Issue 34 of the best email newsletter for full-time RV enthusiasts and others who want to be.

This newsletter is posted twice a month

Washer in your RV?
Wrinkled laundry? Help is on the way!
Learn how to use your RV's Splendide washer to not only clean your clothes but dry them without wrinkles. If you have a washer-dryer on board your RV, you need this book! Learn more or order.

Words & Wisdom
(but sometimes just words)

By Chuck Woodbury
Hello! Welcome again to the FulltimeRVer.com newsletter. We're back after a lengthly break. We'll post this newsletter every two weeks, and in each of those issues you'll find a fascinating (we hope!) opening message here from one of our RVtravel.com editors or bloggers.

Did you read my opening essay in last weekend's RVtravel.com newsletter about my new way to getting fast Internet access, even in the boonies? If you didn't, and are looking for a dependable, no-hassle way of connecting at fast speeds in the comfort of your own rig (without a satellite system), then take two minutes to read what I wrote.

Will your health insurance take you where you want to go?
Have you reached the time when you can get your medical insurance through Uncle Sam? Yep, those "golden years" of Medicare eventually reach out and touch us all. Can you make Medicare work for you as a fulltimer? One problem area is that of residency.

Under the original Medicare plan, you pay the doctor or hospital, and Medicare reimburses a portion of your expense. Your "share" can mount up in a hurry. Enter "Medigap" policies that help you reduce that amount of out-of-pocket, and most recently, Medicare "Advantage Plans," that help to reduce the expense of medicine. There are a number of approaches to the advantage plans, all involve private insurance companies with various requirements. These may involve going only to doctors approved by the plan, which if you need to see the doctor often, can severely limit travel.

WHEN SHOPPING FOR A SUITABLE PLAN, fulltimers also have to look carefully at requirements as to how long they may be out of their "service area." For example, one plan offered in many states will drop you if you leave the enrollment area for more than six months. This may mean you'll need to "come home," to your enrollment address a couple of times a year, even if your home is really where you park it.

Making these choices isn't easy. Some plans are far more 'transportable' than others; unfortunately the most easily toted with you are the ones that will prove more costly. To compare plans, check out www.medicare.gov, but be sure to get a copy of the plan's "summary of coverage" for the fine details before making a change. -- Russ and Tiña De Maris

Find Wal-Mart stores for FREE overnight stays
The 2007 Wal-Mart Locator is hot off the press. Hundreds of changes and updates, plus 100 new stores. This is the best resource for locating Wal-Mart stores (with driving directions), most of which allow free overnight RV stays in their parking lots. Our low price only $19.96. Learn more or order.

Fifth Wheel Bible
This is the first book devoted to fifth wheel travel trailers. It covers everything about these RVs: Buying, towing, operating and enjoying them. Learn more or order.

Guide To The FIREARM LAWS of the 50 States
Don't carry a weapon across state lines without knowing the laws. This annual directory explains the specific gun laws of every U.S. state. Still only $12.95. Learn more or order.

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Did you know...?
. . . that 84 percent of the readers of this newsletter began their full-time RV lifestyle when they were 50 or older? (almost equally divided between their 50s and 60s), with two percent starting in their 70s. Ten percent began in their 40s.

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Inflatable boats for RVers from SeaEagle.

Learn about "Extended RVing" from Joe and Vicki Kieva
RV lecturers and authors Joe and Vicki Kieva present their seminar "Extended RVing" on a new DVD from RVbookstore.com. There's a difference between full-time and extended RVing, they say. Full-timing typically means the RVers' home is the wheeled one they travel with. But extended RVers almost always have a traditional house to maintain and return to after months of RV travel. The informative DVD is available from RVbookstore.com.

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New FAST way to
get your postal mail!
Forget forwarding by slow, snail mail!
Get your mail right after it's delivered by the mailman. Learn how!

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Get a better WiFi signal on the RV road with this device
Most RVers like to have Internet access on road trips, but even with WiFi hotspots proliferating, decent wifi signals from an RV or tow vehicle can be hit or miss. This aid will make your efforts a lot less chancy.

With too little space, these RVers...downsize?

Finding enough living space in a 28-foot fifth wheel that lacked a slide was a fairly constant challenge for these two fulltimers and their cat. You'd think the solution would be to get a larger RV. Yet, they do the opposite. And they have a darn good reason. 

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Good Sam Official RV Road Atlas-- Save BIG!
Besides showing highways and other roads, this large-format road atlas shows more than 10,000 campgrounds, plus RV service centers, tourist attractions and 1,600 state parks, plus a special Tech Tips section. Retail price: $29.90. Our special low price now only $15.95. Learn more or order.

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Lifting device is perfect for disabled RVers
Ramon Lopez a disabled veteran of our armed forces is also an avid RVer who pulls a travel trailer with his truck. He uses a scooter to get around. His problem, which he solved (and you will see how) was figuring how to lift the scooter onto his pickup truck when he was headed back on the road. See the ingenious method he devised to do just that.

Watch out when fueling big RVs at Flying J
Read about one RVing couple's problems when they filled up their rig at a Flying J Truck Stop. Normally RV-friendly Flying J has changed one of its policies lately that can prove a hassle for RVers. Learn why.

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DVD tells what it's like to be a full-time RVer
Anyone who is thinking of traveling full-time with an RV will have his or her questions answered in this wonderful 90-minute DVD. Interviews with dozens of fulltimers as well as experts on the lifestyle. Learn more or order.

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Blue Bird to sell off its Wanderlodge motorcoaches
Blue Bird Corporation announced last month that it will sell its Coachworks Coach and Wanderlodge RV product lines and manufacturing facility to Complete Coach Works of Riverside, California. The transaction is part of Blue Bird’s long-term strategy refocusing the company exclusively on the school bus market. The Bluebird Wanderlodge was the first "$100,000" motorhome and remains one of the most highly respected luxury coaches.

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RVers Guide to Solar Battery Charging
RVers who yearn for independence from generators and RV park hookups will find this an guidebook to selecting, buying and using a solar electric system. The authors are veteran RVers and solar experts and provide everything an RVer needs to know to enjoy the comforts of household power through the power of the sun. Learn more or order.

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RV Kitchen. . . Cooking on the RV road

Handy spice containers perfect for the RV
Save space in your RV with these handy (and very inexpensive) stacking spice containers. Short video shows how they work. They are really neat!

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For aspiring full-time RVers. . .

Is your personality compatible with full-time RVing?
Full-time RVing may be something you've dreamed of for years while you put in all those 9-5 hours or a totally new "wild hair" idea. Whether you're retired or planning to work on the road, there are other important things besides money to consider. No matter how excited you are, this is a major life decision and should be considered carefully. The fact is, not everyone is suited for fulltiming. Here are some things for you to think about in the privacy of your own home before you trade it in for an RV.

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Good Stuff from the Good Sam Club
Join the Club: $19 a year. Save 10% on camping fees plus free RV magazine.
Continuing Service Plan: No More Major Repair Bills! Get a Fast Quote
RV Emergency Road Service. Special Low Rate! Join Today.
Good Sam VIP Insurance: Click here for a free quote .

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Luci and Desi go RVing!

Get ready to laugh at this four-minute clip from Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz's 1950s movie The Long, Long Trailer. Warning: Do not try this in your own travel trailer!

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Where to stay for free in your RV
Cruise on over to FreeCampgrounds.com to learn about more than 1,600 places where you can stay for free or nearly free in an RV. "Don't pay to stay."

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Is this how your RVing began?
Does this photo from the '50s bring back memories? Was it your childhood camping experiences like this that nurtured your love of RVing? When did you first camp with an RV? Take our ten second survey and let us know when you first went RVing (even though it may not have been called RVing back then). And see how others respond, too.

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Casino Camping: Guide to RV-Friendly Casinos
This 2007 directory is the best casino guide for RVers. Learn which casinos have RV parks or offer free overnight stays. Plus get tips and information about other casino benefits for RVers. Learn more or order.

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Blowing RV fuses because not enough amps?
Parking your RV at a friend's of relative's house? What happens if you keep blowing fuses because your RV pulls more amps than the 15 amp circuit can supply? Heat wave not allowing you to use your air conditioner because you really need 50 amps to make it happen? Well, do not despair, help is as near as your local hardware store. Read more.

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Trivia
According to the Discovery Channel, each year sharks kill four humans. In that same year, humans will kill 40 million sharks!

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Visit Camping World for RV supplies and accessories

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Heat your RV with less electricity
By Russ and Tiña De Maris
The RV furnace that came with your rig may keep you warm, but it probably uses a whole lot of electricity to run the blower. What's more, a lot of that heat that comes from costly propane flows right out the outside vent, doing nothing for heating up your RV interior. Catalytic heaters can really make a difference.

Catalytic heater installed in an RV

Our own four-footed feline thinks our "cat heater" was made just for her, and while it is the cat's meow for making lots of heat, ours did cause a bit of a problem for our furry friend.

A cat heater uses a specially coated catalyst bed or mat to increase burn efficiency. Called "flameless," they produce a flare on startup, as our own cat discovered. She stuck her face right up to the heater just before it flared off -- and it took her some time to regrow her whiskers. She quickly learned to stay back a few inches when we lit it up after that.

HIGHLY EFFICIENT, catalytic heaters turn 95% or more of the energy from LP gas into heat, and all is released in the rig. Most are small and can be wall mounted, or placed on legs to be pointed where heat is needed. Since they are a radiant heater, they don't directly warm the air, but rather walls and floors, which slowly release the heat.

Drawbacks? They're non-vented, so you'll need to keep a window cracked for ventilation, even though they consume less oxygen than an open flame heater. They will kick moisture into the RV, and if you're in a high humidity area it can "steam up" your rig. While requiring little maintenance, their catalyst beds are finicky about pollutants. Keep your cat heater covered when not in use. A bad batch of LP can contaminate the bed, and one cat manufacturer recommends you avoid LP from Mexico for this reason. And while most cats don't use battery power, their thermostats are limited, as a result: They're always "off" or "on," usually with a low-medium-high setting.

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Bargains at RVbookstore.com
Low, low prices. Save up to 80% and even more!

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RVing with Max and Paddy and a pig

In this one-minute video we first brought you in RVtravel.com, Max and Paddy are on the road in their motorhome. But for some reason they have a pig onboard. Watch what happens when the pig misbehaves. . . or should we say "puts up a stink?" This is funny.

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Buying a used car or RV?
Learn the vehicle's history. Get a free VIN report at Carfax.com

Save 10% at KOA campgrounds.
Don't pay full price!Click here for details.

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Read more about RVing
in these blogs by RVing experts

Boondocking
Do you use your RV away from utilities? Here you'll pick up tips on how to do it, and learn about some great places to boondock.

The Digital RVer
Your source for computing, communication, and all things electronic that have any relation at all to RVing.

RV Short Stops
Our RVtravel.com blogger's favorite places to visit in their RVs - Great suggestions for places to visit on your own travels.

Fifth Wheelin'
How to use fifth wheel trailers, new models and accessories on the market and much more.

Casino RV Camping
Learn about casino RV parks, freebie camping, and great deals on gaming and dining for RVers who visit.

Working on the RV Road
Up-to-date about news and information about earning income while RVing.

Low Tech RVing
Tips and tricks about maintaining, repairing, using and modifying your RV without getting too technical.

The RV Kitchen
Recipes, tips and techniques to help you prepare healthy meals within the confines of a small space.

RVing Quartzsite
"RV Snowbird Central" for the winter season, home of huge gem shows and flea markets and the land of free camping on government lands.

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ROADTREK MOTORHOMES:
The Fuel Efficient Motorhomes You'll Love to Drive!Learn all about them here.

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FulltimeRVer.com staff
Editor and Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Contributors: Russ and Tina De Maris, Gerry Bruder, Jim Twamley, Jaimie Hall. Forum Administrator: Adrienne Kristine. Office Manager: Jody Allcott. Roving Outfielder: Eric Brotman. Fulfillment Manager: Erin Hanson. Web Operations Guru: Zoey Platt. Clapper Loader: Emily Woodbury. Stress Relief: Mikey the slinky dog.

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Financing an RV? Get a quick quote!
Financial Underwriters Network provides exceptional customer service and exceptional interest rates. Get a quick online quote and caring service.

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Everything in this newsletter is true to the best of our knowledge. But we occasionally get something wrong. We're just human! So don't go spending $10,000 on something we said was good just because we said so, or fixing something like we suggested (check with your own technician first). Maybe we made a mistake. So be sure to check things out.

At RVbookstore.com we strive for excellence in all we do and that's the honest truth (as opposed to the dishonest truth). Our customers receive really, really fast service. We move so fast in sending out a customer's order that sometimes we pass through the sound barrier, which really upsets our neighbors. Our motto is "You need it so we speed it," and no truer words were ever spoken!

This newsletter and website is copyright 2007 by RVbookstore.com. Our International Headquarters: RVbookstore.com, 170 W. Dayton Street, Suite 103, Edmonds WA 98020.

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