RV Show, January 23, 2013

Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review • Wednesday, January 23, 2013 1

FRONT COVER

PAGE 1 RV SHOW

2 Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman−Review • Wednesday, January 23, 2013

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4 - 5 Show Overview

6 Closer Look: R’nR RV

8 RV Trends and Models

11 Affording the Dream

14 Embracing RV Culture

15 Win Pot of Gold

16 Show Map

18 Vendor Guide

19 To Tow or Not to Tow

20 Rolling with Luxuries

22 Driving Your RV

23 Keep on Listening

24 A License for Fun

25 Rigs on Film

26 Winnebago Dreaming

28 Beginning Your RV Adventure

29 Snowbird Suggestions

30 Traveling with Pets

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Hello RV Enthusiasts,We would like to welcome you to the 25th Annual Inland

Northwest RV Show and Sale. This year’s Show is the largest

Show ever with ALL heated Fairgrounds buildings packed full

of RVs and accessories. In addition, you will fi nd 100-plus RVs

outside.This RV Show and Sale happens just once a year. It is the time

when RV dealers show off what’s new in the RV industry. You

will see new innovations and new technology. Plus, with all the

dealers side by side, you’ll get the opportunity to compare units,

features and prices. Best of all, the dealers have special RV Show

pricing!!!Here at the RV Show, we like to say “Investing in an RV is really

Investing in your family.” With an RV you can go anywhere with

your family, stay anywhere with your family and make incredible

memories that will last a lifetime.From tent trailers to big diesel pushers, the RV Show has

something for everyone. Don’t forget to pick up your Spokesman-

Review/SR Media Pot of Gold scratch card. Scratch 6 of the same

number and you could win $25,000. Buy an RV and you’ll get 30

seconds in the Northern Quest Resort and Casino Cash Machine.

Thank you for coming. We hope you enjoy the Show and fi nd that

perfect RV! May all your travels be safe and your destinations

divine.

Steve Cody and Jim CotterShow Promoters

The Inland Northwest RV Show Program is a product of S-R Media/The Spokesman-Review

Kathleen Coleman, Director of Sales and MarketingRegina Winkler, Sales LeadHilary Hart, Graphic Design and IllustrationJoe Butler, Editor

Contributing Writers/PhotographersDon Adair, Dan Webster, Renée Sande, Shallan Knowles, Brandon Seiler, Tricia Jo Webster


There’s one big reason why the Inland Northwest RV Show is still going strong after25 years: energy and enthusiasm from owners, Steve Cody and Jim Cotter.

What did you both do before the RV show?

(Steve) My broadcasting career began at 16. KSPO had a Canadian announcer doing the morning show. He needed an American engineer with a 3rd class license to broadcast in America. As a summer job in 1971, I started working for my dad (Del Cody) at KGA. When I graduated from WSU in 1974, I had an accounting degree, but decided to give radio a full-time effort. My dad had been in broadcasting since 1938 and sold his interest in KGA/KDRK in 1978. Soon after, I became the Sales Manager. In 1983, I was named Manager/Vice President. Citadel Communications purchased the stations in 1992 and in a few years became the nation’s third-largest radio group. In 2000, I sold my Citadel interest to spend more time watching my kids play sports, and had more time to improve and promote the RV Show.

(Jim) I am a Spokane native just like Steve. I served in the Navy and in Vietnam, and after getting out of the service, I began a career in the grocery business and managed several meat departments. Later, I decided to change careers and went to work for the Spokane Fairgrounds. As Operations Director, I was part of its expansion plans and helped manage the Spokane County Fair. I also helped promoters with their set-up, organization and putting on events. After my fairgrounds career, I went into partnership with Steve Cody to promote the Inland Northwest RV Show and Sale as well as other events.

How did both of you get involved in the RV Show?

In about 1992, Steve got a call from Jim Cotter at the fairgrounds saying the current promoter was no longer going to do it. He called some dealers he knew and

asked if they would like him to be their promoter. They said yes and the NEW RV Show and Sale was born. Steve knew how to sell and promote, but didn’t know how to set up, and Jim was great at that part.

What aspects of the RV Show are most satisfying?

We have a fantastic staff (friends and family). Steve’s wife Debbie handles ticket sales and fi elds questions. Most are from visitors looking for a specifi c RV, so we make sure we have a manufacturer list and which dealer has what. We post lots of BIG maps. Dealer problems usually concern power outages or leaks. Jim handles move in/out problems. Steve make sure everyone is having a good time and we create a selling atmosphere for dealers and a buying atmosphere for attendees.

It’s really satisfying when we see hundreds in line, and dealers and vendors selling a lot of RVs and accessories. Helping stimulate their sales, provide them with a “13th month” and adding to our economy is exciting.

How do you see the show evolving?

We’re already using all of the buildings and blacktop outside of the buildings, so we can’t get much bigger. We’ve thought about a temporary fl oor in the livestock buildings, but the lack of heat is a problem. Every year the dealers bring in what’s new. Vendors also bring space-saving innovations. Attendees get younger too, so we see more entry-level RVs.

How do you see the industry evolving?

Manufacturers are making RVs lighter so you don’t need a diesel truck for travel trailers. They are constantly adding amenities, like fi replaces, GPS, TV, back-up cameras and more. In some diesel motor homes, you can park a small car in the lower level. More slide-outs are installed, which gives RVers more living space.

What’s your favorite show memory?

(Steve) Sometime in the late ‘90s, after the show closed, I heard a noise and went to check it out. The closer I got to a particular RV, it sounded like loud snoring. I woke up a very embarrassed couple who had lain down on the bed to see if it was comfortable … so comfortable they slept for over an hour.

Steve Cody, former broadcasting group co-owner, and Jim Cotter, former Spokane Fairgrounds Operations Manager have always enjoyed talking to people and taking on new projects.

In 1992, they were offered a Class A-sized challenge: take over the fairly new Spokane RV Show and make it bigger and better.

“I’d never put on a show like this in my life, but I fi gured we could do it,” said Cody, who worked for 30 years with Citadel Broadcasting.

With the help of the Spokane Interstate Fairgrounds staff and cooperative local dealers, the show has grown and now completely fi lls the fairgrounds.

Each year, in rain, sun or blizzards, people come, sometimes multiple times. There’s been a standing waiting list for exhibitors since 1996. The show continues to expand, and now fi lls up every large building of the fairgrounds, with more models parked

outside. With more than 11,000 visitors, it’s one of three shows each year that entirely fi ll the property.

Some visitors love to come and daydream, but there are serious buyers too.

For this year’s show, the 25th, there’s plenty of excitement ahead. There are six dealers and 40 vendors. There’s the scratch-off ticket provided by The Spokesman-Review/S-R Media where you can win $25,000. There’s the Northern Quest Resort & Casino Cash Machine, a booth where you can stand inside and catch as much fl ying currency as you can in 30 seconds. There’s truly fun for everyone.

Q. What kinds of people buy RVs?

When we started, people were mostly retired, 65-plus, maybe a few hunters. Now, the majority of buyers are young families. The hope is that owners get into their fi rst RV at around age 30, and keep on moving up all their lives. We still see retirees, some who sell their houses and want to move around the country in their big diesel pushers.

Q. Is this show for looky-loos or serious buyers?

With our shows, everyone is actively trying to sell RVs, but some people come by to look anyway. For some, it may take two years to actually decide to buy.

Enjoy the Show

RV Show owners continue to enjoy spreading the word


In some cases, it’s current owners wanting to see what’s new or what they can add to theirs. It gets crazy – we can sell $7 million in RVs and accessories in four days.

Q. Have RVs changed over the years?

When we started, tent-trailers and tag-alongs were mainly what people wanted. The Winnebago was pretty much the only choice for a motorized RV. Now there are many brands, and families are also looking into trailers, fi fth wheels and motor homes. There are also so many more innovations now – we never had slide-outs, fi replaces, king-sized beds, or room for a car or toys. Space has grown by 40 percent in some models, and everything is much more effi cient. Along with fun things, there are also ways to make driving easier, like GPS, back-up cameras, and better towing options.

Q. Why does this show continue to do so well?

We have so many places you can take an RV in the Inland Northwest. You don’t even have to drive somewhere else.

Q. How’s the gas mileage?

We’re told that if the average owner drives theirs 2,000 miles a year, at 15 miles a gallon, that will work out to be about 130 gallons of gas. If gas goes up a dollar per gallon, that only works out to be $130 extra a year, which is less than one night in a hotel. Here, you’ll have all the comforts and can go anywhere you want at your own pace. We also tell people that an RV can be considered an investment in your family.

Q. Who comes to the RV Show?

We love seeing everyone. We draw people from this area, from Montana, Seattle, Oregon, Canada. There’s some of the same faces, and there are also new people every year. Some people tell us that they wait all year to come to this show because of the great deals. Vendors also come from all over – some think of it as the ‘13th month’ because usually January is so slow. This has become one of the major RV shows in the Western U.S.

Q. Any advice for people considering a purchase?

Make sure you look at all the dealers. Don’t be afraid to tell them what you want and what your RV needs are to make sure they can best help you. Walk around – it takes about 2.5 hours to see everything. It’s great to compare prices. For instance, for the price of a tent trailer, you can get a regular trailer. You can haul a little car with some models. Take a look at everything you can have with it. You really fi nd so many different styles and something for everyone in every price range, from $5,000 to $300,000.

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What we are able to provide our customers is very rare for an RV dealer,” said Jerry Wagner, R’nR RV general manager. “We have, by far and away, the largest selection in the area, the largest volume of certifi ed technicians, and amenities that others just don’t compare to.”

Opened in 1991 in Liberty Lake, Wash., R’nR RV is the Northwest’s largest RV dealer, comprising 12 acres, none of which goes unused.

With over 40 service bays, the RV dealership has the capacity to accommodate more than 200 RVs at any time, and provides 10 overnight sites with full hook-up capabilities for out-of-town customers – for free.

“Our service facility is very unique in the number of certifi ed and master certifi ed technicians we have on staff; we even handle full-body paint and repair, which 99 percent of dealers just don’t have the capability of doing,” said Wagner.

Additionally, there is a 1,200-square-foot RV camping store with important parts & accessories, the largest in-stock selection in the area. Customers also have access to a full-lunch restaurant, open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

“Our goal is to provide our customers with a one-stop shop for all their RV needs,” Wagner said. Since 2008, R’nR has also provided a larger selection of RVs, trailers, and campers at their second location in Airway Heights (formerly Blue Crick RV).

Across both locations, R’nR RV carries over 400 new and used RVs from 12 of the top RV manufacturers, including Winnebago, Coachmen, Dutchmen, Forest River, Intermountain RV, Keystone, Starcraft, Adventurer, Northern Lite, Fleetwood, Heartland, and Roadtrek.

Wagner says R’nR RV has been participating in the Inland NW RV Show since opening in 1991, and looks forward to it every year. It’s a popular event with people looking ahead to spring and more travel.

Popular with customers this past year have been the ultra-light travel trailers which Wagner expects to sell more of in 2013.

“They’re very popular right now as they have all the new-build characteristics as the heavier models but are more fuel-effi cient since they can be pulled with a mid-size SUV,” he said.

R’nR covers the gamut of RV choices with Class C (mid-size motor home, characterized with an over-cab sleeping area), Class B (van conversions, or camper vans) and Class A Motor homes (top of the line, based on size and structure), as well as fi fth wheels, toy haulers, tent and travel trailers and truck campers.

“Between our two locations, without a doubt, we can fi nd the RV best suited to our customers’ needs,” said Wagner.

By Renée Sande, Marketing Correspondent

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The Inland Northwest RV Show is a perfect opportunity to shop for your fi rst or next RV, but local dealers are available anytime to help you fi nd the best model for your needs and budget.

Here’s a summary of some of the new models heading to the RV Show and where to fi nd them locally.

Different shapes for different customers

Most RVs tend to be boxy, an eternally predictable theme. But don’t forget about the gentle curves of the Airstream, which can create strength, stability and effi cient aerodynamics. Nick Dietz, president and co-owner with his wife Karyn, of Airstream of Spokane, opened the dealership in 2005, in a community that lacked a local Airstream presence for more than 30 years.

They say the Airstream is the oldest travel trailer in the country, and its iconic shape and aluminum construction are unique.

Airstream offers travel trailers and Class B van conversions, one built on a Chevrolet platform and another based on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van.

Some travelers may prefer self-contained motor homes but others like something that can be easily de-coupled from the tow vehicle.

“Unless you’re towing, when someone wants to go fi shing at 4 a.m., everybody goes fi shing,” says Dietz. With a travel trailer, “you don’t have to break camp and pack up to head out.”

Airstream trailers include air conditioning, entertainment centers and awnings, and they’re pre-wired for satellite and cable. They’re also known for ease and stability of towing.

Perfect for Northwest customers

Peggy Lyle, spokeswoman for Deer Park’s Parkway RV Center, said RVs are great for camping, especially at smaller locations. Here, smaller works best, like a camper, travel trailer, fi fth wheel, tent trailer or pop-up trailer.

Parkway offers Jayco tent trailers, travel trailers and fi fth wheels, plus the Jay Series tent trailer and the Pinnacle fi fth wheel.

Amenities can include a 40-inch TV, fi replace, rocker recliners, electric awnings, a 30-inch convection oven, a 12-cubic-foot refrigerator, water purifi er, security lights and a fl oor safe.

Jayco products include electric awnings, slide-outs, DVD players, microwaves, enclosed underbellies and

bunk beds. A-liner products fold fl at, allowing access to small camping spots, and can be set up in a few minutes.

A-liner A-frame pop-ups are more secure and weather-resistant than soft-wall tent trailers. Products range from the 6.5-foot Alite, which can be towed behind a motorcycle, to the Expedition, which sleeps four and is available in an off-road package.

Other lighter products include Skyline travel trailers, easily towed by an SUV, and Lance truck campers and travel trailers.

Making sense of choices

At Freedom RV in Liberty Lake, the Class A gas motor home inventory includes the No. 1 and No. 2 coaches in the U.S., the Georgetown, and Thor Motor Coach’s A.C.E., which sleeps eight with a retractable bed.

Forest River has built the FR3, a direct competitor to the A.C.E. for 2013.

Freedom RV is also offering Forest River’s top-selling diesel pusher, The Berkshire; Sunseeker, the country’s top-selling Class C motor home; and Jayco’s Greyhawk, one of the highest-rated class C motor homes.

Jayco also added the lower-priced Redhawk, and a redesigned Jayco Seneca Super C, with the sleeping room of a Class C motor home, 10,000-pound tow ratings for consumers needing to pull extremely heavy weights, and luxury that’s usually found in the most expensive motor coaches.

You’ll also fi nd Jayco’s top-selling B+ motor home, the Melbourne, plus the Pleasure Way gas and Mercedes diesel vans.

Something for all customers, all conditions

RV enthusiasts seeking strong customer service and excellent products can fi nd both at two different locations bearing the same name: R’nR RV.

With dealerships and service centers in Liberty Lake and Airway Heights, R’nR RV is ready to get people going with their own RV or help take care of one they already own.

“We have a large sales department, 40-bay service andrepair center; one of the largest on the West Coast,” says Jerry Wagner, general manager of R’ n R RV Centers.The facility includes a body repair shop, a large paintbooth and restoration shop staffed with master certifi ed technicians.

“We have a chassis service center and a chassis warrantycenter, which is rare in the industry,” Wagner said. “Wedo a good volume of warranty work for other dealerswho can’t get their customers in.”

To accommodate drivers who may need emergencywork, R’nR even has an overnight camp with 10hookups. Customers can stay for free until repairs arecompleted.

“Sale customers can also stay while they move their possessions from their trade-in into their new motorhome,” he said.

Available brands at Liberty Lake include Winnebago,Fleetwood and Holiday Rambler on the motorized side. Fifth-wheel lineups include Big Horn, Rockwood andLandmark, says sales manager Rick Grady.

The Airway Heights location offers the same focus on customers. Until 2008, it went by the name of Blue Crick RV and many of the same staff remains, plus eight service bays.

“Blue Crick had built a great reputation and a greatcustomer base,” said Mike Mohondro, sales manager at R’n R RV Airway Heights. “Now we’re able to givethese customers access to our Liberty Lake facilities.”

The Airway Heights location also has many of theBlue Crick employees plus the same high demand for Montana fi fth wheels and Cougar travel trailers.

Montana has been No. 1 in fi fth-wheel sales 11 years ina row, he said.

Cougar travel trailers, which Mohondro considers thebest travel trailer built for the Northwest, come fromPendleton, Ore., and are great for any weather condition.

“You can camp in them down to 0 degrees, and noneof their systems will be affected,” he said. “The big thing is extra insulation; how they’re built allows the installation of more and better insulation. In coldweather, you use less propane and save on fuel costs.”

Some brands offer a four-season package, he says, butCougar builds a full line of travel trailers and fi fth-wheels with the same cold-weather protection.

R’n R RV Center is a family-owned business and has been a part of the Spokane community for more than 30 years.


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All sizes available

Sometimes, a big-sized Class A might be perfect for your family’s travel plans, or you may want something smaller.

Either way, RVs Northwest can help.

“We’re a local, family owned dealership; we’ve been in business longer than any other dealership in town,” said Sales Manager Don Sellers. “We have a huge referral and repeat-customer base; and we sell the Tiffi n Allegro, the largest-selling Class A diesel pusher for the past six years, and the No. 1 truck camper in Spokane, Arctic Fox.”

Bill Fishfader founded Winnebagos Northwest here in 1985.

“Somewhere along the line, we gave up the Winnebago franchise and picked up the Tiffi n Motorcoach Company, which makes the Allegro motor home,” Sellers says.

Winnebagos Northwest became RVs Northwest. Current owner Ron Little bought the business in the early 2000s and later opened a second location on North Division which offers a large selection including lightweight towables.

“The Allegro, RVs Northwest’s top motor coach, is built by Tiffi n, a privately owned company.

Tiffi n “manufacturers 90 percent of everything on their coaches,” Sellers adds. “They build their own frames, windows, cabinets - everything but appliances.”

Northwood Manufacturing, which builds the Arctic Fox family of products in La Grande, Ore., follows suit.

“They are built in the Northwest specifi cally for the needs of Northwest buyers,” Sellers says. “They have heated underbellies, well-insulated fl oors and heavy insulation in ceiling and walls. They are four-season products.”

Northwood is also parent to the Outdoors RV family, including Creek Side, Back Country, Timber Ridge, Wind River and BlackStone.

“Northwood puts a lot of the same quality and features on those products as they do on Arctic Fox,” says Sellers.

RVs Northwest/Valley became a Winnebago dealer again, with the Sunnybrook family of Raven fi fth wheels.

Then there’s the R-Vision, one of the ‘ultra-light’ itemsat the North side location.

“We carry the largest inventory of ultra-light towableson the market,” says Ann Williams, sales manager. “Wefocus on quality lightweight fi fth wheels and traveltrailers.”

She said the R-Vision travel-trailer family, including the Trail Sport, pioneered this category. “It’s a fi rst-ratetravel trailer built without cutting corners that wouldmake it a ‘less-than’ trailer,” Williams says.

Rather than the wood frame and aluminum skin of a conventional travel trailer, R-Vision skins its aluminumframes in fi berglass, which actually weighs less than conventional materials.

Rather than the less expensive but heavier OSB (oriented strand board) often found in counters andtabletops, R-Vision employs residential plywood.

continued

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Some R-Vision ultra-lights can even be towed behind minivans, Williams said.

“I have a 19-foot R-Vision Crossover that weighs 2,843 pounds, fully equipped; no one else in the industry can claim that,” she said.

Fully optioned, with amenities as power jacks, power awnings, slide-outs and more, their underlying weight advantage renders R-Vision’s products extra light.

RVs Northwest/North also carries Crossroads fi fth wheels and travel trailers. A half-ton pickup can tow even some larger trailers and fi fth wheels.

The line-topping Cruiser is a “medium price-range, fi fth wheel with a higher R factor and higher levels of optional equipment than almost anything else in its price range,” says Williams.

Most fi fth wheels weigh between 12,000 and 13,000 pounds; the Cruiser weighs between 7,600 and 9,800 pounds.

Crossroads also builds the Sunset Trail.

The North Side location includes sales and parts departments, and refers service customers to Spokane Valley.

More local info: RVs Northwest10006 N. Division, Spokane(509) 466-4328 or

18919 E Broadway, Greenacres (509) 924-6800

Fifth Wheels (North, Valley)Travel Trailers (North, Valley) Class A (Valley)Class B (Valley)Class C (Valley)Truck Campers (Valley) Tent Trailers (Valley)

Freedom RV19605 E. Cataldo, Liberty Lake (509) 921-9977

Freedom RV sells a selection of new and pre-owned Class A, B, and C RVs plus fi fth wheels and truck campers.

Airstream of Spokane1104 N. Park Road, Spokane Valley(509) 534-8599 Toll Free: (800) 562-8015

New and pre-owned Airstream products, including travel trailers and Class B motorized motor coaches.

R’nR RV 13915 W. Sunset Highway, Airway Heights (866) 386-2981

23203 E. Knox Ave., Liberty Lake(866) 386-4875

Class A (Airway Heights, Liberty Lake)Class C (Airway Heights, Liberty Lake)Class B (Airway Heights, Liberty Lake)Fifth Wheel (Airway Heights, Liberty Lake)Travel Trailers (Airway Heights, Liberty Lake)Tent Trailers (Airway Heights, Liberty Lake)Toy Haulers (Airway Heights)Truck Campers (Airway Heights, Liberty Lake)

Parkway Auto Center and RV 1121 S. Frontage Road, Deer Park(509) 276-2925

Parkway RV offers fi fth wheels, travel trailers, truck campers, folding campers and pop-up campers.

continued

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Does anything say freedom more fantastically than driving toward a sunset? The pull of the open road is hard to resist, especially when behind the wheel of a rig with a built-in bedroom, bathroom and kitchen.

Rolling through Yellowstone with the kiddos undoubtedly can be a priceless experience, but freedoms can come with a price tag … but it’s something that just about any serious RVer will say is worth every penny.

How many pennies? Depends on how much rig you’re after. If all you need is a cozy camper to slide onto your pick-up, you’ll shell out less than if you crave a rock star coach.

Nick Dietz at Airstream of Spokane encourages potential purchasers to do their homework, but says RVs are great investments and fun ways to visit anywhere you can drive to.

“So much of the U.S. is seen from 40,000 feet,” he said. “With an RV, you can take the opportunity to see anything you want.”

Experts suggest fi guring out what you like and what you can comfortably afford, then seek the best fi nancing. Financing varies from dealer to dealer; some offer in-house, but a lot of shoppers ask their bank or credit union to carry the loan. Some dealers have partnerships with lenders, making the process fairly quick and simple.

Erik Puthoff, marketing coordinator for Spokane City Credit Union, said your research shouldn’t end with a specifi c make and model – determine what type of loan you want.

“Don’t just look for the lowest monthly payment,” Puthoff advises. “A lengthy term with a higher rate may mean smaller monthly payments, but won’t pay off in the long run.”

Puthoff recommends talking to a loan representative before you start shopping. They may ask questions you haven’t considered, and help you get pre-approved before you visit a dealership. You also shouldn’t be afraid to negotiate for the best possible price.

Spokane City Credit Union has been lending on recreational vehicles since the 1970s, and prides itself on keeping loans simple: all rates and terms are the same, whether you’re buying a car or an RV. Membership is required for a loan, Puthoff says, but membership could make your purchase a breeze – especially if you shop at a dealership that utilizes platforms like DealTrack or Credit Union Direct Lending.

Scott Adkins, STCU’s vice president of lending, said buying from a dealer with a lending partner could be to your advantage. “The dealer takes care of all the paperwork then and there – no need to go to your branch to get it,” he said.

STCU has about 30 dealer partners covering all types of RVs and motor homes, boats and personal watercraft. Shoppers can become credit union members through their purchase, and the full deal is handled with the dealer.

The higher the price, the more hoops may be required. If you want to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars,be prepared to answer more questions than a smaller request. Plus, RVs can depreciate quickly, so peopleseeking a long-term loan with little down may be disappointed.

A general down payment is 20 percent, and “fi nance on the shortest term that you can fi nancially cover comfortably,” Adkins advises. As a general rule, expectinterest rates about 1-1.5 percent higher than car loanrates, and try to stay around $50,000-$75,000 for an RV; no more than 10 years for up to $50,000.

In addition to the initial outlay, you’ll need to factor ininsurance and fuel costs, maintenance and storage fees,and money for stocking your rig with supplies.

Doing some hotel vs. RV comparisons might put thingsinto perspective. How much would it cost you to takeyour family of four to Disneyland? Costs without an RV would include airline tickets, hotels, food, rental car and fuel.

With an RV the costs will lack lodging and airfare. Once you hit the grocery store, you’re golden. Overnighting in a campground can cost less than a hotel’s dailyparking fee, and with a tailwind you’ll save money on fuel.

Adkins said more people are beginning to explore this concept. “The market has largely recovered from therecession and the 2013 outlook is very good,” Adkinsexplains. All signs are pointing toward the “highest year of RV sales in fi ve years.”

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Dan Fratini likes his creature comforts.

The self-employed Spokane resident is a gourmet cook. He and his former law-professor wife, Sheri Engelken, own a fully stocked wine cellar. He drives a Ferrari (she a Porsche). And he has a man-cave set-up consisting of a big-screen TV and surround-sound system that offers viewers a movie experience just short of IMAX quality.

So, when it comes to joining the RV culture, Fratini sought out luxury with a 2008 20-foot Safari SE Airstream travel trailer, which he tows behind a 2011 Ford F-150 with an EcoBoost engine.

Fratini laughs at the once-popular description of the classic, rounded aluminum Airstream as the “Cadillac of travel trailers.”

“We like to refer to them as the ‘Ferraris of travel trailers,’ ” he insists.

Fratini and Engelken use their vehicle roughly eight months of the year – in other words, whenever snow doesn’t clog the roadways.

Their RV experience contrasts that of Lynne Massie, who, with her daughter, is co-author of the RV how-to book “RVing Made Easy.”

In 1999, the Massies purchased a 30-foot motor home. At the time, they operated their own business creating wooden and metal dog silhouettes they would sell at dog shows around the country, initially staying at motels. They noticed, however, that many exhibitors owned RVs.

“We were dragging dog crates and dogs in and out of hotel rooms, so we thought, we really need to get an RV,” Massie says. “It’d be a lot nicer because if we had a kitchen we could fi x our own food, get the dogs in a routine and not keep displacing them.”

Once they took the leap, and learned – sometimes the hard way – the ways of the RV road, they never looked back. They incorporated their motor home into their lives so well it was as if they’d never traveled any other way.

“It did everything we wanted it to,” she says. “It was wonderful. We went all over the country. The nice thing was that we had our own stuff. It really was a roving home, even though we weren’t full-timers.”

This, then, is the wide range of RV life. From those who take their camper trailers out for summer weekends to retirees who chase the sun in their 40-foot motorhomes, RVing offers something for everyone on any budget.

The Massies, for example, had been fi rst-time motor home owners. And, as they explain in their book, they started their fi rst excursion from Olympia, Wash., to Denver – by driving down the freeway at barely 25 mph and making 60 miles the fi rst day.

They quickly progressed, becoming old hands capable of handling everything from attaching sewer connections

to snow chains. Their book offers an A-to-Z guide to all aspects of RV life.

Fratini, on the other hand, had owned two travel trailers prior to the Airstream. While many motor home owners like the sense of self-containment, Fratini prefers being able to separate the trailer from his pickup and not have to abandon his campsite.

“Let’s say you want to explore some of the shore towns along the Oregon Coast,” he says. “You’re not going to be wanting to drive a 35-foot motor home along some of the streets and try to park the dang thing.”

Some motor home owners say that it’s possible to tow smaller vehicles, or carry along scooters that would serve the same function. Fratini simply likes theconvenience his smaller vehicle offers and being ableto seek out spots that don’t require a lot of space.

“Having a separate and smaller camper, we can go into a lot of off-the-grid places like Forest Service campgrounds that you just can’t get into with some of the bigger motor homes,” he says. “If you have a motorhome, you need a pretty big, long, level spot.”

Not that he’s criticizing the choices other RV enthusiastsmake.

“I’ve been in some (motor homes) that have two La-Z-Boy recliners, a fi replace and a 60-inch fl at-screen TV,”he says. “I don’t know if that’s camping, but it’s a nice way to live.”

The Massies would certainly agree.

“We kept it fully stocked,” Lynne Massie says. “All wehad to do when we came home was walk out the door. Itmade our lives so much easier.”

Fratini and Engelken, on the other hand, prefer to roughit just a bit more – with a certain degree of comfort, ofcourse.

“Oh, absolutely,” he says. “Sleeping on a bed, I have tosay, is nice. That’s why you go for this style of camper.You can have as much of your house as is possible withas much portability as you can get.”

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SHOW MAP

It’s fair to say that everyone who attends this year’s RV Show and Sale will go home a little richer from the experience of checking out so many cool recreational vehicles and great deals.

But up to three lucky winners may go home with even more, thanks to a cool new promotion from The Spokesman-Review/SR Media.

When anyone 18 years old and older walks in the door, they will be handed one Pot of Gold scratch-off card. Each card has 30 circles, and they can scratch off six. If all six images match, the scratcher could win $25,000.

Winning cards are in circulation the whole span of the show and all cards are potential winners. All cards must be scratched and any winning tickets presented to RV Show co-owner Steve Cody by 5 p.m. Jan. 27, and verifi ed by SCA Promotions. The contest offi cially ends at this time.

Cards can’t be altered in any way, which will result in disqualifi cation.

A complete list of rules is also available at the show.

OFFICIAL PROMOTION RULES– 6 of 30 Scratch Cards

“Instant Gold”™ SCRATCH CARD PROMOTION

1. ELIGIBILITY : NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Open only to legal residents of the United States who are 18 years of age or older on date of entry. Void where otherwise prohibited by law, rule, regulation or ordinance. Employees and directors of Delcreek Production Inc. and SR Media/Spokesman Review, their affi liated companies, participating Sponsors, information providers, content providers, subsidiaries, advertisers, advertising agencies, promotional and marketing agencies (and their immediate family members and those living in the same households) are ineligible. By participating, you agree to these Sponsor’s Offi cial Promotion Rules and to the decisions of the judges which are fi nal and binding in all respects.

2. SPONSOR: Delcreek Productions Inc. is the sponsor of the SR Media/Spokesman Review Scratch Card Promotion.

3. HOW TO PLAY: Beginning Jan 10, 2013, and ending Jan 27, 2013, at 5pm or when 11,000 scratch cards have been distributed (whichever comes fi rst), Sponsor representatives will distribute scratch cards through various radio station and newspaper promotions, as well as at the Inland Northwest RV Show, in Spokane, WA. Limit one scratch card per person. Scratch card serial numbers for this promotion are 26005526 to 26005600 (1-200 for each number). Scratch cards are non-transferable and may only be played by the person to whom distributed by Sponsor. Play by gently rubbing off the latex covering over 6 and only 6 of the 30 latex squares on the face of the scratch card. If you reveal 6 identical “pot of gold” symbols, you have a winning scratch card, subject to verifi cation. Scratch card is void and will not be eligible for prize redemption if (i) more than six (6) squares and the ”special play” box are revealed, in whole or in part, or (ii) there are any marks or scratches on the card, other than the six (6) revealed squares and “special play” box. See also Paragraph 6 Disqualifi cation.

4. PRIZES/ODDS: There are 11,000 scratch cards available. Odds of correctly revealing six (6) identical “pot of gold” symbols on a scratch card are approximately 1:593,775. The grand prize in this Promotion is $25,000 (twenty fi ve thousand dollars). A maximum of three prizes are available to be won. Only the fi rst 3 contestants, if any, who correctly submit a winner scratch card with required claim documentation and who meet all eligibility requirements and have complied fully with these Offi cial Rules will be awarded a prize. UNCLAIMED PRIZES WILL NOT BE AWARDED. Prize(s) will only be awarded upon winner validation and verifi cation by an independent third party testing laboratory. Taxes, fees or other charges, if any, are the sole responsibility of winner(s). Prizes will be payable in the form of a check sent to winner via U.S. mail to the address provided by winner no later than 14 days following verifi cation of the win. By accepting a prize, winner(s) release and discharge Delcreek Productions Inc., affi liated companies and their parents, subsidiaries, affi liates, advertising and promotion agencies, and all their respective employees, offi cer, directors, representative and agents from any liability of damage due in whole or in part to the award, acceptance, possession, use or misuse of any prize or from participation in this Promotion.

5. NOTIFICATION AND AWARDING OF PRIZE(S): Contestants holding a winning scratch card must contact Sponsor (Steve Cody rep. 993-4859) at the INW RV Show and the original winning scratch card must be received by Sponsor no later than 5pm, Jan. 27, 2013, in order to submit a claim. Contestants submitting a valid original winner scratch card prior to the deadline will be sent an Affi davit of Eligibility and, unless otherwise prohibited by law, a Publicity/Liability Release which they will be required to complete, sign and return within thirty (30) days. If winner(s) cannot be contacted, is ineligible, fails to claim a prize or fails to return the completed and executed Affi davit/Release as required, prize will be forfeited. No unclaimed prizes will be awarded. By participating, a winner, except where prohibited by law, grants Delcreek Productions Inc. and it designee the right to use the winner’s name, likeness, picture, portrait, hometown, voice, biographical information and writer submissions and written or oral statements, for advertising and promotional purposes without additional compensation.

6. DISQUALIFICATION: Any scratch card that is mutilated, altered, copied, hand printed, forged, inadequately printed, water damaged, manipulated or tampered with in any way, or that contains any computer programming, printing, mechanical or typographical errors, will be considered void and will not be eligible for prize redemption.

7. WINNERS’ LISTS: For a Winners’ List, send a self-addressed stamped envelope for receipt by Promoter to Delcreek Productions Inc. Scratch Card Promotion Winners’ list, P. O. Box 180, Colbert, WA 99005, no later than February 28, 2013.

16 Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman Review • Wednesday, January 23, 2013

AG BUILDING

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Advertising Supplement to The Spokesman Review • Wednesday, January 23, 2013 17


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As the popularity of RVing has grown, manufacturers have expanded the number of vehicles that can be towed four-down. For a list of towable vehicles from the 2012 model year and previous years, visit these web sites:• www.blueox.us

• www.motorhomemagazine.com

Four-down or fl at towing

By Don Adair, Marketing Correspondent

To tow or not to tow? All motor home owners confront this question during their travels.

Bringing along a smaller vehicle opens the door to unlimited exploration, whether it be urban or off-road or some middle ground. In the vernacular of the RV world, these vehicles are known as “dinghies” or, more colorfully, as “toads.”

Almost any vehicle can be towed, although some vehicles - and vehicle types - offer advantages.

Because they can be towed with four wheels on the ground (“four-down”) without suffering damage, two types of vehicles are popular choices: 1) front-wheel-drive vehicles equipped with manual transmissions, and 2) compact sport-utes with manual transfer cases.

Some automatics can be towed four-down with the removal of a fuse. Some manuals can be modifi ed - typically with a device that decouples the drive shaft(s) - to be fl at-towed.

Some cars must be started and run for a few minutes every 200 hundred miles or so to ensure proper lubrication of the transmission.

Going four-down requires a tow bar, a base plate (also known as a tow bracket) an auxiliary braking system and wiring for the brake lights and turn indicators.

Installation - particularly of the base plate - can be tricky and may require the attention of a professional.

Dolly towingTo prevent drive-train damage, a dolly cradles the driving wheels (either front- or rear-wheel-drive) off the ground.

Less gear is involved - the only equipment required is the dolly and wiring for the lights and brakes - and some dollies include surge brakes, which most experts recommend.

Dollies are bulky and cumbersome, though. They’re harder to use than the fl at-towing method, especially in the rain and cold, and they’re heavy, which can have an impact on the legal weight limit of the RV.

When not in use, a dolly must be stored.

Just remember, the manufacturer has the last word regarding the proper method for towing a specifi c vehicle. Ask yours before making a fi nal decision.

Auxiliary brakes

Experts recommend the use of auxiliary, or “surge,” brakes when towing. Apart from stopping distance and vehicle control - the most obvious and compelling benefi ts - other considerations exist.

Motor home brakes have been known to fail, and in at

least some cases, drivers have been able to stop their rigs using the auxiliary brakes. Further, should the dinghy become detached from the RV, the auxiliary brakes will bring it to a stop.

When in doubtThe prospective motor home owner faces a myriad of choices and decisions of varying complexity. Choosing the right vehicle for towing - and making sure both your motor home and toad are properly equipped - is one of the most important factors.

Do your homework now and avoid grief down the road.

The Tundra CrewMax 5.7L V8 is towing far beyond its published towing capacity in a one-time, short-distance event. Never tow beyond a vehicle’s towing capabilities. Always consult the Owner’s Manual. ©2012 Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

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As growing numbers of Americans retire, more of them consider hitting the road for longer stretches of time. Whether you’re a full snowbird planning separate homes in separate states, or just an explorer with no destination in site, comfort is a priority.

For either of these groups, RVs can offer all the comforts of home, but in a portable package.

“The fi rst priority should be the fl oor plan,” says Randy Naylor at RVs Northwest/Valley. “Do you want a bunkhouse where a lot of kids can sleep? Or just a couple, who only need a corner bed?”

Travelers who enjoy entertaining can look for a lounge that seats four or more. Those with active lifestyles can consider toy haulers with garages for motorcycles, ATVs, boats and more.

With clever packaging -- including slide-outs -- even smaller, more reasonably priced rigs include features exclusively found on Class A motor coaches.

Space-saving electric beds fold open at the touch of a switch and rigs of all sizes incorporate power-operated awnings.

“We have an option on one of our trailers called ‘Camping at Your Fingertips,’” Naylor says. “Remote controls run everything; the jacks, the TV, the fi replace, awnings, ceiling fans and slide-outs.”

Some newer coaches include awnings with wind sensors that automatically retract before damage can occur.

Jerry Wagner at R’nR’s Liberty Lake location, said there are so many amenity choices.

“I’ve got some stuff that would make your eyes water,” he said. “You walk in and it’s more beautiful than many homes.”

Freedom RV’s Mike Stanisich said RVs can be downright elegant.

“You’ll fi nd residential fridges in couches,” he said. “There are RVs with marble-type fl ooring and porcelain fi xtures.”

Furnishings and cabinetry can go as far upscale as the budget allows. Hardwood fl oors, leather couches,

cherry-wood paneling and thick carpeting can be asfancy as your home.

Enclosed bathrooms, with showers; outside showersand kitchens; video monitors -- even central air systems-- proliferate. For the bathroom, there are electronicpush-button porcelain toilets.

Rigs with outdoor kitchens enliven tailgate parties, saysWagner. Some include full indoor and outdoor kitchenscomplete with refrigerators, sinks and stoves.

Larger rigs may also include ice-making refrigerators,stackable washers and dryers and underfl oor storage.

All the conveniences of home … and moreBy Don Adair, Marketing Correspondent

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Fireplaces -- either gas-powered or electric -- add a homey touch.

Closed-circuit cameras assist drivers backing into narrow camping spots, and hydraulic systems automatically level the coach while parked.

“We’re seeing lots of LCD TVs with high defi nition and satellite dishes - even in-motion dishes,” Wagner says.

Central LCD consoles display the operating status of the electrical, propane and water systems. “TVs have evolved,” Stanisich adds. “It’s not uncommon to see a 50-inch TV.”

Today’s travelers can jettison folding paper maps and embrace global positioning systems that eliminate the mysteries of new terrain.

At RVs Northwest’s northside store, sales manager Ann Williams loves direct spark ignition, which uses a remote switch to electronically control the water heater from inside.

“The heater ignites itself and if it goes out it automatically reignites; if it goes out in the middle of the night, you don’t have to go outside,” she says. “We think it’s so important we won’t carry a new product without it.”

Manufacturers have begun painting coaches with automotive enamel paint with clear-coat. Wagner says this replaces the old fi berglass surface that over time would crack and get sun-faded.

Naylor said it’s important to look closely at your planned purchase. ”You can buy trailers that look like they have everything,” he said. “But they don’t have as much ‘behind the walls’ as they should.”

Like a good Realtor or a trusted car salesperson, reputable dealers help customers fi nd long-term value and customer satisfaction.

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Despite an RV’s intimidating size, owners will tell you that driving one can be no more stressful than piloting the family sedan. Some owners even will say that they’ve never felt more relaxed than behind the wheel of a 30,000-pound, 40-foot Class A diesel pusher.

One plus is that traveling in the slow lane with the big rigs actually can minimize the slicing and dicing of normal highway driving. Sitting high and watching the world through an extra-large windshield opens up a panoramic view and gives drivers extra time to spot and react to danger. The sheer size of an RV increases its visibility to other drivers, reducing danger.

Of course, the laid-back, no-deadlines lifestyle loved by the RV crowd can also be a major stress reducer. So don’t let the thought of getting behind the wheel of a 10-ton behemoth be an obstacle; just follow some simple steps for smooth cruising.

Prepare. The Internet abounds with helpful web sites with helpful driving tips. Bookstore and library bookshelves can also include much about life on the go, including “RVing Made Easy,” written by Medical Lake resident Lynne Massie which will be on sale at the Inland Northwest RV Show.

Practice. Most RV mishaps occur during fuel stops, when reversing and during right-hand turns. Other newbie bugaboos include brushes with low overhangs and passageways that are too narrow for your big mirrors. Start by spending time on the open road before venturing into the city. Deal with hazards of gassing up by fi lling up at a truck stop before trying a conventional gas station.

Your RV may require that you swing wide for right-hand turns. Find a large parking lot and set out garbage cans to simulate street signs, pedestrians and other obstacles. You can also try cones or other markers to safely practice backing into small spaces like campgrounds. Use a spotter to help guide you into a narrow spot.

Winter driving. To many, the point of having an RV is to avoid winter weather entirely. However, circumstances may sometimes force a foul-weather run. Unlike most modern passenger cars, motor homes are rear-wheel-drive. Experienced drivers know to steer into the skid and to gently pump the brakes if slippery.

If there’s a chance of snow, carry chains and learn how to use them. Take care when chaining up; set cones up on either end of the vehicle and, if possible, have a spotter keep an eye out for approaching traffi c.

Tires. Even if you never gave much thought to them in your car, start focusing on them for your rig. The correct tire and the right tire pressure can make a difference in its performance. Plus, your little car jack may not be up to the job when trying to lift your fully-loaded RV to put on the spare.

Your RV is also less forgiving than your coupe, and poorly infl ated tires can lead to overloading or even imbalancing, which can both put a dent into your vacation plans. Along with properly balancing the tires on each axle, and regularly checking pressure, you also need to properly balance the load in your RV. Axles and tires also have load ratings.

Tire care is also important even when you’re not driving your RV – in the off-season try to store it so the tires aren’t regularly exposed to direct sunlight, which can also cause damage that may not be immediately noticeable.

A wonderful world of adventure awaits the prepared RVer; however, the insuffi ciently prepared may experience adventures of the wrong sort.

By Don Adair, Marketing Correspondent

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Proper RV-oriented tunes can make your journeys magicalBy Brandon Seiler, Marketing Correspondent

Jerry Reed’s “Eastbound and Down” and Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again” are fi ne songs, but actually can be lackluster playlist choices for anyone wanting to explore the true existential powers RVs have to offer.

Below are three RV-centric songs that should, perhaps must, be listened to while driving one. Each one was crafted from the perspective of audiences who realized the behemoth rigs could serve as tools to comment on topics like Americana, mental illness and the humbling question of whether or not they would honk at Jesus were his rig double-parked at a Waffl e House. (Haven’t we all wondered this?)

JIM WHITE – “IF JESUS DROVE A MOTOR HOME”

Like Joan Osborne’s song “One of Us,” this song ponders how much better the world would be if we treated everyday people with a God-like grace. Only it isn’t crap: “If Jesus drove a motor home, and he come to your town, would you try to talk to him? Would you follow him around? Honking horns at the drive thru. Double-parking at the mall. Midnight at the Waffl e House. Jesus eating eggs with y’all.”

FAITH NO MORE – “RV”

Not everyone lives in an RV by choice. There’s no obvious mention of a motor home in this song besides the title. Still, the lyrics hint at a guy who made a few too many wrong turns and is now trapped in a personal RV hell:

“Backside melts into a sofa. My world, my TV, and my food. Besides listening to my belly gurgle. Ain’t much else to do. Yeah, I sweat a lot. Pants fall down every time I bend over. And my feet itch. Yeah-I married a scarecrow. I hate you. Talking to myself. Everybody’s starin’ at me. I’m only bleedin’.”

Hang in there, guy. Jesus might be waiting at the Waffl e House.

DEAD KENNEDYS – “WINNEBAGO WARRIOR”

The brightest portions of RV culture and punk rock are inherently cheeky. The Dead Kennedys are masters of the attitude, making it more fi tting that they wrote a song about pop-culture’s favorite RV - the Winnebago:

“Slow down traffi c climbing hills. Thirty gallons to the mile. Honey, quick, the Polaroid. Winnebago Warrior. Brave as old John Wayne. Winnebago Warrior. A true Yankee pioneer. Littered campgrounds, folding chairs. Feed Doritos to the bears. Honey, quick, the Polaroid.”

Believe it or not, a high-quality sound system is almost completely unnecessary to immerse yourself in this music-rich imagery. The main necessity is they are listened to while driving an RV, preferably equipped with speakers that won’t buzz and crackle much when pushed to the max.

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Greg Deckard wants to make a couple of things clear.

1. He loves his motor home;

2. He’s not ready for retirement.

He stresses these two points because, he says, “The impression for years has been that RVing is for old, retired folks.”

Clearly not true. Or not completely, anyway. Though just 48, Deckard, president and CEO of State Bank Northwest, has been “RVing,” as he calls it, since his son Ryan – now a Central Valley High School senior – was a year old.

Furthermore, he remembers when he took his family on an RV trip to Canada, to visit Banff and Edmonton, when his wife Lori was pregnant with Ryan’s younger brother, Josh – now a CV sophomore.

“So the kids have always grown up around having an RV,” Deckard says.

The motor home the Deckard boys are around these days truly lives up to their dad’s description of it as “our family lake cabin.” It’s a 40-foot, diesel-powered Newmar Dutch Star, the size of a Greyhound bus but with more luxury touches than a Swedish spa.

“It’s got a Spartan chassis, which is a real heavy-duty, smooth-riding air suspension,” he says. And powered

by a 450-horsepower HP Cummins diesel engine, Deckard says, “It drives just like a dream.”

Parked on a Saturday morning last fall near Eastern Washington University’s Roos Field, Deckard’s quad-slide motorhome looks majestic. Music is playing, football games are playing via satellite on the vehicle’s main fl at-screen TV (the bedroom has one, too), drinks are fl owing and Deckard is preparing to fi re up his grill.

“I’m known for having a rolling party bus,” he says with a laugh.

A 1982 graduate of CV High, the Indiana-born Deckard went on to earn a business degree at EWU. He started working at a local bank while still a student, and a couple of jumps later went to work for State Bank Northwest, where he’s been for 13 years.

He owned his fi rst motor home, a 36-foot model, for about three years before upgrading to a Winnebago Chieftain, “which was also 36 feet, but it had two slides and a lot more options.”

Options are important to Deckard. The notion of heading to the same lake cabin every weekend bores him.

“This is my rolling lake cabin,” he says. “It’s stocked all the time, so all we do is put fresh food on it and take off and go. We can go to a different lake every weekend and not have to worry about maintenance and all that stuff. And we can drive it right home.”

The vehicle has year-round uses. For his son Josh, a snowboarder, it serves as a mountain condo. When his boys play in Hoopfest, he says, “I park it down there so that the kids have a place to go between games.”

Deckard loves sports, which takes him to football games, not just at EWU but also Washington State. He takes it to NASCAR races (he’s a big Jeff Gordon fan), and he uses it for golf outings. In fact, a few years ago he began taking his motor home to the Spokane Country Club for the club’s annual tournament.

“That started a tradition that’s become a pretty big deal,” he says. “For one week a year, I get to take my motor home and live at my country club. I open up the front door and there is the golf course. That might be my favorite use of the motor home.”

He says that as he prepares to grill a sausage roll as big as a tractor tire.

“So to me,” he says, adjusting the fl ame, “the freedom of being able to go wherever you want and have all your stuff with you all the time, well, I love that.”

Not hard to see why.

Greg Deckard treasures the RV experienceBy Dan Webster, Marketing Correspondent


If you listen to John Kay, lead singer of the band Steppenwolf, life on the road can lead to interesting experiences.

“Get your motor runnin’,” Kay sings, “Head out on the highway/Lookin’ for adventure/And whatever comes our way.”

If you’ve ever seen Albert Brooks’ 1985 fi lm, “Lost in America,” you understand the meaning behind Kay’s lyrics. Because the song is used – yes, ironically – to underscore the intention of Brooks’ character as he cuts loose from his everyday life and takes off in his newly purchased 1984 Winnebago Chieftain.

“Lost in America” is one of the movies most cited as being a favorite of recreational vehicle owners. Or rather, it’s one of the most-cited fi lms in which an RV plays a prominent role.

Following is a list of movies that place a spotlight on life as lived by RV owners looking for whatever comes their way.

“Lost in America” (1985) – Tired of pressure-fi lled lives, David Howard (Albert Brooks) and his wife (Julie Hagerty) cash out, buy their RV and hit the highway. They lose their “nest egg” in Vegas but, as written and directed by Brooks, nothing beats those fi rst few Steppenwolf-fueled miles.

“The Long, Long Trailer” (1953) – Vincente Minnelli directed this Lucille Ball/Desi Arnaz fi lm, which features Ball’s trademark slapstick comedy. “Trailer” makes travel-trailer life look like a disaster. But, it’s a comic disaster.

“Race With the Devil” (1975) – This mean little Jack Starrett fi lm moves us even further into the horror. This time, though, it’s two couples driving their RV away from Satanist killers.

“Escape to Witch Mountain” (1975) – Kind of like Nicholson’s character in “About Schmidt,” Eddie Albert plays a guy traveling with his dog in an RV. Then they meet two extraterrestrial children and, suddenly, the guy’s RV can fl y? Really?

“About Schmidt” (2002) – Jack Nicholson stars in Alexander Payne’s fi lm as a retired widower who, while en route to his daughter’s wedding, learns a few late-life lessons. Some of them even have to do with his RV.

“From Dusk Till Dawn” (1996) – Moving from sci-fi lite to horror, Robert Rodriguez’s fi lm features vampires and gangsters … plus an RV-driving ex-preacher (Harvey Keitel) and his teenage children. The fi lm’s tagline could be, “Don’t get out of the RV.”

“Judgment Night” (1993) – Four buddies on a man’s-night-out borrow an RV, go off the main road, witness a murder and end up being hunted themselves. Should have opted for the armored model.

“Independence Day” (1996) – While most of Roland Emmerich’s alien-invasion movie is a rah-rah study of American hardiness, mainstream Americans are represented – at least in part – by an RV family living in the desert. Surprise, surprise, the aliens get outclassed. Barely.

“Paul” (2011) – The most recent fi lm on this list, Greg Mottola’s comedy adventure

follows two British nerds on their way to a comic-book convention. On the way, they meet the titular extraterrestrial character who, believe it or not, wants to phone home.

“Stripes” (1981) – Ivan Reitman’s comedy features a young Bill Murray as an unlikely recruit who, with a couple of cute military cops, takes off in what looks like an RV but is actually a computerized, armored nuclear weapons carrier. Mayhem ensues. And laughter.

“RV” (2006) – Two words: Robin Williams. As the father of a troubled teen, Williams’ character takes his family on an RV vacation. Was it director Barry Sonnenfeld who approved the sewage-system-explosion scene?

“Meet the Fockers” (2004) – Speaking of fancy RVs, the one owned by Robert De Niro’s character can arouse anyone’s RV envy. It makes Air Force One look like something made out of Legos.

“The Wild Thornberrys Movie” (2002) –This movie version of the popular animated TV series has the family traveling in an RV across the wilds of Africa.

No surprise there. Kids, too, clearly like looking for adventure.

RV experience celebrated in decades of moviesBy Dan Webster, Marketing Correspondent


I don’t want an RV, I want a Winnebago. Like Kleenex or Band-Aids, Winnebago is a brand name that has become more synonymous with a product than the product itself.Winnies are also the undisputed darlings of the RV world, embodying America, freedom, the pursuit of happiness and the movie``Spaceballs,’’ in the form of a rolling home; a proud and fi tting goulash of our national ingredients.

I’m still saving for my fi rst Winnebago but as a young man battered and worn from the recession economy, I can only afford to be Winnebago dreamin’ for now. Don’t laugh. Believe it or not, saving for a Winnebago is a practical dream with real health benefi ts.

A Winnebago can serve as an escape tool, not just from the day-to-day grind but to avoid what you don’t want to be later in life. Personally I refuse to become one of those Silver Foxes

portrayed in television commercials making a long cruise home to see their wife in a muscle car that overheats, chock full of male enhancement pills.

The pills might be necessary; they may even help me throw a football through a tire on a rope more accurately. But when I reach my golden years, I’d rather be driving a Winnebago into the open arms of the American road with my wife already by my side, or over my shoulder in the breakfast nook, or napping peacefully on a pile of coats atop the fold-down couch. We’ll experience this great nation together, as it was meant to be: via the highways.

It’s a simple plan and a good one. The only thing missing is the Winnebago itself. Yet hard as it is to admit, which sort I’ll buy could easily be determined by how much I have to spend once I look like a blown–out ‘Touch of Grey’ hair-color model.

With the economy being as it is I’ve developed a penny-pinching aversion to beginning my Winnebago searchon a reputable web site such as www.gowinnebago.com. It would be just as clever to visit a trusted local dealership such as R’nR RV.

Unfortunately, as a recession baby of the millennialgeneration, I’ve learned disturbing survival techniquesto weather the economic downturn. One of which isan 87 percent accurate Buffalo Bill fi lter that givesme the misguided confi dence to orchestrate bargainvehicle purchases through anonymous people on onlineclassifi ed sites.

I wouldn’t recommend my methods to the averageconsumer. The Buffalo Bill fi lter requires some strictdiscipline, such as the ability to discern which poorly-shot interior photographs of a used Winnebago is theproduct of poor lighting or a shaky camera hand andwhich are thinly-veiled crime scenes.

The best way to fully appreciate the rich tapestry ofthe Winnebago buying experience is to peruse a

great number of models side by side in a safe

To some, nothing compares to a classic Winnie By Brandon Seiler, Marketing Correspondent

Illustration by Klay Arsenault/Special to The Spokesman-Review

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environment. The Inland NW RV Show is a perfect venue to begin the fi rst step of the process: interior layout browsing.

Winnebago has been playing a game of Tetris with fl oor plans for the last 54 years. Meandering through their latest creations is a productive journey unto itself. It’s hard not to fi nd a favorite design without imagining yourself living in the Winnie’s bosom for a time.

These musings are also bound to inspire potential trip ideas leading toward a sober decision of just how big your Winnebago really needs to be. Is that Class A behemoth that will suck a gas station dry the perfect rig to improve your tailgating at Washington State University football games? Perhaps. Then again a modest Minnie Winnie could steal your heart as the thrifty excuse to

spend the night on ski trips to Mt. Spokane.

With patience and the proper thought process the right model will inevitably reveal itself on the showroom fl oor and pose the heaviest question of the buying process.

Are you ready to love this Winnebago the way it deserves to be loved? Any RV that wears the fl ying W emblem

deserves to be cherished as a vessel to experience lifethrough, a mobile story book fi lled with blank pages.Purchasing one comes with an inherent responsibilityto author its adventures and make sure they’ll be worth looking back on.

Finding the right Winnebago for you is the fi rst ofmany journeys you’ll share together. Don’t sully one ofthe most crucial purchases an American can make by settling for a sketchy bargain with driftwood doors andduct tape.

If you’re as serious as I am about owning an RV someday, try dreamin’ about what you would do withone of your own. Remember, it doesn’t even have tobe a Winnebago so long as it makes you happy. It never hurts to think of new ways to accomplish that.

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So, you’re in your doctor’s offi ce. And you pick up a copy of, say, MotorHome magazine. Or Family Motor Coaching. Or even Trailer Life.

You like the lines of that Winnebago or Dutchmen or Tioga or that sleek, silver Airstream travel trailer. And you can already see yourself joining the hordes of RV owners who seem to fi ll the summer highways.

But you don’t know how to get started. Here, then, are a few tips.

1. What kind of RV do you want to buy?

Dana Massie, who works for RVs Northwest in Spokane Valley, says the fi rst thing an inexperienced RVer has to consider involves “lifestyle.”

“Floor plan is the No. 1 essential thing in RVs,” Massie says. “It’s key. If you don’t get the right fl oor plan for your lifestyle, you’re not going to like it.”

RVs, of course, come in all shapes and sizes, but three basic types exist: motor homes, travel trailers and truck campers.

--Motor homes come in three different classes: A, which includes bus conversions and are the biggest

and most luxurious, capable of doubling as actual living quarters; B, smaller models, built on van frames, which can offer all sorts of luxury but generally are too small for full-time living; C, sometimes called mini motor homes, these models stand out because of the section that extends out over the cab.

--Travel trailers come in two basic types: Travel trailers, a term applied to various size trailers that usually are hitched to any tow vehicle with enough power to pull it; fi fth wheels, which are larger and usually require a medium- or heavy-duty pickup truck equipped with a special swivel hitch in its bed center.

--Truck campers are just what the term implies, a camper shell set atop the back of a pickup truck.

Whatever style and model you choose, Massie stresses, picture it fi tting your own needs and preferences.

“It may be beautiful on the outside, you may be able to tow it with your truck,” Massie says, “but if you don’t like the fl oor plan, you’re going to end up either parking it or trading it back in.”

2. What do you want to use your RV for?

Again, the working concept here involves “lifestyle.”Are you a weekend camper? Do you and yourbuddies go on golfi ng (hunting, fi shing) trips? Areyou destination travelers (Oregon Coast, Whistler SkiResort, Sturgis, S.D.)? Do you want to set up in fullyequipped RV parks or make do in the backwoods?Or do you want to head out on the highway, maybechasing the warm weather, spending as much time asyou can as a permanent road gypsy?

One bit of advice: “If you’re going to do longdistance, you’re probably going to want to do withsomething a little more spacious, maybe with moreslides,” Massie says. Otherwise, she says, if you’retraveling with someone who, say, wakes before youdo and wants to watch the news on TV, “You mayhave a confl ict.”

3. How much do you want to pay?

“You have to stick within your means,” Massie says.“But what I encourage customers to do is to come upwith a range” of prices that fi ts their budget.

The key, she says, is to have “some fl exibility.” Andshe adds, “Whether you spend $10,000 or $50,000,you want to purchase something that is going toencourage you to use it, not discourage you fromusing it.”

4. What options do you want?

The choices are nearly limitless. How much room doyou want (pull-out slides can increase an RV’s widthto fi t anyone’s idea of comfort)? How equipped do youwant your kitchen to be? How much storage space doyou want? Do you want a TV set with satellite access?A computer-equipped business center with Internetaccess? A full shower? A doggy bed for your pooch?

Ultimately, whatever decision you make should feedyour enthusiasm for the vehicle and what you plan touse it for.

“You want to use it,” Massie says. “You want to beexcited. You want to look at it and say, ‘Ooooh, let’splan a trip.’ ”

By Dan Webster, Marketing Correspondent

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The RV culture is big on creating the dream and offering you freedom from whatever is keeping you tied down, like weekend lawn mowing duties or winter snow shoveling.

Though some of us truly love the idea of chugging down the open road in search of new, preferably warmer, locales, not all of us are ready to completely pull up all of our stakes. Since, after all, there’s no place like a home base to return to once in a while.

Snowbirds especially can see the best of both worlds – somewhere nice in the winter and somewhere nice in the summer. If you’re a social type of person (and RVers are known for this!), you can have many friends in both spots. You have favorite stores and restaurants, and likely family in at least one or both of your destinations.

But a big concern of long-term RVers is what to do with the things you leave behind, especially if you’re planning to return to your home in a couple of months.

If you know exactly when you’ll be back, you can consider renting, but this has its challenges since you won’t be nearby or often in the same state to keep an eye on your tenants. In this case, you might want to think about contracting with a property management or maintenance service.

A security service may also be an option, which will monitor the home for illegal entry or fi re. You can be contacted if there’s a problem.

Home sitting services are another possibility, which is where people temporarily live in your home, more for caretaking/security needs than an actual residence.

Diane Uphus, owner of Diana’s Home Sitting Services, said sitters can include medical professionals who only need to be in this area for a few months, people moving into the area who haven’t found a permanent home yet, or even retired couples who want a relaxing way to see a new community without having to stay in hotels or motels.

Each sitting service is unique in its structure – some charge the homeowners a fee, some charge the sitters a fee, the equivalent of rent.

With hers, the homeowners don’t pay anything, and the sitters pay a small amount. The sitters, however, are expected to do basic upkeep, such as shoveling the sidewalks, plus pay the utilities.

“Homeowners love this, and so do insurance companies,” Uphus said. “No one wants to see a vacant home.”

The real estate community also likes the idea, as lived-in homes are easier to show and sell, and may even bring in a higher price. An occupied home also deters vandalism, and gives homeowners much more peace of mind.

Uphus, who is a Realtor, performs an extensive background check on prospective sitters, which the sitters pay for, that looks at their credit history, criminal history, employment history, rental history and more. They also can’t be smokers or have pets. Homeowners also get to meet the sitters before they leave town.

“I call it a matchmaking service,” she said. “Sometimes the sitters and the homeowners become friends and ask for each other again.”

Sometimes the sitters stay until the snowbirds return for the spring. Other options are possible, such as if the sitters are waiting to buy or build a home and just need a place to stay for a fi nite amount of time.

“This is just a good business,” Uphus said. “You meet people from all walks of life.”

She also enjoys showing sitters who are new to this community around town, and helping them network with other businesses.

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HOT RV ITEMS

PAGE 30 RV SHOW

Pet photos here instead?

Spokesman-Review Readers Contribute Photos of RV-Loving Pets


RV trips are perfect occasions for you and loved ones to head out onto the open road. For some of us, our defi nition of loved ones and family members can extend to our pets.

Some pet owners fi nd a sitter or kennel for their furry friends, others invite them to join them on their RV expedition.

Today’s modern RV has a lot to offer pets and their owners. Instead of being wedged in the backseat of a car or stuck in a carrier the whole trip, Fido or Fluffy can walk around the interior, take a nap on a bed or blanket, or watch the road. They also will enjoy stopping for walks.

Inland Northwest RV owners love to involve their pets in their journeys, as evidenced by the good response from readers of The Spokesman-Review last fall when we asked them to share their favorite camping stories, preferably with a cute critter or two by their side.

Dogs seem to be great traveling companions, but some people shared photos of their cats. Reader Pam Pirkkala said their green conure, Charlie, likes to come along on RV trips and hasn’t missed one yet.

Bill and Sandy Babcock visited Yellowstone last fall with their Italian Greyhounds, Sam and Lucky, and carried them on their backs in Snoozer roll-arounds that turn into backpacks.

Animals fi nd a way to relax wherever the journey takes them, as Tina C shows us with a series of Willow, the cat, and Thomas, the cat, vacationing on the Pend Oreille River.

Flo Carrico and Charlie Cornell brought dogs with them on all sorts of adventures, including a road trip in their Class A RV to Alaska, Mt. Hood and Wallowa Lake. Their toy Aussie LyndeLou even liked to ride in the co-pilot seat, which was perfect with the sign “Australian Shepherd on Duty” in the RV.

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WE ARE the World’s LargestDodge Chrysler Jeep Ram Dealer

WE ARE the Northwest’s Largest GM Dealer

VISIT US AT WWW.DAVESMITH.COM OR EXIT 51, I-90 KELLOGG, ID1-800-635-8000

HASSLE FREE BUYING

2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4x4

$33,495 Save $4,940

1 AT THIS PRICE STK #31610X VIN#1C4BJWFG9DL591883

MSRP...............................................$38,435Dave Smith Discount........................$4,940

Your Price

Sat/CD/DVD/MP3/HDD/NAV

$34,995 Save $9,795

1 AT THIS PRICE STK #27275X VIN#1GT120CG9CF237417

MSRP...............................................$44,790Dave Smith Discount........................$5,795Consumer Rebate.............................$4,000

Your Price

Equipment

Prices shown are good for Idaho, Washington and Alaska residents only. Call dealer for rebates and pricing for different states. Not all customers will qualify for all rebates. All vehicles are subject to prior sale. Rebates as of 01/04/13 and ad expires 01/31/13 barring manufacturer rebate changes. Manufacturer retains the right to change incentives without

request. Not responsible for typographical errors. Prices/payments are plus tax, license & negotiable $50.00 Dealer Documentation fee. File photos, not actual photos. Limit 1 per

choice to buy without the hassle of negotiating. Advertised price must be mentioned prior to sale to receive the ad pricing shown. Manufacturer retains the right to change incen-

dealership and are available upon request. Not responsible for typographical errors. File photos, not actual photos. Limit 1 per customer or up to dealer discretion. No sales to dealers, brokers or anyone who buys for the sole purpose of resale or export sales. Advertised price must be mentioned prior to sale to receive the ad pricing shown. Call dealer for more infor-mation 1-800-635-8000.

Date post:	14-Mar-2016
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RV Show, January 23, 2013

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