Fall Review Contest Update
The review contest has been on for two weeks now, so we figured it was time for an update.
But first, just a reminder that the grand prize, which goes to the person with the most reviews, is a Portable Solar Powerpack. The two people who write the best reviews will get $50 gas cards. The contest ends on October 15, so you still have a little over 3 weeks to go.
For more information about the contest, check out this blog post. It's easy to enter, all you need to do is start writing reviews. For help writing reviews take a look at our review writing tips and this blog post about what makes a good review.
Grand Prize
Onto our contest leaderboard. Right now, LiveWorkDream.com has the most reviews with 26. DonC and OkieDave are tied for second with 9 reviews each. julierecker is in third place with 8 reviews. Here's our top five leaderboard from highest to lowest:
3. julierecker
4. ADVofRVLife and psandefur
Thanks to all of you who've written reviews so far. It's great to see so many new reviewers on RVParking. Remember, you still have 3 weeks to get your reviews in, so review often.
Any iPad Users Out There?
We've had some requests to extend our iPhone app to take advantage of the extra screen size and capabilities of the iPad. Since we always do what our users ask 
we've been working on an iPad version. It's about ready for testing and we're looking for guinea pigs volunteers. If you're up for it, leave a comment and we'll contact you with more details.
What Makes a Good Review?
When I've told people about the contest, some people have responded with the question "What makes a good review?". In this post, I'd like to answer that question by discussing some things to consider when writing a review. You do not have to use all these things in your review, but hopefully this post will serve as inspiration if you don't know what to write.
1. Check out our tip sheet. We have a whole list of things to include in your review. This list, while not all-inclusive, is something that you can through as you write your reviews to make sure that you cover some of the most important details. The rest of this post will give examples of ways people have addressed components of the tip sheet or discuss things not included on the tip sheet.
2. Think about what you would have wanted to know about the park before you stayed there. Odds are, that's what other RVParking readers want to know too.
3. Length - The best RV Park reviews give fellow RVers a good idea of what it's like to stay at an RV park. This requires a lot of information, usually more than you can fit in a sentence or two, which is why I look for reviews that are at least a paragraph or more.
4. Support your opinion - It's great to know if an RV park is good or bad, but it's just as important (if not more important) to know why. The best reviews are really specific about why an RV park is being rated a certain way, like in the review of Craters of the Moon National Landmark Campground by joannb:
"The only reason this is a 4 star campground is that it doesn't have showers. It is a self-serve campground; you pick out a site then go back, fill out an envelope, put the top half into the board showing which campgrounds are taken and the other half with your money in a slot. Real simple. This otherworldly landscape may not be for everyone, but it fascinated us. Most sites are very ample, set among the lava with a black cinder base."
5. Noise Level - Is it a quiet park? Is there a lot of noise coming from a nearby interstate? From rowdy campers? Does the park have quiet hours? The review LiveWorkDream.com wrote about Lindenwood Park Campground does a great job of addressing freeway noise:
"Yes, there is freeway noise, but if you ask for the LOWER campground along the river, it's not so bad."
6. Staff - Are they approachable? Helpful? Did they go the extra mile? For example, Don C. tells us why the staff at Oregon Dunes KOA Kampground & RV Resort made his stay a great one:
"The staff bent over backward to make our stay a great one. This started with a call to let me know that a spot had opened up and I could get in. We were traveling without reservations."
7. WiFi - One of the things RVParking.com readers care about the most is being able to connect with their loved ones and employers from the road. Just mentioning if the park has working WiFi on site or nearby is a big help for your fellow RVers, but the extra details in LiveWorkDream.com's review of Johnsons Corner Retreat make this one of the best Wifi/Internet assessments I've seen so far:
"Tree shade here WILL block your satellite connectivity. They did just hire a smart networking guy who installed a brand new Wi-Fi system which works GREAT. So skip the dish and go right for the Wi-Fi, which is free."
8. Are the sites level? Here is a good example from Wheeling It's review of South Sandusky Campground. Not only do they discuss the levelness of their site, but they also cover the levelness of every site at the campground:
"The one thing that got us were the sites. There were really so hit and miss in terms of how level they were. Our own site had a huge drop and we weren't able to level. Some had moderate drops whereas a selection were completely flat."
9. Cell phone coverage - Are you able to get any bars out in the mountains? What cell phone provider are you using? Here's a good example from Technomadia's review of Meriwether Lewis National Park:
"Cell & Data Coverage:
AT&T – Weak, but usable.
Sprint - Very slow but still usable CDMA 1xRTT. (D: 115Kb/s, U: 56Kb/s, 669ms) (Sprint indicates roaming – probably on Verizon)"
10. Cable/TV - Does the park have cable? Is it free or do they charge? What channels do you get? Is it available in all parts of the RV park? Here's an example from RVingToadless' review of Garden of the Gods Campground:
"As for the cable, currently it is installed in rows B and C. The cable is limited, just some networks, Travel, CNN, Discovery, Weather, and some 'who cares' channels."
11. Activities - Are there any activities the park offers on a regular basis? Movie nights? Ice cream socials? Potlucks? Do they have any special holiday celebrations? For example pdronline says that Shabbona Lake State Park's Fourth of July fireworks celebration is a must-see:
"DON'T MISS: Each year on July 4th catch the fireworks display over the lake and in February go night fishing on the lake."
12. Amenties Not Covered on RVParking.com - RV Parks offer so different many amenties these days that it's hard to list them all. Does the park have an exercise room or amenities not seen at other RV Parks, such as a car wash or barbecue delivery? Don C.'s review of Junipers RV Resort does a good job of addressing the different amenities they have:
"We were met by a friendly camp host, assigned a spot and shown the Pavilion, barbeques, laundry facilities, bathrooms and showers. They even have a business center with fax machine."
13. Trees - Are there any? How big are they? How long are the branches? Here's an example from joannb's review of Twin Falls/Jerome KOA:
"The park is well shaded by mature trees."
14. Size of sites - Do you have a lot of room or hardly any at all? From Technomadia's review of Pecan Grove RV Park, we learn that sometimes you have to trade space around your site for a hip, urban setting:
"Don't expect much in terms of space around you (unlike their monthly spots, which many feature nice yards) - you're here for the location and atmosphere!"
15. Stores - Everyone has to eat. Does the RV Park have a store where you can stock up on supplies? Are there any stores nearby? This example from CarHouse's review of Ocala Camp Resort kills two birds with one stone by discussing both the RV park store and a store in the area:
"All convenience store items have been removed due to the cheapness and proximity of a local grocery store."
16. Restrooms - Are they clean? For example, acoording to TxYellowRose, the bathrooms over at Town and Country RV Park and Storage should be avoided if at all possible:
"Although there are restroom facilities, they are in desperate need of remodel/update, so much so that you will want to be totally self-contained if you stay here. When the water table (dry spell with no rain) falls low, the water starts to look rusty/brown."
17. Showers - Do you have privacy? Do you have to pay extra to use them? Here's a good example from Car House's review of Zion River Resort:
"The showers are private and very nice but cost some coins to operate. One would think at $45 a night they would include a shower ..."
18. Restaurants - Whether folks aren't big on cooking or just want to spend a night on the town, it's good to know what restaurants are at the park or in the area. For example, RVingToadless recommends the restaurant over at Ekstrom's Stage Station:
"I must recommend the adjoining restaurant. Excellent, world class food for a small restaurant. Dessert included in the meal price."
19. Pet Friendliness - Did the owners/staff treat your pets well? Were you charged extra for bringing pets? Did the campground have a pet park?
20. General feel of site - Is the site big or small? Well-kept or run-down? SilverSnail's review of Crown Point RV Park gives us a great overall sense of the park:
"Nicely situated on the Old Columbia River Highway, and tucked away from the roadside by large trees and a tall wooden fence, this small campground is a secret treasure. I had spent a day looking for campgrounds in the Portland area that were comfortable and affordable enough to stay for a month, and most of the places around Portland were unappealing - mostly commercial places catering to the big rigs with little nature or privacy. I almost passed this place up, thinking it was TOO rinky-dink, but it was cozy and rustic in the way that I like it, and convenient to the Columbia River Gorge and Portland."
21. Is the RV Park website accurate? Were some park features over-stated? Understated? Not mentioned at all? Please let us know.
I hope this list helps give you ideas about what to cover in your park review. For all you RVParking.com reviewers out there, what do you think makes a good review? What do you take into consideration when reviewing an RV Park? Did I leave anything out?
If you still need help with reviewing, please feel free to contact me. Happy reviewing!
-Nicole
Volunteering on the Road
Nina basking in puppy love.
Today's guest blog post comes from Nina of Wheeling It, a great blog for RV Park reviews. You can also see Wheeling It's reviews here on RVParking.com.
They say there’s nothing like puppy love to heal the soul. I’ve always thought so and for that reason volunteering with dogs has been a lifelong passion of mine. When hubby and I packed up our lives and went full-timing we wanted to find ways to keep that spirit alive. It’s the other side of workamping, volunteering your time and services for free, and the good news is that, with just a touch of planning, you can make volunteering a part of your RV experience too.
Where to Start? First off the organizations. There’s a ton of very good people that will gladly accept your time, and it doesn’t have to be a “formal” organization. However, if you’re looking for something established, here’s a very small selection of the many out there:
1. RV Care-A-Vanners: This great little group joins RVers together for Habitat for Humanity builds across the US.
2. Escapees and Good Sam’s: Both these RV clubs offer a wealth of volunteer opportunities. Once a member, search for a group that matches your interests.
3. USDA Forest Service, State Parks, National Parks: These organizations offer a variety of opportunities in the great outdoors.
4. American Red Cross: The Red Cross depends heavily on volunteers both in crisis situations and otherwise.
5. US Army Corps of Engineers: The Volunteer Clearing House specializes in protection of natural resources.
There’s many others such as animal rescues (SPCA, Humane Society), Christian organizations (e.g. Sower Ministry Office), and local groups.
Job Requirements: As with any job, you’ll want to get a solid idea of how much time you’ll be expected to contribute, what kind of physical activity (if any) is required and what the job requirements are. If you have a specialty (writing, photography, internet etc.) go ahead and offer those services up-front. Some things you can do on-line while you’re on the road (e.g. fundraising), others you need to be physically on-site. For on-site jobs some places may have deals or free sites for parking the rig, so be sure to ask about that too.
Paul goes to the pigs.
Our Experience: For our first stint we opted for a week at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah. Best Friends is one of the largest sanctuaries in the US, with over 1,000 animals nestled beautifully in the red rocks of Angel Canyon, Kanab UT. They have an awesome volunteer program where can apply on-line and then chose AM or PM blocks to volunteer in any area of the sanctuary you choose. I went straight to the dogs and very quickly thereafter to puppies where I basked unabashedly in doggie-love and helped with socialization and off-site outings. Paul had a penchant for pigs and so went off for an afternoon to wallow in the mud and the sun with the pot-bellied pigs. Should you have a preference for horses, or dreams of kitty purrs you can find that here too.
Whatever your joy, there’s always a way to share it with others. Happy RV Travels!
Biography: Nina is a blogger, writer of tales, animal lover, outdoor enthusiast and photographer. Together with her hubby they both left stressful jobs in the semiconductor industry for the dream of becoming full-time RVers and leading an alternate life. Join them in their travels with RV tips and tales at http://wheelingit.wordpress.com/
Is Satellite Internet Right for You?
Today's guest blog post comes from Betty Barnes, RV blogger and the author of great reviews here on RVParking.com:
I have been asked to share with you our experiences utilizing a satellite Internet system. Although we have been full-timers for a few months, I am pleased with our choice. Everyone's situation is different. This method of getting online may not be what you want or need as part of your technology on the road. For us, though, it seems to be just the ticket.
"Why?" you ask. Here's a scenario we have already encountered. Recently we spent two very enjoyable weeks nestled in a valley amidst the Smoky Mountains. It was a lovely park undergoing some renovations and upgrading, and WiFi service was not yet available. Our AT&T cell phones had no signal. Other campers who asked about our tripod setup had the phone service starting with a "V," barely enough of a signal to make/receive calls and no way/no how could they access the Internet. With our HughesNet dish on a tripod, we were up and surfin'!
HughesNet dish on a Tripod
Making the decision about how to access the Internet on the road was almost more difficult and taxing on the gray cells than the decision to go full-time. "Will it actually work?!?!" "Can I do it myself?" kept rattling around in my head like a song you hear on the radio on the way to work that just will not leave your memory all day. We've all been there, eh? Having a television service was less critical than that of reliable Internet and, in fact, the only television reception we get is via cable provided at RV parks or through our indoor antenna/rabbit ears. Being able to access the Internet, however, was a must-have.
The hours I spent online researching air cards, satellite, different cell phone carriers, coverage areas, routers, amplifiers . . . well, I am glad I did not keep track of those hours! Satellite Internet of the type that uses a rooftop- mounted dish was simply too expensive for us. Thanks to a veteran full-timer of 25+ years and a member of a full-timing forum I frequent, I learned of the mobile tripod-mounted system you see above. We also got an external cable outlet which is mounted on the exterior of one of our slides.
External cables that run back to the tripod
What you see above are the external cables that run back to the tripod. No way was I going to "just leave a
window open" with cables running through it! Do you know how big mosquitoes can grow??
The entire system turned out to be significantly less cost up front than the rooftop system. What about the
monthly cost? We opted for the HughesNet ProPlus plan, which gives us what we believe should be an adequate daily download allowance for the two of us. (We each have a laptop.) Many folks pay monthly subscriptions for both Internet via air cards and a television service, so we may not be far off that.
We already had a wireless router purchased quite a while back, still brand new and in the box, so we have our own wireless network here in our RV. Again, this is a simple process. Once the satellite signal is acquired and my laptop (the host) is successfully on the Internet, I shut everything down, hook up the router, turn everything back on and there we are! Our personal wireless network! Feel free to surf inside the RV or even outside if it's a nice day.
Now, I know what you are thinking. "Gee, that just looks like too much work and hassle, setting up that contraption and breaking it down." You know what? It really isn't bad at all. The pointing hardware and software provided with our system makes finding the satellite a breeze. Although quite stable and sturdy, the entire tripod when completely assembled is not extremely heavy, for those of you concerned about cargo weight or awkwardness of handling the tripod and its components.
All that being said, do I set it up if we are stopped for a night or two? No. If we are in a park that provides free WiFi, we will use that. If we are not, well, we just do without. It is sort of nice to "drop off the grid" for a brief spell now and then.
Some points, and this is just a starting point, you might want to consider when thinking about what will work for you. Again, this is based on our personal preferences and experiences.
• What is your primary use of the Internet? Personal or business? Combination of both? We are both online off and on throughout the day and night. I do some work online, so a consistently reliable connection is vital. I simply did not want us to be reliant on cell phone coverage, or lack thereof.
• Tripod versus rooftop mounted system? With a tripod you can park under trees and put the tripod in a clear area. With a rooftop system there is less setup.
• Upload/download speed: Having had no choice in our ISP prior to full-timing and it being the worst I have ever experienced regarding speed and reliability, our system is more than satisfactory.
• VoIP services such as Skype (which we use to call family in Scotland) do not work very well with satellite, although it can be done. Latency is a problem. Think of an Earth-to-space conversation.
• Online games and downloading large files, videos and the like really are problematic. You may find you are swiftly eating up your download allowance. OUCH! We have a "free zone" during the wee hours of the morning when downloads are not counted against your allowance. This works out great for us, as we are currently working night shift. HughesNet provides a free Download Manager program with which you can schedule and manage "free zone" downloads in case you aren't a night owl. Another handy free download from the HughesNet site is a status meter. I have one on each of our laptops as a Taskbar icon so we can check our allowance status with a quick click of the mouse.
I hope my contribution here has given some insight of what life is like with a satellite Internet system if you are contemplating this method versus an air card for accessing cyberspace. Again, these are simply our experiences and viewpoints on what works for us. Everyone has to make a decision based on their wants and needs and what they feel is the most "comfortable" option for them. Whatever you decide, I hope it works well for you and that you enjoy your time in cyberspace. Thank you for reading, and safe travels to you all!
Betty Barnes is a nine-year cancer survivor, Reiki Master/Teacher, cyclist and drum circle facilitator. She and her husband Dave, originally from Scotland, began full-timing in their fifth wheel in June 2010, workamping as they travel the Lower 48. Betty's first RV experience was literally as a babe in arms over 50 years ago. She has camped under canvas, in a pop-up and travel trailers now a fifth wheel. Betty has seen much of Scotland, so now she and Dave are taking the opportunity to experience together the wonder and beauty of her native country. Betty maintains an active blog describing their adventures on the road at Phoenix Once Again. You are also invited to visit her Reiki Web presence here.
How to Add a Park
With our fall review contest going on, I've seen some new reviewers here on RVParking. If you've joined the site recently, welcome.
In talking about the contest with others, I realized that some might want to contribute but need to know more about how to add reviews here. That's why we'll be doing a series of posts designed to help people share reviews and pictures, including what makes a good review, what makes a good photo and how to do certain things on the site. So, that's what you'll have to look forward to in the coming weeks as well as upcoming guest posts on Satellite Internet and volunteering from the road.
Some of you may want to a review a park that isn't listed on RVParking.com. While we have over 18,000 parks listed, there are still some that we don't have. That's why we allow you to add parks yourself. After you add the park, you'll be given an opportunity to review it.
1. Go to the front page and click on the "write a review button".
Write a Review Button when not logged in
2. You will be taken to a search page. After you get there, type in the name of the park or the city it's located in. Tip: It's good to double check that RVParking.com doesn't have the park, since a park may not show in the search results for the name but will in the search results for the city.
Search box
3. You will be taken to a results page and at the bottom there will be a link to add a park.
The add-a-park button (circled in red)
4. Add the park. After you submit the data, you will be asked to add a review.
The beginning of the park creation page.
And that's how you add a park. For larger views of the screenshots, click on the pictures in the gallery located at the end of this post.
If you have any problems, please contact me. I can either help you add the park or add it for you. Happy reviewing!
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- Write a Review Button when not logged in
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- Search box
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- The add-a-park button (circled in red)
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- The beginning of the park creation page.
WHERE TO STAY: A full-timer’s perspective
As a solo girl who travels, works and lives full-time in an Airstream trailer, deciding where to stay is usually a matter of cost, beauty and convenience. It’s a rare campground that satisfies all three - usually I’ll get two at the expense of the third - and it can become a competition between public (local, state, national) and private campgrounds. In the end, how long I intend to stay is the deciding factor.
For certain choice destinations, I often plan on monthly stays in private campgrounds with full hookups. Since I don’t have a co-pilot to share the tasks of driving, researching, and setting up/breaking down camp, it’s nice to find a central spot in a desirable location and settle in for a while. Staying for a month is usually half-price and gives me a chance to feel at home and relax without the extra tasks of moving on. It is more akin to settling into a new town as a neighbor, not as a hurried tourist, and it gives me more time around my work obligations to get to know people, hunt for photos and absorb the local culture.
But I want to stay in the beautiful places, of course - with lots of space and privacy too, please. While this can be a tall order for many private parks, often the local and state parks can deliver. However, they rarely offer full hookups, always have a time limit, and never have half-price deals. I can certainly settle for a shorter stay and get by with just an electrical connection (as long as the campground has decent showers) - but then there’s the issue of cost. Yes, the daily rate of public parks can often be less than the private parks, but if you factor in the monthly discount and full hookup convenience, private parks win – and sometimes they can be just as beautiful as the public parks.
Of course, internet and phone are also a concern. My Verizon mifi and phone have served me very well. But on rare occasions I find myself in a beautiful out-of-the-way place and want to stay a little while, but I have very poor coverage. In these cases, I may compromise adequate communication at the homefront if there is something available a few miles down the road. I don’t mind having to drive to the local library or coffee shop for good wifi. It mixes up my day and gives me more opportunities to eavesdrop on the local gossip. Same thing with the phone - sometimes a phone conference happens to work best a couple miles down the road in a pull-out overlooking the spectacular Californian coast. That’s okay with me.
One of the advantages of having a house on wheels is that my yard and my neighborhood can change when I’d like them to. Some places I might not be so crazy about, and other places could feel like a dream come true. Deciding on a campground to call home is part of the fun of being a full-timer and it’s usually where the thrill of discovery begins again with fresh enthusiasm.
About the Author
Sharon Pienak is a self-employed photographer and graphic designer who has been traveling full-time for three years. After bringing her computer on numerous vacations and scrambling to find sitters for her dog and cat, she decided to get an Airstream trailer and live a nomadic lifestyle. Now she maintains her graphic design business, photographs the beauty of America and satisfies her wanderlust while her home and animal pals are with her. She's exploring and inviting a greater portion of the world into her life and feels much more connected with the art of living now. See her travel log at www.TheSilverSnail.com.
Workamping Beyond the Campground
Shortly after my first workamping “paycheck” I sat down and figured out what my hourly pay for 25 hours a week, plus the cost of my campsite was. It came to a little over $3 an hour for hard, backbreaking labor scrubbing toilets, cleaning cabins and hauling trash. Not only that, when I attended camp functions other campers knew me as “the lady who cleans the bathrooms,” not as a fellow camper. I was getting people coming over to my camper to tell me the bathroom was out of toilet paper or needed cleaning, even on my days off – and in spite of signs that told them to contact the camp office.
Considering the fact I was usually too tired after working in the hot sun all day to take advantage of the tourist sites, museums and attractions I had gone to the area I wanted to enjoy, I took another look at the concept of “workamping.”
For some full or part-timers who find that dream job working in an air-conditioned office, or answering the phone, acting as a nature or facilities guide or sharing duties – workamping can be a great deal of fun and pay doesn’t matter. But for those of us who depend on some sort of income in addition to our camping fees, finding alternatives to working for less than minimum wage means finding a way to work and camp. That doesn’t have to mean working at the camp.
After all, if you can make enough working one 8-hour day a week to pay for your campground fees ($400-$500 a month) wouldn’t you rather do that than work 30 hours a week for the same benefits? Of course you would!
So when thinking about workamping, think in terms of working in the area – not necessarily working at the campground.
I make my living online now. If I have access to wi-fi I can work. I make from $20 to $150 an hour – making it easy to enjoy my camping and pay for it. I have specialized skills, but so do many of you. I’m a writer, but I’ve met CPAs, tax attorneys, photographers, vets, nurses, dog walkers, mechanics, artists, handymen, seamstresses, painters, teachers and dog trainers who also make a living on the road using their unique skills and talents.
If you still believe you don’t have anything to offer, contact any (or all) of the temp agencies – Kelly Services, Manpower etc. Register with each of them, and start working temp jobs to build up a work history. It is possible to travel from area to area and work for the office in that area – or even travel to an area for a specific job. The pay is often $11 to $18 an hour for administrative work or in high-skilled jobs. Jobs may last a day to several months, allowing you to work as much or as little as you choose.
Demonstrator jobs have positions all over the country! Spend 1-3 days inside for 4-to-6 hours a day demonstrating a coffee maker, or handing out samples of food and you’ve easily paid for your campground for the week and have money left over. (Average pay $12 an hour).
Are you a budding photographer with a good camera and a laptop? Consider offering pet or camp portrait photography in the campground where you’re staying. Spend 10-15 minutes photographing someone’s pet, burn the photos to a CD and sell the CD to the owner or camper for $10-$20 dollars for all the pictures. Keep the rights to the photo to upload your pics to stock photography sites like istockphoto.com or stockfresh.com and make extra money when they sell there.
If you don’t like the idea of taking portraits or pet photos, but want to make money with your photos, stock photography sites offer good photographers money for photos of nature scenes, wildlife and camping. It takes about a year to build up a good portfolio, but if you have some photography talent you can definitely make a living at it.
If you have handyman skills, check Craigslist.org for jobs you can do while you’re in an area. A lot of times people simply need someone for the day to mow a yard, rake leaves, move furniture, paint a room or chop wood. They often pay the same day, in cash, and usually $12 to $20 an hour since it is short-term work.
If you ever considered joining the circus – now’s your chance. Many small circus, carnivals, state fairs, NASCAR events, racing circuits, marathons and other events hire people to take tickets, set-up and break down rides or tents, or work booths for a day or a weekend. Check online for festivals and events in your state.
Flea markets, crafts fairs, and RV shows are places you can make money using your talent or time as well. Don’t forget seasonal opportunities for selling pumpkins, fireworks and Christmas trees!
Finally, don’t rely on just one revenue stream. Plan on working two or three part-time jobs, like stock photos, temping or your handyman or other skills.
Determine how much money you need to make on a regular basis to supplement or create your income. Then set a “wage” for yourself and go for it. Learning how to budget for lean times and good times will help you ride out the flux in income. Overall I think most RVer’s are happier working 10 to 20 hours a week at their own self-created jobs and paying their way at campgrounds where they want to go. Most campers are able to go more places, and see more sights since many workampers often rely on getting a job in a state or area before deciding to travel there.
The jobs are out there. Start looking and happy hunting!
About the Author
Becky Blanton is a writer, photographer and graphic designer. After 23 years as a journalist and photojournalist, she quit journalism to pursue her own small business while working on the road. She now travels part-time in a Class B van, writes for Airstream Life Magazine, Motivated Magazine, Trailer Life, Change.org and a variety of print and online magazines. Her work has appeared in Woman’s World, American Profile, Road King, and Creative Loafing. She also ghost writes for corporations, small businesses and individuals. Her advice on online job possibilities will be featured in a September 2010 article on MSNBC Money.
Fall Review Contest
We've been getting a steady flow of new reviews. So we thought why not make things interesting?
We'll be throwing a Fall Review Contest from 09/07/10 -10/15/10. Entering is pretty easy... just write a review on any park or RV site that you please. All reviews (by new & returning users) posted by Friday, October 15th will be considered in picking the user with the most reviews.
The user with the most reviews will win the Grand Prize. But since the overall goal of our site is to bring the RVing community reliable & useful RV Park reviews we will also be handing out 2 runner up prizes for the best overall review quality. Here's some review writing tips on what we look for when it comes to review quality. The submission date for the contest ends on Friday, 10/15/10 and we'll announce the winners on Monday, 10/17/10. Good luck everyone! If you have any questions just comment below for a speedy answer.
Contest Prizes
Grand Prize - Portable Solar Power Pack (worth $150-$200)
Featuring a powerful built-in 400-watt inverter and sealed, spill-free 10-amp/hour AGM battery.The Powerpack solar panel continuously captures, stores, and converts the sun's energy and extends the runtime of many portable devices. Two AC outlets, a DC socket, and a USB port give you plenty of options for simultaneously operating anything from laptops to cell phones to small TVs. We recently asked our Twitter followers , "If you could get a present for your journeys what would you want the most?". This item was so popular that we decided to make it our grand prize!
Grand Prize - Xantrex X Power Portable Solar Powerpack
1st Runner Up - $50 Gas Card
2nd Runner Up - $50 Gas Card
How Proactive of a Workamper Are You?
Our next guest blog post in our workamping series comes from Jerry & Kimberly Peterson of Hit the Road JACK. They have written many great reviews here on RVParking.com.How Proactive of a Workamper Are You?
Do you find and work the jobs that you love to do or are you just taking whatever comes along? The choice and decisions are entirely up to you, nobody can make it happen but you.
Are you ready to begin working where and for who you want? If so, then read on and learn how to become proactive in your search.
We first heard of a webinar at Workamper News but had never attended one, that was until we were contacted by Jaimie Hall Bruzenak, co-author of RV Lifestyles and asked if we would be guests on her webinar about "The Proactive Workamper". Jaimie had interviewed us in our first year out here living this lifestyle and we have been following each other ever since. We have always felt comfortable interviewing with her and since we always love trying new adventures, we welcomed this one.
Proactive is a word that describes us very accurately, especially when it comes to finding work for ourselves. Our goal has always been to travel extensively, finding short term job assignments to pay our way, but not tie us into any long term jobs. Much of the work offered in this lifestyle is for longer periods of time then we are interested in doing, so in order for us to live our dream in this lifestyle, we had to get creative and very proactive.
We do not wait for jobs to come to us, we network all the time. If we want to go to a certain area, we will research the area and find places that may need short term help. We contact them and offer our expertise services, whatever they need. We have learned that we can do just about anything for a short term period and since it is so short, we have a blast doing it.
Our motto has always been, “If we are not having fun, we won’t even consider doing it.”
Finding work is always at the back of our minds, so during conversations or research on the internet, if we find a place that sounds interesting, we will copy the information and put it in our file for future research. This has helped us get several jobs.
Cold calling places is not hard for us to do, the worst thing that can happen is they say, “No”, then we just move on to the next. We are constantly sending our resume out to prospective employers that have kept us on file and quite a few have called us months afterward. Some have worked out and others the timing was off but we continue to keep in contact. We never burn our bridges, since we don’t know when we might want to return or if possibly that person may give our information to another employer which could work out for us.
For more tips on how to become proactive in your search for Workamping, view the recording by going to http://www.workamper.com/education and click on RV Lifestyles - Jaimie Hall Bruzenak and find The Proactive Workamper webinar.
Feel free to contact us by email or check out our blog, we love answering questions and helping others find their creativeness in this lifestyle
The first time we discussed our dreams was shortly after we were married. The dreams that lied deep within that we hardly shared with anyone, because they were so bizarre that we were almost embarrassed to tell another person. But, we had always been able to share our heart’s desires with one another, so we did.
We spoke about traveling around in a RV, taking photos, writing our stories and having them published. We finished each others sentences, we shared what we had kept inside ourselves since we were very young but the stories matched. Even though we knew we had to do this once and for all we once again met up with too many obstacles and put it on hold for another 6 years while a life that we thought would make us happy continued on.
Then, the turning point in our lives happened when my baby brother at an early age of 40 passed away, leaving behind many of his dreams unfulfilled. During those last moments of his life, we shared some deep secrets with one another and he made me promise to get on with my life and to follow my own dreams, never again allowing anyone or anything to stand in the way. This began a year of research, finding opportunities to make a living while traveling the country.
We travel, main highways, country roads and many of the roads less traveled. We either work or are spectators at many of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, eventually accomplishing every track on the circuit with a photograph of each of us in front of the race track sign. We also play a little game of achieving a photo of every state line we pass, but we have to do this in action, while driving, no stopping and taking the easy way out. If we miss one, we then know that we will need to take another trip someday through that state.
One of our favorite things to do is to stay, play then review the popular sightseeing locations, as well as many of the small “mom & pop” businesses and share this unbiased opinion with our many readers. Living this lifestyle has allowed us in just a few short years to visit, the Grand Canyon, Mall of America, Mount Rushmore, Niagara Falls, Gateway Arch, Soo Locks, and so many more then we ever imagined we would ever see. Doing this all on such a small budget that our readers are able to see themselves doing it too is also another benefit we share.
At times we each must travel many miles in the opposite direction to get ourselves on course once again but knowing our home is in our hearts at all times makes the travel easier. Our home is also right where we are at that very moment living our dream, traveling this wonderful country, taking photos and sharing our stories with our readers. Come join us and see where our journey leads us, our plans often change as we learn to live our lives from a much deeper place deep within ourselves.
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