Wheel Life : After four great years, we’re parking the RV

It’s been a great ride.

After more than 210 weekly installments, this is my final Wheel Life column for The Spokesman-Review.

Due to a shuffling of staff assignments, beginning Oct. 1, I will be working as a community reporter for Your Voice sections out of the Spokane Valley office.

When the Wheel Life column first appeared in June 2003, a few folks thought it would not last the summer season. Little did the skeptics know that there were so many great stories about folks using their RVs to do what they love to do and have fun doing it.

I want to thank each one of you for your enthusiasm and for generously sharing your fantastic road adventures.

So that you are not left hanging for places to go for reliable information on the RV lifestyle, I want to pass along a handful of my top resources.

Internet sites

Over the past four years I have used literally hundreds of Web sites that are centered on the RVing lifestyle. They range from personal travel journals to technical how-to sites.

The three listed below are the ones I kept returning to time and again for general, overall, easy-to-understand information.

“RV Travel (www.rvtravel.com), published by Chuck Woodbury, provides news, information, a free online weekly newsletter, travel advice for RVers and the Web’s most extensive RV bookstore.

“RVers Online (www.rversonline.org) is a noncommercial, text-based Web site that is packed with useful and timely technical and lifestyle information. It was started about 10 years ago by extended-time RVers Tom and Stephanie Gonser of Bend, Ore.

“Go RVing (www.gorving.com) is a coalition of RV industry organizations that distributes information about the RVing lifestyle. Go online or call toll-free (888) GO-RVING (888-467-8464) for a free DVD or CD-ROM.

RV maintenance classes

The Spokane Institute of Extended Learning is offering two recreational vehicle seminars this fall.

Master RV technician John Morrill will be teaching care and maintenance classes for “motorized” and “nonmotorized” RVs.

I have attended Morrill’s classes and he is an excellent instructor. He shares bumper-to-bumper information in such a way that it can be understood by even the fairly new RV owner.

His “motorized” maintenance class includes information for motor homes of all sizes and van conversions. The “nonmotorized” covers tent, fifth wheel and travel trailers, and truck campers.

You’ll learn about when maintenance is needed, what type is required, when to attempt it yourself and when to seek professional help.

Morrill, a 26-year veteran of the RV industry, will walk through tasks that “slightly” handy RVers can do themselves, including battery maintenance, engine oil changes and appliance checks.

Learning these simple tasks can save an RVer hundreds of dollars.

Morrill’s RV classes meet one time only for three hours at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place, room 211, in Spokane Valley. Each class begins at 6:30 p.m. and costs $23.

“The RV Care and Maintenance – “Motorized” class takes place Nov. 7 (Class number: L123).

“The RV Care and Maintenance – “Nonmotorized” is offered on Nov. 14 (Class number: L124).

Both classes include handouts. Advanced registration is required. Call (509) 279-6000 to register by phone, or stop by in person at the IEL office, 3305 W. Fort George Wright Drive, weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

RV magazines

There are two magazines primarily geared toward recreational vehicle owners: MotorHome and Trailer Life.

Both are owned by the Affinity Group, which also publishes Highways, RV Business, RV Buyers Guide, RVView, and Woodall’s and Trailer Life directories. Among its many holdings, the group also owns Camping World retail stores, the Good Sam Club and Coast to Coast Resorts.

“MotorHome is “dedicated exclusively to all motorized RVs,” states its Web site. “You’ll get expert RV product advice, how-to, technical, and destination information and ideas that are guaranteed to make your RV travels easier, safer and a lot more fun.”

The subscription cost for one year (12 issues) is $19.97. To order go online to www.motorhomemagazine.com or call toll-free (800) 678-1201.

MotorHome is available on loan through the Spokane Public Library.

“Trailer Life covers issues and news primarily around nonmotorized or tow vehicles. These RVs include folding camping trailers, fifth wheels, travel trailers and pickup campers.

The magazine also writes about pickup trucks, sport-utility vehicles and automobiles suitable for towing. Regular sections include vehicle tests, travel, products and services, RV tech and new models.

A one-year subscription (12 issues) is $15.97 if ordered online at www.trailerlife.com or by calling (800) 825-6861.

Single copies of both publications are available at major bookstores including Barnes & Noble Booksellers.

This and that

“Two excellent resources to find out how much a used recreational vehicle is worth are NADA Guides (www.nadaguides.com) and Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com).

“RV Life on Wheels is an education program for RVers that is set for five locations around the country in 2008.

The conference offers a menu of classes on the “how to,” “what to” and “where to” of RVing; technical and mechanical aspects; and lifestyle enhancement.

It’s not too early to think about the next conference at the University of Idaho at Moscow, July 6 to 11.

For detailed information about courses and a full list of instructors, check www.rvlifeonwheels.com

Stay in touch

In my new reporting position I still will be looking for good people (and that certainly includes RVers) east of the Spokane City limits with interesting stories to tell, so please keep in touch with me at juliannec@spokesman.com.