Watch that height clearance. Watch this fifth wheel take out a bank drive through. Oops!

Do you know the exact hight clearance on your rig? Well you should. Highway overpasses and things like that are usually not a problem since they are built to accommodate semi-trucks and large vehicles. However, there are other low hanging obstacles like this bank drive through that can ruin a vacation if you have a momentary brain fart. Make a mistake like this, and you too could end up on YouTube.

Hope nobody was hurt!!!

RV or Houseboat? Check out the Terra Wind Amphibious Coach

Imagine driving your class A coach right down the boat ramp into the water. With the new Terra Wind amphibious motor coach you can do just that. This thing is seriously Chitty Chitty Bang Bang....RV style. You can even extend the slides and diving platform to complete the house boat transformation. Too cool...but the $1.2 million price tag puts it out of reach for most of us. It would be cool though just to see the expression on the faces of boaters at the marina as you drive it into the water. Someone will probably call 911. 

What's next? Maybe a flying RV like in the old Disney movie "Escape to Witch Mountain" in which the Winnebago flies away at the end. Who wouldn't want one of those. Right? -T

RVing in the 1930s

70 years ago, the dream of traveling the country in your very own RV was alive and well. 

Of course, much has changed since then. Sites are no longer a whopping $1 per week (plus $.25 for power hookups) and high-end custom RVs are a bit more expensive than the top-o-the-line $8,000 model back then. That figures since RVs came only in black and white back then. :)

Rainy Cinco De Mayo!

Rainy Day At The Pond!
Originally uploaded by shesnuckinfuts

What's up with this miserable and rainy cinco de mayo. We were supposed to dress up in fiesta attire at work today for our Cinco De Mayo party. I couldn't do it, I was too cold. So I opted for the sweatshirt instead.

This weather bums me out! In Western Washington the saying should go "April Showers bring May Showers".

-T

Hearst Castle Photos

Hearst Castle
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

Here are photos from our visit last month to Hearst Castle. It was a spectacular day for the tour. There are 4 tours available and we signed up for the introductory tour which showed the grounds, and exterior house, main pool area, main floor rooms, theater and finished with the indoor pool. The tour lasted 1 hour and 15 minutes. When the tour was finished, we returned by bus to the visitor center and watched the National Geographic movie about William Randolph Hearst, which was very good.

I highly recommend checking this place out if you get a chance. It's a one-of-a-kind remarkable place. You won't see anything like it again in this country. The place is full of priceless artifacts and artwork, including tapestries dating 500+ years old.

I look forward to a future visit to checkout the other tours.

Click here locate Hearst Castle on the map.

Lonestar Concert at the Little Creek Casino in Shelton, WA

Lonestar Concert at Little Creek Casino
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

We drove the RVs down to Shelton for the Lonestar concert at the Little Creek Casino. We saw the Doobie Brothers here last year and it's a good venue for live music. Arriving early, we had a nice lunch and then hung around the casino until showtime. I left a small contribution in a slot machine for the tribe before returning to the RV for some downtime before showtime. I did have a chance to walk down to the event center early enough to hear the band doing a sound check. The Lonestar semi-truck pictured on the right was backed up to the side of the event center at the time. My review of the Lonestar concert, however, would be mixed. 

First let me say that the band was very good and the overall performance was entertaining. The instruments and vocals were very tight. The only criticism I have is that it just did not feel like I was watching Lonestar. Let me qualify that by saying that I had never seen Lonestar live before. But it was as if former lead singer, Richie McDonald, took the band's signature sound with him when he left the group in 2007.  Lonestar's new lead singer, Cody Collins, is an awesome vocalist. I'll give him that. However his voice, vocal style, appearance and stage presence highly resemble that of Keith Urban. It was as if a Keith Urban impersonator were singing all of your favorite Lonestar songs. Regardless, the die hard Lonestar fans no doubt loved the show. For me, the highlights were watching drummer Keech Rainwater play and the encore medly of classic rock snippets which included a tight rendition of the vocal intro to the Kansas song "Carry On My Wayward Son". 

The young ladies in the audience seemed to be totally into Cody, as you would expect with his youthful good looks, smooth vocals, long hair and torn up blue jeans. In fact, the two girls seated in front of us, spent the majority of the show trying, unsuccessfully, to capture the perfect photo if him with their digital cameras. Failing to capture a decent photo, they would repeatedly raise their digital cameras directly into my line of site, wait for the autofocus, and "Flash" another poorly exposed photo of something loosely resembling a stage and band. I doubt they even payed much attention to the actual performance itself. For them, it seemed like showing the perfect photo to friends, thus proving they were there, was more important than actually watching and listening to the show. 

We all enjoy live music in our own way I guess. Some scream, some yell, some dance around, and some just take tons of pictures to put on their MySpace. I prefer to listen and take it all in. Having been in a band before, I know how difficult it is to bring several musical components together perfectly and form a cohesive pleasing sound. I tend to listen for all of the musical components and hear how well they work together. You can tell when a band is really clicking with each other musically and when they are not. Lonestar played very well together and had a good sound. The performance seemed to lack a certain something for me that I can't quite put my finger on. Oh well....

Overall, it was very fun evening and I look forward to attending more live concerts there at the Little Creek. Their parking lot was very RV friendly and has a designated RV parking area. We spent the night and returned home in the morning. 

-Tito

Back home after a great trip!!

We arrived home around 2PM after an awesome spring break road trip. To our amazement, the weather here at home was incredibly pleasant. That made the end-of-vacation hangover a little more bearable. I'll be posting more about the trip after I process through all of the pictures and tidbits gathered over the last week. Until then, It's back to the old grind and school for the kids.

Tomorrow morning's going to be painful :(

-T

Arrived in Rice Hill OR

Arrived in Rice Hill OR
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

We're all hooked up for the night near Oakland, OR. The nice California weather seemed to follow us all the way here. After 8.5 hours in the driver's seat, I was ready for a little down time. I was able to hookup to some nearby WiFi and Mrs. T and I are enjoying a cold one in the sun before the sun is gone. We've been really lucky to have had nice weather for the entire trip. We'll be hitting the road early again tomorrow in hopes of getting home in the early afternoon.

We had a nice day yesterday in Napa visiting family and celebrating NateDawg's birthday. We took him to see the Fast and Furious movie which he really loved. He was then supprised back at the RV when cousin Chris and Angela showed up with their limited edition custom mustangs and took Nathan for a "intense" ride. He said his heart was still pounding a couple hours after the ride was over. What a treat!! I took lots of pics that I'll post when I get home.

It's been a great time creating memories with Deuce and the Deucestress. Can't wait for our next trip together. -T

Entering Oregon

Entering Oregon
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

Now entering Oregon.....Goodbye California :(

I-5 heading north towards home

I-5 heading north towards home
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

Left Napa at 7am to avoid morning traffic. On I-5 northbound about 60 miles from Redding and heading home. The drive has been quite windy, but is finally easing up. Will arrive in central Oregon sometime this afternoon. Enjoying the last of this beautiful weather.

Take the long way home...

Hello friends, it's Cdizzle here. Tito has given me the grand privilege to post on his blog! What an honor right? Well it is. Just letting you know. Currently we are here in Napa Valley listening to sweet beats on our XM radio. (Take the Long Way Home - Supertramp) Gotta love the oldies! Mrs. Tito is Nintendo DSing it while Nate-Dawg is texting and listening to his iPod (oh the new teen years..) This trip has been going fantastic so far. You gotta love the sun. I know I do. Washington weather is... well bipolar and disgusting. Yeah.. well I think that concludes my first post for now. I'm going to get back to curling my hair! Enjoy the rest of your glorious evening Tito readers :)

On our way to Napa Valley

On our way to Napa Valley
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

We've changed our scheduled a bit and decided to spend a day and half in Napa to visit family celebrate NateDog's birthday. We arrived around 2:45PM after a windy run from Paso Robles, CA up to Napa. It's a comfortable 70 degrees here with a light breeze and sunny skies.

We drove through the California Delta on Highway 12. The wind farm shown in the picture was pretty cool and had some really big turbines. I could not look too close though since the highway was really narrow, bumpy and extremely windy. In think Gov. Arnold needs to spend some $$$ on this highway.

We're staying at the Napa Valley Expo RV park. It's kind of like a county fairgrounds sort of place, but the RV park is decent with full hookups. We'll opted to stay through Friday to celebrate NateDog's birthday and not drive. We'll be looking for a place to go see The Fast and Furious which comes out tomorrow. It's what he wants.

Happy April Fools Day!

Happy April Fools Day!
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

I'm sorry to hear that it's cold and rainy/snowy back home. My sympathy goes out to everyone :( ... and for those of you reading from the wet and cold Pacific Northwest, please make sure spring shows up before we return home.

It's 76 degrees here with a light breeze and a cloudless sky. Sorry that is not an April Fools joke, it really is that nice. We're sitting out in the sun enjoying our last full day here before we start our voyage back to winter wonderland (home that is). The kids are at the pool. We wish we could stay longer, but the road home is looming ahead of us.

There's a winery that borders the RV park here and we're going to walk over there with the folks and do a little wine tasting. On our way back from the coast, after visiting Hearst Castle, we drove past about 30 wineries along highway 46. We drove down to Harmony to visit the Harmony Cellars. Back home we've had a good Cabernet from there before that we really enjoyed. We thought we'd try to find them while we were here. We picked up a few bottles from them just before they closed up at 5pm.

I'm seriously considering quitting my job and moving down here.

-T

Visiting Hearst Castle

Visiting Hearst Castle
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

We just had our tour of Hearst Castle near San Simeon, California. It is mind boggling to see such extravagance in this hilltop abode. Amazing!! It is a beautiful day to boot. 

Click here for more Hearst Castle Photos

The pool pictured here was rebuilt 3 times before the final look was achieved. We signed up for the experience tour which covers the main grounds, one of the bungalos, the large rooms of the main floor and the two pools. There is a lot to see, so there are 4 different tours to go on if you want to see the whole thing. The tour we took lasted about and hour and 15 minutes. The visitor's center is located at the bottom of the mountain. Shortly before your tour, you are bussed up to the top where you are greeted by your tour guide who takes you around. The tour guide was very knowlegeable about the property and all of the antiques in the home. There is so much to look at which is why the commentary is relatively non-structured. If there is an item that you are curious about, then you need to ask. Overall it was well worth the visit and I encourage you to go should you get the chance.

We grabbed a bite to eat at the lunch counter on-site before watching the hostorical "Building a Dream" movie about William Randolf Hearst. Then we made our way back to the Paso Robles with a short stop in Harmony to visit Harmony Cellars for a wine tasting. Back in Washington, a friend gave us a bottle of Cabernet from this winery. We really enjoyed the wine and noticed that the winery was just a couple of miles south of Cambria, so we thought we'd pay a visit after our tour. We got there just before they closed at 5pm and the people there were very friendly and let us stay after closing for a tasting. The kids waited in the car. Of course, we purchased a few bottles to bring home.  

Event if you don't visit Hearst Castle, this is a beautiful coastal area. The countryside in this area is simply beautiful with its rolling grassy hills and rocky Pacific coastline. The 40 minute drive from Paso Robles is just stunning. -T

Arrived in Paso Robles CA

Arrived in Paso Robles CA
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

We are all checked in at the Wine Country RV Resort here in Paso Robles, CA. We're here side-by-side with Deuce who arrived here just before us. Nate Dog and CDizzle are bummed because rollerblading and skate boarding are prohibited in the park. He'll have to settle for the heated pool and game room. It's a very nice 76 degrees with a cloudless sky. We're here for the next four days.

The drive down here on 101 was pleasant and easy. It took just 2 hours to get here from Moss Landing. In some areas along the way, we could see endless rows of vines from vineyards. Some went on as far as the eye could see. Amazing. There are several wineries in the area and if we feel up to it we may pay a visit to a couple. Keep checking back and we'll keep updates coming throughout our stay.

Here's where we are:

View Larger Map

Back from Monterey

Back from Monterey
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

We're back at the RV from our afternoon in Monterey. It was about a 20 minute ride in the car down the bay to Monterey. Once we paid for parking, it was a short walk down to Cannery Row where the Monterey Aquarium was located. We stayed at the aquarium until it closed at 6. The aquarium was nice, but not as exciting as we had hoped. Regardless, we had a good time. We then visited a nearby Starbucks and just goofed off for a while before heading back to the car. We did not make it to Carmel or Pebble Beach, but maybe on a return trip. We did go into a Pebble Beach store in Monterey thinking we may find some momemto to buy and were looking around a bit. CDizzle was taking goofy pictures until the lady in the store said "no pictures..." So I said "they are just taking pictures of themselves. I guess that's one way to make people leave your store without buying anything..." I may have mumbled under my breath. We promptly left the store. We were the only ones in there....idiots.

Nate Dog went rollerblading around the park when we returned and skinned his knee attempting a cool jump over some gravel. Not so cool of landing I guess. "Just don't blead on the couch" I may have said. He's now all bandaged up and playing Battleship on the DS with Mom. We were going to grab some dinner at a nearby seafood place tonight but decided that we were still full from the junk we ate in Monterey. I'll have to get some great seafood some other time when there's more room in my tummy.

We will probably just lay low tonight instead and be ready for the two hour drive down the coast tomorrow to Paso Robles where we'll hook back up with Deuce. -T

Arrived at Moss Landing

Arrived at Moss Landing
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

We're all hooked up at the Moss landing KOA. It was a pretty drive through the San Luis Obispo hills. Now it's a comfortable 72 degrees with a breeze coming off of Monterey Bay. Apparently this area is the deemed the artichoke capitol of the world which is apparent in the endless fields of artichoke surrounding us. We also drove through vast fields of garlic. We could smell something good as we drove through but couldn't quite pinpoint the smell until CDizzle saw a bunch of signs for garlic. It smelled pretty good actually.

We're going to get situated then head into Monterey to visit the aquarium. -T

We've arrived in Patterson, CA !!

We've arrived!
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

We've arrived and are all hooked up at KitFox RV Park in Patterson, CA. The WiFi at the park is really slow, so we're "Borrowing" WiFi from the Best Western somewhere nearby. Cdizzle is checking her tweets, Tito is checking the blog & Nate Dog is annoying his sister. Mrs Tito is enjoying the AC.

It was a longer day driving than originally planned. We left this morning around 10:15 this morning and got to Patterson right at 8PM. We made a couple of rest stops along the way. Once out of the mountains in Northern CA it was pretty much smooth sailing until hitting Sacramento. We must have timed it just right to hit the tail end of rush hour. It wasn't too bad though. We also stopped in what we refer to as "manure town" (see map). It's just outside of Stockton. We always call it manure town because of all of the cattle yards and slaughter houses in the area. There's a strong manure smell in the air as you pass through. We're now settled, fed and ready to relax with a movie. Looking forward to heading into Monterey tomorrow. It's just a 90 minute drive from here, so we'll be spending the day at the aquarium and poking around town.

Oh by the way, the weather here is extremely pleasant. A huge upgrade from home. Of course, that also means that the front of the rig is covered with bugs. -T

Traffic in Sacramento

Traffic in Sacramento
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

Hit traffic in Sacramento....ugh!

Check out the bug splat on the windshield...Yuck.

Taking a break near Redding CA

Taking a break near Redding CA
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

We pulled over for a short rest just outside of Redding. It's 75 degrees and sunny. YES!! We still have a ways to go but it feels good to rest in the sun for a few. -T

Entering Northern California

Entering Northern California
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

Entering California and heading towards Mt Shasta. Beautiful day! Went through agricultural inspection without any problems (leave your avacados and mangos at home). Have another 300 miles to go before the end of the day. Warming up and getting ready to put on our sandals!

Deuce's Rig

Deuce's Rig
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

Just one last picture before we hit the road again.

Having morning coffee with Deuce in Canyonville, OR

Had a good nights sleep last night and awoke this morning to the sounds of all the old-timers pulling out of the park at 8AM. We're having some coffee and morning chat with Deuce before we go our separate ways for a couple of days. We'll be meeting up again in Paso Robles, CA on Sunday where we'll stay for 4 days. It's about 54 degrees right now and starting to warm up with the sun is starting to peek out from behind the clouds. We're looking forward to a sunny drive over the mountains into Northern, CA. Our destination today is Patterson, CA where we're hoping for 70+ degree weather. More from the road. -T

Surprised Deuce in Canyonville OR

Suprised Deuce in Canyonville OR
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

We had a change in plan and drove all the way down to Canyonville instead of walMart outside of Eugene. After only one stop for gas, we got to the Seven Feathers RV park and found Deuce's rig in the park. Noticing that they were still awake at 11PM, we decided to suprise them with a knock on the door. Without opening up he says "whos there?". I said "pizza delivery!" to which he says "you got the wrong spot". Then I said the order was for a pizza for Deuce. hearing that he swung the door open and woke up the whole park with all his excitement. We're going to get a good night's sleep and head to Patterson, CA in the morning. More tomorrow. -T

Escaping the rain and cold for Spring Break

We're hitting the road for Spring Break in search of some nicer climate and relaxation. We'll be taking 2 to 3 days to get to Paso Robles, CA with a stop in Monterey for a day. Here's a map of our 9 day trip. We'll be posting throughout from the road so keep checking back for updates.


:) Tito

Tito's Handmade Vodka

Tito's Vodka
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

We just ran across this add in Marie Claire magazine for Tito's Vodka. The slogan about sums it up for me. 

I haven't tried Titos' Vodka "yet", but will try to find out where I can get my hands on some here in Washington. I love hearing stories of people like Tito Beveridge who worked hard and followed his heart in search of a dream. It's a great american success story which seems to be paying off for Tito in San Antonio. Read more about it on Tito's Handmade Vodka Website and let me know if you've tried the Vodka. It sounds smooth. 

We like to visit local wineries in Central Washington each year and often find small operations like Tito's who are working on their dream. Some have even left careers behind to pursue their passion. Easier said than done in many cases, but you have to admire those who have tried. 

Have any of you tried Tito's Vodka? What did you think? Or maybe you have a success story of your own that you'd like to share. Let me know.

-T

Before the clouds rolled in

Before the clouds rolled in
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

Here is a picture taken before the clouds rolled in. Don't let the sunny facade fool you, it's very windy and cold. Clouds have come a gone, no doubt due to the strong winds. We've had a couple of snow flurries that have blown through. At about 5:30 we had frozen rain that covered the ground in white. It's now melting. 

The boys spent almost the entire day at the skate park, taking time out to return for food and part of a movie. They came running back when it started to snow in mid afternoon. The rest of us have just been relaxing in the rig watching movies and resting up. C got some driving practice to the Safeway and back with me earlier today. 

There was a flurry of activity earlier as a kayaker was in trouble far out in the water. I think he capsized and was separated from his kayak or something. Nevertheless, there was a fire truck and probably all of the local police out here to answer the call. I think it turned out ok for the guy. Why someone would want to be out on the water in the frickin cold windy weather escapes me.   

I was just told that the Chili is ready so I'm going to go eat. Hopefully the winds will die down  a little tonight. I'm noticing some dark clouds rolling in as I head off to eat. Oh well, we're warm and cozy.  -T

Got away for the weekend

Got away for the weekend
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

We were able to get away this weekend not far from home near Port Townsend. It's a sunny day at the moment and we've had a bit of gusting wind early this morning. We put in the slides and quieted it down a bit to get a few hours of extra sleep. The boys were up first, ate breakfast and are now off to the skate park for the morning. We're having coffee and are gonna just lay low for the day. Maybe I'll get around to taking some pictures later. -Tito

A gift for the outdoorsman who has everything

I came across this recently and had to share. It's the Off-Road Commode. This has got to be the ultimate receiver hitch accessory for when you just have to go. I'll add...and you're "off-road". I wouldn't want to see anyone using this on the side of the highway. It comes in camouflage as if the white of your butt cheeks wouldn't give you away. Anyway you'll have to leave your modesty in the truck if you plan on breaking this puppy out on your next camping trip. It should come with a bumper sticker that reads "Warning! Dropped Load". And if you're a big fella (or woman), you'll be glad to know that it supports up to 500 pounds of...well you know what.  :)

Snow Again!!!

On a sunny day last weekend, I uncovered the motor home, tested my batteries, and ran the generator in preparation for spring weather. It was nice to see it again all clean and polished up. This morning at 5:45AM, I was jolted out of my slumber by an automated phone call from the schools saying that schools were delayed by 2 hours due to snow. So, if course, I looked outside to see the ground, any my motor home, covered with snow. Arg!

"Slumdog Millionaire" - Go See It!!

Both kids were off with friends for the evening so my wife and I decided to go and see Slumdog Millionaire. Now I know why it's been recieving so many awards. It's the best movie that I've seen in a long time and I strongly recommend you see it. It's not so much a story of the "Who Want's to be a Millionaire" show as it is about a young boy's story of survival and love against the odds in India. We found it very moving and highly enjoyable. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as we did.

Looking forward to spring

It's been a cool winter and I have to say that I've had my fill of the snow. Even my kids, who normally would pray for snow, are sick of snow. It's good to see, however, that the winter weather is starting to slowly turn to spring.

I've been able to get out on the golf course the last couple of weeks, finally. The temperatures were hovering around freezing both times, but it wasn't bad. Of course, that's a bit cold for the fair weather golfers out there. Here in Washington, you can't be too picky about the weather otherwise you'll never leave the house.

Anyway, I'm about ready to take the cover off of the RV and start preparing it for the road. As gas prices start to creep upward, I'm anxious to take a trip and take advantage of the lower price per gallon. -T

Bundled up for the winter

Winter has arrived to the Pacific Northwest. For me that means we wait out the winter weather and keep the RV thawed out. It also means that it's time to prepare for the holidays. Time to put up those Christmas decorations and try to find those perfect gift ideas for those hard-to-shop-for loved ones. Some might say that I'm on that list.

As temperatures drop below freezing, it's time to button up the RV and maintain an above-freezing temperature inside. Anything exposed to the outside should be well insulated from the cold. Luckily for me, the majority of my water lines are inside the rig. My exception is my water tank drain line which I've insulated with standard foam pipe insulators. We plan to get back out there on the road in a few weeks, so I don't bother to winterize the motor home. Unlike other parts of the country, we typically don't experience extended periods of sub-freezing temperatures. Nevertheless, I make sure that I keep the inside of the RV above freezing.

After our last weekend outing, I cleaned the RV really good and put a cover on it. I apparently timed it well, because shortly after the rain and wind storms came followed by freezing weather and snow. I'll probably keep the cover on for just about 6 weeks or until the weather breaks. For now it looks like it will be below or around freezing through the rest of 2008. It will make for a nice cozy Christmas and kids just love the snow.

Inside the rig, I've been able to keep the temperature above freezing at around 41 degrees using a small space heater that has a thermostat set on a low setting. This does the trick. I also have a 40 watt light bulb mounted near the hot water heater that I keep on when the temperature goes sub-freezing.

Even though the RV is all buttoned up for the cold weather, I can't help but go out and visit it each day to check things out (or maybe have a beer). Then I get on-line to see what presents I'll buy for it next year. On the top of the list is a nice bike rack and a WiFi antenna and repeater. But more about those on another post.

Season's greetings!

It Pays to Get the Safeway Gas Discount

It Pays to Shop at Safeway
Originally uploaded by RVWithTitoAf

I just had the cheapest fill up yet at $1.31 per gallon.

After a nice quite weekend on the Hood Canal eating Thanksgiving leftovers with Deuce, we stopped to fill up the motorhome at Safeway in Belfair. We had accumulated $.50 per gallon in gas discounts and decided to use it to fill up the motorhome. I was down about 24 gallons and topped off the tank for a mere $31. We'll be saving up our Safeway discounts in the future and using it on the motorhome instead of the car.

Cheap Gas

Cheap Gas
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

The price at the pump continues to drop. Will it continue...and what do you think it means?

Update: Later in the day, I drove by the gas station and the price had dropped again to $1.71 per gallon.

Thinking of buying an RV? Perhaps now is the time.

I just came across this great article about The RV Lifestyle. It got me thinking about all of the economic difficulties we're facing these days. And with RV manufacturer's profits cut in half, lenders hungry to make "good" loans, and gas prices taking a dive, it may just be a great time to buy an RV and join the rest of us "happy RVers" on the road.

You're bound to get a great deal. Our local RV lot (Poulsbo RV - in Poulsbo) shutdown it's flagship store here in Poulsbo due to decreased sales. This RV lot (photo right) which, just 6 weeks ago, was full of RVs is now vacant. They have other dealerships around the state, but it's interesting that they had to close the store in the location that bears their name.

Thor Industries, the manufacturer of my Four Winds RV, is having tough times as well. Their sales are down a sharp 42% from last year according to reports. Thor's RV sales alone have dropped more than 50%. If it wasn't for the fact that they also make buses, they would be in worst shape. Perhaps the most recognizable name in the RV biz, Winnebago, posted a 74% drop in third quarter earnings this year.

So if RVing is on your mind, then there are deals to be had. Just do your research and figure out exactly what you want and what it's really worth. That way you won't get sold in the process. Most RVs are overpriced on the sticker so never pay full price. You should easily be able to get 25% off of MSRP and perhaps more if you're persistent in today's market.

If you think you need some extra convincing on whether to take the plunge, check out this article The RV Lifestyle. Also, if you have any unanswered RV related questions, I highly recommend checking out the RV.Net Forum. It's a great resource for everything RV.

Do you have any other great sites or stories to share? Drop me a line or leave a comment.

Hope to see you on the road.

-Tito

Leaf blowing my RV roof in the dark

I just finished cleaning leaves off of the roof of my RV in the dark. We've had some wind and rain the last few days which means that leaves have blown onto my RV. Now that daylight savings has kicked in once again, it's tough to get things done after work. By the time I leave work these days, it's dark. Nevertheless, you can't let that stop you sometimes. A good headlamp works great. A bit dorky wearing a flashlight on your head I admit, but it's very affective.

I've found that a good LED headlamp is perfect for hooking up the RV at night. During the fall and winter, it's rare that we're pulling in to camp during the daylight hours. Unless, of course, I take the day off of work and get the kids out of school. That's not the case this time. It will, undoubtably, be dark when we pull in tomorrow. So, you guessed it, on goes the headlamp.

Anyhow, the RV roof is clean, the fridge is stocked up and we're ready to head out for a nice weekend in Port Townsend. We're hooking up with three other couples in their own rigs. The difference with us though is that we're also bringing four kids (two sixteen and two twelve) with us. You may be thinking...oooh man...doesn't sound fun at all, but it's not so bad as long as everyone gets along. There's definitely no room for fighting or horsing around inside.

Yes, it will be a full house, but at least we get our bedroom in the back to escape to. And that rain and wind that's been here this week has moved on, so it looks like nice weekend weather.

-Tito

Happy Veteran's Day

Today is when we recognize the men and women who have served our country in the Armed Forces. Having spent my early adult life in the military, I have a fond appreciation for the sacrifices today's veteran's make.

Please join me in wishing all of our veteran's and their families a Happy Veteran's Day.

-Tito

If I were elected President I would....

Now that elections have finally come to a close I wondered what it would be like if the new President had an RV. Would he have to give up RVing for 4 years? What would you do if you were president?

If I were elected President...that's right "El Presidente Tito"...

• If President, my motor home would be called RV-1
• I'm the president, so I'd have RV-2, RV-3 and RV-4 as well...all painted white with United States of America painted on the side
• I'd convert the back lawn of the White House to RV Parking with full hookups. On second thought, I'd park it in the front so that I could keep and eye on it from the oval office.
  
• I'd push for Congress to pass my universal roadside assistance and universal WiFi plans
• Every speech would start with "What day is today?...Oh yeah."
• I'd go to the RV.Net Forums to find my Vice President
• I'd make it illegal for gas stations to limit debit/credit transactions at the pump to $75...hell, why not just have a gas truck follow me around and have Boeing install a fuel probe on my rig so I can re-fuel while driving
  
• I'd provide tax breaks for RV magazine publishers creating new RV magazines
  
• I would yell to the Secret Service guy "Hey! Shitter's full" when my tanks get full
• When on the road, I would also have the secret service clear the highway in front of me so that I would always see wide open road ahead
• I would rename Camp David to Camp Tito RV Resort
  
• Finally, I would give my state of the union address from the road in my sweats and ball cap next to my Campfire In A Can.
  

What would you do? Remember....Yes we can! Yes we can!

How low will gas prices go? $2.29 this morning.

How low will gas prices drop? $2.29 this morning.
Originally uploaded by RVWithTito

It was the cheapest gas fill up I've had in a long time. In fact, when the handle clicked, I looked at the price on the pump and it didn't look right so I squeezed the handle again. Needless to say, it was already full. No complaints here. It just keeps going lower and lower.

Experts say the drop in gas prices is partially due to the decreased demand on gas. But is the demand on gas really dropping that fast and by that much? That does not appear to be the case to me. People are still driving. Have you cut back significantly on your day to day driving?

For me, I've changed the way I'm driving in order to boost my mileage a little, that's all. I've still got to run the kids around and go to/from work each day. Nevertheless, the US Dept of Energy says that Americans overall are driving 5.6% less miles today than last year.

What are your thoughts? I'd like to know. -Tito

Happy Halloween!