other words, you. We are a small company. My wife Dawn left her position in RV sales to help start the company and is our Sales and Marketing Director. We currently have a 28-foot Class C motor home. We have two boys, Tyler 9 and Josh 15, both avid RVers and two dogs, Gracie and Buck. Gracie is the good one. If you would like to learn more about us and RV Education 101 feel free to visit our website www.rveducation101.com
RV Education 101 Newsletter © Copyright 2004, 2005 Mark J. Polk, except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. Reprint only with permission from copyright holder(s). All trademarks are property of their respective owners. All contents provided as is. Advertisers are solely responsible for ad content.
To contact us with feedback or questions, email to: info@rveducation101.com
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RV Education 101 Newsletter is an opt-in ezine available by subscription only. We neither use nor endorse the use of spam. Your email address will ONLY be used to distribute this newsletter and will NEVER be sold or given to any other entity!!
Happy Camping,
Mark
www.rveducation101.com
RV Education 101
3969 Stedman Cedar Creek Road
Fayetteville, NC 28312
910-484-7615
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