Fulltime RVer Newsletter
Fulltimer Newsletter: How much income do you earn?

Issue 27 of the best email newsletter for full-time RV enthusiasts and others who want to be.

This newsletter is posted every-other week.

If surveys and other RV manufacturer "think tanks" are correct, most of you are driving a bit less, and hunkering down in one place a lot more. Gas pains will do that to you. We're still hunkered down, watching the thermometer charge up the scale like Mary Poppins on a helium high. We're headed for a respite from our 114-degree days. Russ spent much of the morning rigging up a high-volume fan to blast off some heat in the back of the RV refrigerator compartment.

Get shade! © Russ & Tiña De Maris

No hard ice cream these days, just unanticipated soft serve. Okay, sometimes meltdown. It's a challenge, but hey, like the industry group says, "Life's an adventure -- go RVing."

Our own survey in Issue 26 was revealing. If you haven't had a chance to view the results on our fulltimer income survey, be sure to check it out in our last issue. Making the long story short, the majority of our fulltime respondents (35%+) have an annual income of $20,000 to nearly $40,000 a year. Yep, some really do live on the cheap, about 2% living on less than $10,000 per year, and a few (about 1.5%) make over $150,000. This pretty well reflects what we see every year in Quartzsite: Very spendy custom motorhomes parked right next door to home-brew van campers. RVers are definitely a cross section. But there's always the great equalizer: Regardless of what we have or don't have, we all meet down at the dump station.

Hold on to your Stetsons -- the speed limit has skyrocketed in some parts of the Lone Star State.

© Russ & Tiña De Maris

On some of the lonelier stretches of the Texas roadways, motorists can get to their next Starbucks quicker, courtesy of the fastest speed limit in the country: 80 miles per hour.

Yep, it seems you can even pull your fifth wheel at 80 (if you dare, and if it's daylight out). 18-wheelers may become 18-squeelers as the speed limits for the big commercial rigs HAVE NOT increased. When darkness falls, however, everybody turns into pumpkins: The speed limit sundown to sunup is a snail's paced 65 miles per hour.

Don't Burn E-85? It was bound to happen. When fuel retailers started marketing E-85 "gas," -- 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, some were sure to try burning it in their conventional cars and trucks. Stop! says Detroit. Conventional cars get indigestion on E-85. Seems it eats the rubber lines and does other nasty things.

Ethanol Easy on Environment? Depends on who you ask. Ethanol is supposed to be less polluting, but one environmental think tank says think again. To produce one gallon of ethanol from corn requires 1,700 gallons of water, often from depleted aquifers. So far, not as many problems reported with biodiesel.

Blue Boy Blues Reviews
"In 'Blue Boy Blues' the writer described how to eliminate 'obstructions' while emptying the black water tank into a blue boy by closing the black water valve, disconnecting at the blue boy, then hoisting the hose above black water tank level, then opening the gray water tank momentarily with the black water valve open, then shutting both valves, rehooking to the blue boy, then opening the black water valve again (Pause for breath here). My question is not why this works, nor how. My question is: 'How did they figure this out in the first place?!??!?!?'" -- JS

You don’t even want to know. -- ED

Flashback on Digital Images
"You recommend saving your photos on CD. Paul Alton, the guy who wrote my Travel Log chapters 69 and 71, told me that he was dismayed to discover that CDs age and he lost a bunch of photos because the CDs were no longer readable. Just thought Russ/Tina might need to check that out and maybe modify their article." -- BH

Several CD manufacturers have addressed this question. Kodak says it feels that under normal storage conditions in a household or business environment, their CDs should keep data integrity for about 100 years. Another maker, TDK, suggests a more conservative 70 years. Manufacturers point to handling issues (finger oil on read/write surfaces), storage problems (high heat or humidity, storage "flat" for long periods), etc., as the real gremlins associated with unrecoverable data problems. A set of backup CDs might help. Of course, 70 or 100 years from now, CD technology will probably be passé, and we'll all have to move our data to the next medium. Should we live so long. -- ED

Where is this article to be found? -- DH

DH, several folks told us they couldn't find the story. We had a technical glitch (sometimes known as an "oversight") and the link to the story failed to develop. Here's the story -- ED

A soft brush on a handle is helpful, as is a bucket of cleaning solution. If your awning manufacturer doesn't provide specific information, you may find this solution works; In a bucket of two gallons of warm water, add a cup of household bleach and liquid dish detergent. Extend the awning, and (for some) carefully release the arms. Instead of sticking them in "carport position," slide them under the rig so the awning fabric hangs down the side of the rig. This will give you the opportunity to scrub the "outside" of the awning. You'll need to have the awning in "regular" position to get the "inside."

After a thorough scrub down, do an equally good job of rinsing. Don't "roll" the awning up until it's completely dry. And when washing the awning with bleach water, it's not a bad "eye-dea" to wear eye protection!

Boondocking Southeast Ohio
Just a day away from the "Big C" cities of Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati: Make your way into the rolling hills of the Appalachians, but be sure to bring your RV because you can boondock out here in the middle of nowhere. Where's nowhere? In the Wayne National Forest, a chunk of land scattered over some 833,000 acres, much of it publicly owned. It's a patchwork quilt, most of which lies in three "units," all of which have their own charm.

Rock bridge entices hikers. USNFS

Bring your looking glasses (binoculars and cameras) because there's abundant wildlife to view. Foxes, deer, squirrels and woodchucks abound. Cultural resources include mounds and earthworks left over by predecessors from generations ago.

Like to move it along? Hiking trails for horses, pedestrians, and even ATV-designated areas are abundant. Tour the area and check out ancient graveyards, or if that's too macabre, the forest has a number of old covered bridges to suit your fancy.

All this, and there's plenty of free RV camping. You can pay-to-stay in improved campgrounds or you can park it "primitive" style anywhere in the forest not posted "no camping," nor blocking roads or trails.

Check out the Forest Service website at. It's the only National Forest in all of Ohio!

How do you interview for a Workamping position?
Most interviews for Workamping positions are by telephone since the Workamper may be hundreds of miles from the job location. The job interview is a chance to sell yourself as the best candidate. It's also the time when you find out about the job and employer.

To sell yourself, speak with confidence. Stand up when you speak and smile.

To improve your telephone interviews, tape record yourself describing your experience and answering typical questions. Repeat until you are satisfied with your answers and the way you convey them.

They’re home-schooling their two sons. They’ve camped in 15 different states, and racked up 30,603 miles on their motorhome and tow vehicle. Next on the docket? A journey to Alaska in their RV. Such is the life of the Mark Gregorich family as they make their way on an RV odyssey that many only dream of.

The Gregorich family began their American RV adventure back in Orlando, Florida in September of 2005. Mark and Cricket sold their house and almost all their belongings after buying a 36-foot motorhome so they could travel across the United States. Their two sons, now in the third and fifth grades, had already been home-schooled for two years. After Mom made a career move, being a "stay-home mom" was possible, and the decision came to buy the RV and go on the road.

"It has been a great experience," said Mark. "Even the kids are getting an education without having to do school work."

Where do they go from here? Their goal is to visit 49 states before the end of 2006. To follow along in their "American RV Home-Schooling Adventure", visit their website at www.awaywego.us. There you'll find lots of photos and stories of their activities. They even have a message board where you can say hi and sign up to receive e-mail updates of their travels.

For this issue, a potpourri of ideas. RVers love to share them -- from around the campfire to sitting in the coffee shop. It may be places to park the rig and catch the best sunset. Maybe it's your favorite trick for taking bugs off the front of the motorhome or how to build a quick campfire.

We've been on the "receiving end" of all sorts of helpful tips over the years, and we hope we've spread a few of our own pearls of wisdom. Our story, "Hints and Tips to Share," will take you from RV cleaning tricks, to bathroom brainstorms, and down the line to camp making curiosities.

By the way, we'd love to hear your best hints and tricks. Drop us a line at ftrveditor@icanrv.com.

Orlando, Florida -- Take a High Speed Tour of a Boat Factory
Not all of us with fulltime aspirations have a boat in our pocket. Is touring a boat factory tantamount to temptation? Put on your deck shoes and head over to Regal Marine. From runabouts to cruisers, Regal has been building boats for 30 years. They'd like to show you how they do it. Monday through Friday, from 9:00 to 10:30 every morning the brass is polished, the decks are trim, and your tour of inspection runs. No appointment is needed, but change out of the flip-flops into something with closed toes.

Regal Marine Industries, 2300 Jetport Drive, Orlando, FL 32809. Phone ahead for more information at (800) US REGAL.

Golden, Colorado -- Light Up Your Life -- Alternatively -- at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory

A few weeks ago, we featured a nuclear research laboratory. Now on the other end of the spectrum, if you will, learn about saving energy -- after you've made it from the sun, the wind, or even (gasp) biomass!

This huge campus in the Rocky Mountain State uses self-guided tours to showcase energy from renewable resources. And of course, like the rest of our offerings in this section, it's free. Normal hours are weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but there are special events at other times. Best to call for information, or visit the center on the web first. www.nrel.gov/visitors_center/ or pick up the electric telephone and dial (303) 384-6565.

"My problem lies in reconciling my gross habits with my net income." -- Errol Flynn

Canyon de Chelle, © Russ & Tiña De Maris

That's it for this edition! Wherever you go, may your travels bring you happiness. We'd love to hear from you, kudos to komplaints, let us know. ftrveditor@icanrv.com