Baby Boomer Bucks Still Drive RV Purchases

Since he was a little boy, Kevin Johnson has fond memories of camping in an RV. According to a report in the Poughkeepsie (N.Y.) Journal, he has camped in everything from a small pop-up to his current 34-foot Coachman Mirada that he inherited from his parents and now camps in with his wife and children.

“It’s our home on wheels,” the 55-year-old Rhinebeck resident said. “I find it relaxing to set it up, because I know I’m going to be away soon.”

When it comes to RV purchases, there’s been growth across every age group, especially the Baby Boomers.

“The Baby Boomers are entering prime RV age, which is now 48 years old,” said Kevin Broom, director of media relations at the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA). “People want an inexpensive and fun way to retire, and RVs are the answer. You’re on your own schedule. No flights, no reservations. You do things at your own pace and your own pleasure.”

The Johnson family uses the RV about four times a year, visiting Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and other areas.

“It’s my house,” said Liz Johnson, Kevin Johnson’s wife. “I love it because it gives us a chance to find the quiet side of life. We shut off all the electric stuff except television, and we play games and cards, build a campfire and go touring. We reconnect with the kids without all the electrical stuff.”

Broom says the RV market is filled with options, from folding camping trailers that can be purchased new for about $6,000 to luxury motorhomes that could cost a half million and more.

“(Baby Boomers are) a little more affluent, so they lean leaning toward the average purchase price being higher,” he said.

According to Kevin Nelson, general Maanager of Campers Barn in Kingston, N.Y., most consumers start out with a pop-up camper, then move up to a travel trailer and finally to the larger motorhomes that he says offers a bit more versatility.

“For a family, an RV is limitless,” Nelson said. “You can get a travel trailer or any other size and take this wherever you want to go. It holds your food and sleeps up to about eight people for a small monthly payment and there are all kinds of places to go.”

The Poughkeepsie Journal reported that campers can choose to dry camp, which means parking in a campground with little or no amenities, or can pull into a full-comfort RV park that has all amenities, but includes a deposit up to a few hundred dollars a week.

“You’ve got to get out and try each one,” Nelson said. “What you like will depend on your lifestyle.”

“We’ve done both, but the full-comfort resorts have movie houses, game rooms, athletic rooms and more,” Liz Johnson said.

When it comes to RVing, ignore the misinformation.

“You’ll hear people saying it’s too expensive because of the fuel prices, but the travel savings offset the fuel prices,” Broom said.

A study commissioned by RVIA shows that even during a time of economic turmoil and fluctuating fuel prices, RV trips remain the least costly, 28% to 59% less expensive than other types of vacations for a family of four. For an “empty-nester” couple traveling by RV, savings were 15% to 45%.

Even after accounting for factors such as RV ownership costs and fuel prices, the study confirms that RV vacations offer greater savings than those taken using a personal car or airline and staying in a hotel or rental house or condominium.

“When you’re talking about financing a $30,000 RV over 10 years and writing the interest off as a separate mortgage, the cost of ownership comes down quite a bit and the travel savings is big,” Broom said.

Richard Ferolito, 67, and his wife, Carol Ferolito, 66, have been RVing since the 1960s. Today he belongs to a New York Good Sam chapter, which is part of The Good Sam Club, an international organization of recreational vehicle owners that makes RVing safer and more enjoyable. There are 1,700 RV parks and campgrounds affiliated with the Good Sam organization that offer club members discounts for staying in their parks, which have to meet a minimum standard of services and appearance to be considered for association.

“We travel everywhere and see the natural beauty of the towns and the scenery,” said Richard Ferolito, a Pleasant Valley resident who owns a 35-foot motorhome. “We take the children and the grandchildren, and we have parties to meet the other members,” he says.

 

Settlement Reached in Campground Death Suit

A Sherman, Ill., family whose two youngest children were killed when a tree fell on their tent while camping near the Quad Cities three years ago has settled its lawsuit against the campground for $1.25 million, the family’s lawyers said Thursday (Oct. 20).

Four-year-old Dustin Stuebs and 9-month-old Savannah Stuebs were killed as they slept with their family in tents at Indian Trails Resort at Colona just east of the Quad Cities. The tree fell during a severe thunderstorm in July 2008, The State Journal-Register, Springfield, Ill.

“This settlement was a great alternative to a jury trial for the Stuebs family,” said Dan Kotin of the Chicago law firm Corboy & Demetrio, who along with James Dowd of St. Louis represented Jason and Christina Stuebs. “The tragedy of this event has scarred this family forever. Reliving it at trial would have been almost unbearable for all of them.”

“The settlement does nothing to ease the pain of our loss, but it will help us find closure and move forward with our lives,” Jason Stuebs said in a statement submitted by the family’s lawyer.

In their suit, filed in St. Louis County, the Stuebses alleged that the campground failed to implement any recognized tree-inspection program, which, according to a plaintiffs’ expert, would have revealed that the tree suffered from trunk rot and needed to be removed. The suit also said there was plenty of notice of the storm and that the campground failed to follow its own rules, which required campers to be evacuated into the safety of a clubhouse basement.

FMCA Chapters Dedicated to Giving a Hand up

As the holidays near, local and national news media will spotlight the great needs in the nation’s communities. But among the nearly 500 chapters in the Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA), an international organization for motorhome owners, giving goes on all year long.

According to a news release, some FMCA chapters were formed by motorhome owners with a similar hobby or interest, such as FMCA Chapter: Habitat For Humanity. This group was organized in 1998 by FMCA members who wanted regular opportunities to “give a hand up, not a hand out.” Chapter members support the mission of Habitat for Humanity International and volunteer their time, talents, labor and enthusiasm to build affordable housing, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity affiliates across North America.

The group most recently built a home this past October in Fort Smith, Ark. In 2012, the chapter’s plans include constructing two homes in Georgia.

Other FMCA chapters focus on ownership of RVs made by the same manufacturer, or form because their members all live in a certain geographical area. Regardless of the type of chapter, many of them become involved in helping others.

Following are more highlights of the generosity shown by FMCA chapters:

• The Cruisin’ Cajuns chapter presented a $4,155 gift to the United Way of Acadiana’s Rayne Tornado Long Term Recovery Coalition after a March 2011 tornado hit the town of Rayne, La.

• The Allegheny Mountain chapter of western Pennsylvania sent $500 to a deserving family in Sipsey, Ala., after tornadoes in April destroyed the family’s home and all of their belongings.

• Ozarks Ridge Runner chapter members, concerned about the plight of schoolchildren after a tornado devastated Joplin, Mo., this past May, donated 83 pairs of new athletic shoes — and 240 pairs of socks — to students at Emerson Elementary School in Joplin.

• Country Coach International, an FMCA chapter whose members own Country Coach brand motorhomes, donated $7,298 to a children’s hospital in San Antonio, Texas.

• The Twentieth Century Wagontrainers chapter held a “working rally” at a New Jersey Elks camp for children with special needs, preparing it for the summer season. They cleaned dorms, power-washed buildings, assembled beds, and replaced electrical fixtures, among other tasks.

• The Wisconsin-based Badger chapter collected canned foods to be distributed to veterans by the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs.

• Canned-goods collection stations also are set up by members of the Professional RV Vendors Chapter at FMCA conventions and area rallies, for distribution to local food pantries.

• At each Lone Star chapter rally, stuffed animals are collected to donate to service organizations in the community. At the final rally of the year, the entire collection is given away. In December 2009, more than 60 toys went to the Fredericksburg, Texas, Police Department to be distributed to disadvantaged children.

• Since 2008 the WesTex chapter has been helping to support a young man in financial difficulty by helping him achieve a college degree from Texas A&M. They also have helped to pay for his books, provided him with a computer and printer, and more.

 

‘Tents for Troops’ Seeks Input on RV Program

Tents for Troops (T4T), www.TentsforTroops.org, the nationwide network of RV parks and campgrounds offering complimentary camping to active military and their families, is seeking assistance with a feasibility study.

According to a press release, T4T is interested in studying the possibility of offering the use of RVs to troops nationwide at no cost. T4T said the scope of this program could prove very large, requiring a great deal of input in determining program viability.

According to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA), 7.7% of the active military personnel camped in an RV in the past six months. Based on a recent comScore Inc. report, that equates to approximately 115,000 troops.

T4T is interested in establishing how such a program may operate and examining the logistics of such an undertaking in the following areas:

• Demand for such a program and the number/type of RVs most suitable.

• Optimum location to work from – near major military bases, major population areas, etc.

• Administration and housing of RVs – possibilities may include national or regional RV retailers and/or service centers, national or regional RV rental firms, retail big box chains, auto or truck rental firms, military bases.

• Fleet maintenance – modeled on the Cruise America/Jiffy Lube program.

• Designing and locating a pilot program if deemed appropriate.

• Examining long- and short-term funding requirements, funding sources, self-sustainability.

T4T welcomes assistance from every corner of the RV and outdoor hospitality industry whether it’s simply a comment or observation or staff time to commit to the feasibility study. As noted, this project is in an exploratory phase. With help from those in the industry, T4T can determine whether or not to move forward with this RV availability project. Interested parties are encouraged to contact Tents for Troops founder Charlie Curry at 360-274-7915 or TentsforTroops@aol.com.

 

B.C. Walmart Cracks Down on Longer RV Stays

They are usually known as a welcoming sight for RV campers in need of a place to stop for the night or a few days before continuing on with their journey. Besides being a big-box retail store, Walmart parking lots across North America have generally been hospitable to the traveling camper.

But, according to a report by bclocalnews.com, anyone hoping to stay in the Kamloops, British Columbia, Walmart parking lot for an extended period of time can expect to be turned away.

This past summer the company SmartCentres, which owns the shopping center, installed large new signs on the lot reminding customers there is no overnight parking for RVs or trucks.

Sandra Kaiser, vice president of corporate affairs for SmartCentres, said the no-overnight rules were always in place, but not enforced stringently until recently.

She said the measure is not meant to crack down on someone staying a few hours or even a night, but is intended to address RV owners staying for days and weeks.

“More and more campers were coming and staying for longer periods of time, to the point where we were losing parking spaces that we have to provide to our tenants,” Kaiser said, adding the company had received complaints from tenants in the shopping centre.

She noted overnight stays made it difficult for maintenance crews to clean up the lot. Kaiser said maintenance crews are politely reminding campers they can’t park in the lot long-term.

Walmart manager Tim Labermeyer said he’s heard from some customers who expected to park at the store overnight. However, he pointed out many of the Walmart lots that allow overnight parking are owned by the retail giant. The Kamloops Walmart leases the property so, in this case, it is not a decision made by the store.

“We have to abide by their [SmartCentres] rules,” Labermeyer said.

The Kamloops location wouldn’t be alone in banning overnight stays, as a growing number of Walmarts in the U.S. are starting to turn away RVs and campers. Kaiser said the signs and rules are permanent.

 

Triple-Digit Heat Wave in Texas Taxes RV AC’s

Cooling winds did give Texans a mini-break from the scorching temperatures. But, according to a report from KFDX News 3, people in RVs are working extra hard to stay cool. One reason, the air conditioners aren’t built for this kind of heat.

As they put it, they are surviving, but they wish their AC’s were blowing cooler air. All they can do now is just look ahead to fall’s cooler weather.

RVs are sturdy and reliable while traveling, but their air conditioning systems aren’t designed for triple digit heat day in and day out. And it’s something Michelle Smith and her husband are temporarily dealing with.

“My husband got a job here and we had to move out here rapidly and we didn’t have a place to live or stay so we bought an RV and just came out,” said Smith.

Smith said coming from California they were prepared for the heat, but their AC unit wasn’t.

“We’re doing pretty good except for our air conditioning unit. We only have one air conditioning unit and it only cools down about 20 degrees from what’s outside,” she said.

The average temperature in their home is about 80 degrees. And when she needs to feel some frost, Smith gets in her car and turns the AC on full blast.

But it’s not only the soaring temperatures getting to these campers, it’s also their soaring electricity bill.

“The AC’s are working overtime,” said Dean Carner, an RV camper.

Not only is it toasty inside, but Carner’s refrigerator isn’t able to keep up and is only able to chill down to 56 degrees. So he’s had to figure out other ways to keep cool at home.

“I closed up the windows and bought some auto shades, but because the windows are tinted, it intensifies the heat,” said Carner.

Both Smith and Carner say water and fans are the only way they are making it through this summer.

 

Nebraska State Parks OK Extended RV Stays

Recreational vehicle owners and other campers who want to stay longer than two weeks at some Nebraska state parks and recreation areas will be able to do so beginning in January.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission on Friday (July 29) extended campsite stays for up to 90 days — but only at 25 state parks and recreation areas across Nebraska. Currently, campers can stay no longer than 14 days, the Lincoln Journal Star reported.

The commission made the change after getting feedback from campers who said the high cost of fuel made it expensive to haul their RVs, said Roger Kuhn, administrator of the parks division.

About 5% of the campsites in a designated state park or recreation area will be set aside for longer stays, Kuhn said, adding that they will be in low-use areas.

Regulations that allowed the change were approved by the commission in May and a fee schedule was approved Friday at the commission’s meeting in Lincoln.

Campers who stay longer will receive the following discounts on their nightly overnight camping fee: 20% for 15-to-30 days; 30% for 31-to-60 days, and 40% for 61-to-90 days.

Fees at each state park and recreation area will vary, depending on what facilities are available, Kuhn said.

Commissioner Lynn Berggren asked if the extended-stay campsites will be scattered or concentrated in one area.

Kuhn said he believes they would be in one area of a campground.

“We don’t want them scattered all over because it causes confusion,” he said.

Kuhn said the agency does not know what the demand will be for the extended-stay campsites, so it started with a small number at selected state parks and recreation areas.

Campers who leave their RVs and camper trailers for long periods, do so at their own risk, Kuhn said, because they will not be covered by insurance (other than the owner’s) and there won’t be any security.

The the state park system consists of eight parks, 11 historic parks such as Arbor Lodge in Nebraska City, 64 recreation areas and two recreational trails.

 

Oregon Retailer Focuses on Teardrop Trailers

Some people are not ashamed to admit that they like teardrops, especially when they come in the form of small lightweight camping trailers.

Bill Coberly, the owner of Tear Drops Northwest in Salem, Ore., has one of the few businesses in the immediate area that sell the trailers, according to a report in the Statesman Journal.

Teardrop camping, Coberly said, is a hybrid between using a tent and an RV and is especially convenient for people who are looking to either simplify or reduce costs of using the larger trailers.

Retired veteran Dan Archer, 51, owned an 18-foot-long fully loaded camping trailer for several years. But recently, he said, he realized he had not been making the most of that trailer. “I noticed I never really needed that much space,” he said.

He began doing research online to see what options were available, and one day while driving in Salem, he saw one of the teardrop trailers and followed the signs to Coberly’s business. “It caught my eye,” he said.

Coberly said one of things he enjoys about owning and selling the trailers is how much attention they draw from people who are curious about the pint-size campers.

“People are always looking at them,” he said. “There’s a fascination with that cubby-hole space and what could be going on in there.”

Archer, although still a relatively new owner, said he was impressed with the way the trailer pulled behind his Jeep and that it was easy to move around. He was able to physically move it around himself, unlike having to maneuver the 18-foot-long trailer.

Some minor kinks he said he was getting accustomed to were not having a bathroom and some initial struggling with his air mattress as well as getting adjusted to how to make the best use of his storage space. But for all intents and purposes, Archer said the teardrop worked out well.

Another advantage Archer has discovered is the lower cost of fuel from pulling the lighter trailer. “It hardly took any fuel,” he said.

Pulling the 4,000-pound trailer was much less efficient than the 800-pound teardrop, he said.

Archer said he is planning several more camping excursions, including trips to Deschutes County and Eastern Oregon.

 

Herzogs Promote RVing on Northwest Tour

Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) spokesman Brad Herzog and family are on the road promoting the RV lifestyle in local media markets for a 12th straight year. This year’s two-month itinerary routes the family through media markets in the Northwest.

Halfway through the tour, the Herzogs have appeared on the news in more than 10 markets, including Sacramento, Colorado Springs, Denver and Spokane.

Brad continues to promote the RV lifestyle as affordable despite high prices at the pump, telling viewers in Colorado Springs, “My favorite thing about the RV experience is the freedom and flexibility you have, you are traveling on your own terms, if you want to save money and not go the extra 200 miles.”

The Herzogs — Brad, wife Amy, and sons Luke (10) and Jesse (9) provide an accessible example of an RVing family. At each stop, they deliver messages of family togetherness, health and wellness benefits of RV travel, and educational opportunities kids get when they travel by RV — all significant purchase motivators, according to RVIA’s latest communications planning study.

“My kids are pretty sedentary at home,” Brad told viewers in Sacramento.  “But on the road we’re doing a lot of hikes.”

The 45-day tour concludes July 12 in Minneapolis.

RV Entrepreneurs Enjoying Life on the Road

The following is a blog written by Mark Hendricks appearing on CBS Interactive Network offering a Q&A with Steve Anderson, editor of Workamper News, about running a business from an RV.

Even if you don’t know a truck camper from a motorhome, you know that they’re called “recreational vehicles,” not “entrepreneurial vehicles.” But according to Steve Anderson, that doesn’t mean you can’t run a business out of one.

Anderson, editor of the 14,000-subscriber Workamper News, a publication for people who work while living as full-time on-the-road RVers, says that while many have jobs as park rangers, campground employees and other similar gigs, a sizable number are self-employed entrepreneurs who operate businesses from their mobile lodgings. According to Anderson, who is based in Heber Springs, Arkansas, there is more opportunity on the road than you might think.

BNET: Seriously, you can’t run a business out of an RV — can you?

Anderson: That’s dead wrong. You absolutely can run a business out of an RV. We have literally hundreds of members running businesses out of their RVs and living in multiple places every year. With the advent of the Internet and especially now with the tools for bandwidth to connect to the Internet, the door is open to do multiple things from an RV.

We had a webinar last night and people were participating while they were sitting in a forest in northern Montana. It doesn’t make any different any more as long as you have a satellite to get to the web or are in a campground with Wi-Fi.  Now that’s become commonplace. And you also have 3G and 4G cards that have created much more connectivity for people.

BNET: But you can’t make a living doing this; this is only for people who are retired, right?

Anderson: Yes, you can make a living. We have people in their 30s and 40s who are successfully living the RV lifestyle and running businesses.

BNET: What kinds of businesses are they running?

Anderson: There are a lot of people selling products that are closely related to RVing. There are also folks that are doing everything from consulting to running dating services. There are attorneys and private nurse practitioners who are living the RV lifestyle. Some do business consulting. Another couple is doing ancestry, helping people explore their ancestors.

A real good example is the RV professor. Last May he left a college teaching job in Texas and now he and his wife are running the RV Mobile Academy. He teaches people how to repair and take care of their own RVs. He used to teach technicians on a college level how to repair RVs for dealers. Now he teaches that to people all across the country.

BNET: Is this becoming more common?

Anderson: It’s definitely picking up pace. That’s why we started a Workamper small business program. We’re connecting them with consultants to help them understand everything from the legal aspects to marketing aspects, all the things a small business needs. We’re also providing them a platform through which we’re going to be introducing their small businesses to our membership base, as well as our dreamer base. We have about 20,000 folks in dreamer mode, who are just learning about the lifestyle and contemplating it for their future.

BNET: What are some things you can’t do? Things that require large bulky heavy inventory?

Anderson: You’re right, although even that has changed because of drop shipping. You’re not going to have an auto parts store in an RV — even though there are some folks that have very large trailers they’re hauling behind RVs. They’re doing the circuit of shows where they literally roll in with a small shop and open it up for display.

Really, the sky’s the limit. From the standpoint of people wanting to experience America from an RV, they have the option to do what they want, as long as they understand the limitations and restrictions. But it’s much more open now than it was five years ago. And I predict that’s just going to get better.

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