Archive for the ‘# 112 July / August 2006’ Category
Rex Vogel and his wife Dania are Canadian Snowbirds who have wintered in Southern California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida. They may be contacted at Vontheroad@aol.com Membership camping is a concept that has become increasingly popular with RVers of all ages. It is particularly appealing to snowbirds and full-timers. Why buy a campground membership? How membership campgrounds work When you join a membership campground, you become entitled to use a membership park for a designated time period and for a specified cost (usually free; some now charge $1 to $2 per day as an “electricity surcharge”). You pay a membership fee to join and also commit yourself to paying annual dues/maintenance fees.
Usually, members are limited to two weeks in and one week out during peak season. During the off-peak seasons, members can stay for three weeks, but they still have to leave for at least one week before returning. However, for additional money, you may be able to rent for a longer period of time. Most membership campgrounds have an affiliation with one or more membership-campground associations. For additional annual dues (US$65 -$89.95), you may stay in the affiliated association’s campgrounds: Coast to Coast, Adventure Outdoor Resorts (AOR), Resort Parks International (RPI), or Resorts of Distinction (ROD). There is also a low daily camping fee (US$6-8). There may be a requirement that in order for you to use an affiliated campground, it has to be located at a certain distance—100 or 125 miles—from your home campground. Things to think about before purchasing Questions to ask? Are my annual dues frozen? If my membership campground has financial problems, what will happen to my membership? If my membership campground is bought out by another system, what will happen to my membership? Cost Most membership programs involve an initial payment, plus an annual maintenance fee, and, in some cases, a small electric surcharge. Cost Analysis If your objective in joining a membership campground is to reduce your camping expenses, then do some math. First, figure out how many nights you will have to stay in membership campgrounds, as opposed to non-membership campgrounds, to really save money. Prices vary; but let’s say, for example, your campground membership cost is US$7,000 and the current annual dues are US$300 per year. Let’s also assume you will use the membership for 10 years. The membership cost (US$7,000 divided by 10 years) would amount to US$700 per year. The annual dues would add another US$300 per year. Using these figures, it would cost US$1,000 per year to maintain a campground membership. A non-membership campground charges about US$25 per night for an equivalent campsite. Dividing this US$25 into the US$1,000 annual cost of campground membership means you could stay in non-membership campgrounds for 40 nights each year for what it would cost to belong to a membership campground. In this case, if you think that during the next 10 years you will spend more than 40 nights per year in your membership campground, it might make good financial sense to join one. Assuming an average campground cost of $25: 30 nights (1 month) @ $25 ……… $750 60 nights (2 months) @ $25 …… $1,500 90 nights (3 months) @ $25 …… $2,250 120 nights (4 months) @ $25 ….. $3,000 150 nights (5 months) @ $25 ….. $3,750 180 nights (6 months) @ $25 ….. $4,500 Membership Re-Sales A number of companies offer re-sales of membership parks, usually at reduced prices. Individuals also advertise their own re-sales in RV magazines and newspaper classifieds. But, to find these values, it takes some shopping around. And, be careful. Be sure there are no hidden costs, such as unpaid dues, high transfer fees, or unusually high sales commissions. And remember that not all memberships are created equal. When looking into resale memberships, be careful. If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. In Conclusion Check out a number of competing membership campground systems before buying. Visit or, better yet, spend several days. Talk to the members. Ask them if they would recommend joining. Do they have any difficulty making reservations? What is the financial condition of the campground system? Listen to the sales presentation. Ask questions. Take notes. Take literature and copies of the contracts home to scrutinize and compare. No mem – bership system can offer everything to everybody. Some systems have more parks than others; some have fewer parks but a wider range of locations; some have bet – ter amenities. Many RVers, especially full-timers and snowbirds, belong to a couple of different systems. With these points in mind, my best sug – gestion is to shop around and decide how a system fits into your lifestyle. Joining a membership campground should complement your RVing needs, make financial sense, and enhance your enjoyment of RVing. To buy or not to buy—the choice is yours. Membership campgrounds have worked well for us, and they may work well for you, too. Membership Campground SYSTEMS: Thousand Trails One of the largest chains, with more than 50 preserves, is the combination of Thousand Trails, NACO, and Leisure Time Resorts. They have parks from British Columbia to California to Texas to Florida. Information: 800-205-0606; www.1000trails.com Western Horizon Resorts (WHR) Western Horizon Resorts (WHR) is a fast growing owner and operator of private membership, RV resorts, and RV travel related services. WHR is a network of 21 company-owned resorts with locations in 13 states and Mexico, with over 5,000 RV Sites. Information: 800-934-3443; www.whresorts.com Colorado River Adventures (CRA) Colorado River Adventures offers five RV resorts located along the lower Colorado River. Information: 800-628-8424; www.coloradoriveradventures.com Holiday Trails Resorts Holiday Trails Resorts offers RV resorts on Vancouver Island, Lower Mainland, and the Kootenays in British Columbia; Northwest Washington, Central and Southern Alberta; and the Ottawa Valley in Ontario. Information: 800-663-2265; www.holidaytrailsresorts.com Membership Campground AFFILIATES: Coast to Coast Resorts The Coast to Coast website includes information on Coast to Coast membership and a complete list of all Coast to Coast resorts. Coast to Coast members pay $8 a night at affiliated resorts. Annual dues are currently US$89.95. Information: 800-368-5721; www.coastresorts.com Adventure Outdoor Resorts (AOR) AOR is a network of private membership RV affiliated resorts offering affordable RV camping in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. AOR has nearly 550 resorts and campgrounds in its system. AOR members pay $6 a night at affiliated resorts. Annual dues are currently US$79. Information: 800-934-3443; www.whresorts.com/aor Resort Parks International (RPI) RPI was established in 1981 and is a premier network of private-membership RV campgrounds and resorts in North America. RPI members pay $8 a night at affiliated resorts. Annual dues are currently US$65. Information: 800-635-8498; www.resortparks.com Resorts of Distinction (ROD) ROD is a not-for-profit association of RV resort developers with about 100 affiliated RV parks. ROD members receive free camping at affiliated resorts. Information: 800-720-7633; www.resortsofdistinction.com
Rex Vogel and his wife Dania are Canadian Snowbirds who have wintered in Southern California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida. They may be contacted at Vontheroad@aol.com Membership camping is a concept that has become increasingly popular with RVers of all ages. It is particularly appealing to snowbirds and full-timers. Why buy a campground membership? How membership campgrounds work When you join a membership campground, you become entitled to use a membership park for a designated time period and for a specified cost (usually free; some now charge $1 to $2 per day as an “electricity surcharge”). You pay a membership fee to join and also commit yourself to paying annual dues/maintenance fees.
Usually, members are limited to two weeks in and one week out during peak season. During the off-peak seasons, members can stay for three weeks, but they still have to leave for at least one week before returning. However, for additional money, you may be able to rent for a longer period of time. Most membership campgrounds have an affiliation with one or more membership-campground associations. For additional annual dues (US$65 -$89.95), you may stay in the affiliated association’s campgrounds: Coast to Coast, Adventure Outdoor Resorts (AOR), Resort Parks International (RPI), or Resorts of Distinction (ROD). There is also a low daily camping fee (US$6-8). There may be a requirement that in order for you to use an affiliated campground, it has to be located at a certain distance—100 or 125 miles—from your home campground. Things to think about before purchasing Questions to ask? Are my annual dues frozen? If my membership campground has financial problems, what will happen to my membership? If my membership campground is bought out by another system, what will happen to my membership? Cost Most membership programs involve an initial payment, plus an annual maintenance fee, and, in some cases, a small electric surcharge. Cost Analysis If your objective in joining a membership campground is to reduce your camping expenses, then do some math. First, figure out how many nights you will have to stay in membership campgrounds, as opposed to non-membership campgrounds, to really save money. Prices vary; but let’s say, for example, your campground membership cost is US$7,000 and the current annual dues are US$300 per year. Let’s also assume you will use the membership for 10 years. The membership cost (US$7,000 divided by 10 years) would amount to US$700 per year. The annual dues would add another US$300 per year. Using these figures, it would cost US$1,000 per year to maintain a campground membership. A non-membership campground charges about US$25 per night for an equivalent campsite. Dividing this US$25 into the US$1,000 annual cost of campground membership means you could stay in non-membership campgrounds for 40 nights each year for what it would cost to belong to a membership campground. In this case, if you think that during the next 10 years you will spend more than 40 nights per year in your membership campground, it might make good financial sense to join one. Assuming an average campground cost of $25: 30 nights (1 month) @ $25 ……… $750 60 nights (2 months) @ $25 …… $1,500 90 nights (3 months) @ $25 …… $2,250 120 nights (4 months) @ $25 ….. $3,000 150 nights (5 months) @ $25 ….. $3,750 180 nights (6 months) @ $25 ….. $4,500 Membership Re-Sales A number of companies offer re-sales of membership parks, usually at reduced prices. Individuals also advertise their own re-sales in RV magazines and newspaper classifieds. But, to find these values, it takes some shopping around. And, be careful. Be sure there are no hidden costs, such as unpaid dues, high transfer fees, or unusually high sales commissions. And remember that not all memberships are created equal. When looking into resale memberships, be careful. If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. In Conclusion Check out a number of competing membership campground systems before buying. Visit or, better yet, spend several days. Talk to the members. Ask them if they would recommend joining. Do they have any difficulty making reservations? What is the financial condition of the campground system? Listen to the sales presentation. Ask questions. Take notes. Take literature and copies of the contracts home to scrutinize and compare. No mem – bership system can offer everything to everybody. Some systems have more parks than others; some have fewer parks but a wider range of locations; some have bet – ter amenities. Many RVers, especially full-timers and snowbirds, belong to a couple of different systems. With these points in mind, my best sug – gestion is to shop around and decide how a system fits into your lifestyle. Joining a membership campground should complement your RVing needs, make financial sense, and enhance your enjoyment of RVing. To buy or not to buy—the choice is yours. Membership campgrounds have worked well for us, and they may work well for you, too. Membership Campground SYSTEMS: Thousand Trails One of the largest chains, with more than 50 preserves, is the combination of Thousand Trails, NACO, and Leisure Time Resorts. They have parks from British Columbia to California to Texas to Florida. Information: 800-205-0606; www.1000trails.com Western Horizon Resorts (WHR) Western Horizon Resorts (WHR) is a fast growing owner and operator of private membership, RV resorts, and RV travel related services. WHR is a network of 21 company-owned resorts with locations in 13 states and Mexico, with over 5,000 RV Sites. Information: 800-934-3443; www.whresorts.com Colorado River Adventures (CRA) Colorado River Adventures offers five RV resorts located along the lower Colorado River. Information: 800-628-8424; www.coloradoriveradventures.com Holiday Trails Resorts Holiday Trails Resorts offers RV resorts on Vancouver Island, Lower Mainland, and the Kootenays in British Columbia; Northwest Washington, Central and Southern Alberta; and the Ottawa Valley in Ontario. Information: 800-663-2265; www.holidaytrailsresorts.com Membership Campground AFFILIATES: Coast to Coast Resorts The Coast to Coast website includes information on Coast to Coast membership and a complete list of all Coast to Coast resorts. Coast to Coast members pay $8 a night at affiliated resorts. Annual dues are currently US$89.95. Information: 800-368-5721; www.coastresorts.com Adventure Outdoor Resorts (AOR) AOR is a network of private membership RV affiliated resorts offering affordable RV camping in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. AOR has nearly 550 resorts and campgrounds in its system. AOR members pay $6 a night at affiliated resorts. Annual dues are currently US$79. Information: 800-934-3443; www.whresorts.com/aor Resort Parks International (RPI) RPI was established in 1981 and is a premier network of private-membership RV campgrounds and resorts in North America. RPI members pay $8 a night at affiliated resorts. Annual dues are currently US$65. Information: 800-635-8498; www.resortparks.com Resorts of Distinction (ROD) ROD is a not-for-profit association of RV resort developers with about 100 affiliated RV parks. ROD members receive free camping at affiliated resorts. Information: 800-720-7633; www.resortsofdistinction.com
On the road address: klash@pocketmail.com
After seven trips around the continent with various RVs, over 150,000 miles, all ten provinces and thirty-nine states, I am retiring our Navigator. Heather has served us well, and can now relax and enjoy the trips to the fullest.
In the past, on any of our journeys we never used the word ‘lost’. Instead, we simply said that we were temporarily relocated. This happened quite a few times, before we got Map ‘N Go, and then Streets and Trips, and then a compass on the rear view mirror. These assists all helped to ensure that we stayed on the beaten path. Unlike some men, I had no shame in stopping and asking for directions, but as we all know when you are in a big motorhome, or towing something, stopping isn’t just a matter of pulling over to the side of the road.
So after doing a lot of research on the Internet, talking to others, and visiting several shops that sell GPS units, we took the plunge and bought one this spring. We found the staff at the Marine West store in Sidney BC to be very helpful in showing us the various units, the technology and a demo of the voice directions and how simple it is to plot your way points and then let the unit provide the directions.
Paraiso Point Tent & RV Resort is one of the newest campsites in the Okanagan Valley. While many campsites have given way to housing/condo developments, Paraiso Point is setting a new direction in the camping experience in the Okanagan.
The southwestern theme resort is located on a unique, beautiful 25 lakeview acres just 10 minutes from downtown Vernon. The amenities include a saltwater swimming pool, gas BBQs, exercise equipment, volleyball and sandsoccer area as well as access to many off-site excursions like live music cruises, boat rentals water skiing, wakeboarding and more. There is public beach access across the road from the resort as well as a provincial park, just a two-minute drive.
The sites include full hookup RV sites for all sizes, conventional tenting sites as well as rustic tent sites — you park your vehicle and carry your camping gear about 100-ft by wagon into our private sites cut into the natural woods of the property.
During the shoulder seasons, the Resort is host to special events like a fitness weekend in May hosted by a local fitness professional with many planned exercise events; and on June 17th 2006 Paraiso Point featured a Mayan night with a performance of professional tribal dancers dressed in Mayan tribal costumes performing a ritual fire dance.
Watch for future events at www.visitvernon.com.
Photos of the resort can be viewed at http://www.visitvernon.com/photos1.htm
Paraiso Point Tent & RV Resort is one of the newest campsites in the Okanagan Valley. While many campsites have given way to housing/condo developments, Paraiso Point is setting a new direction in the camping experience in the Okanagan.
The southwestern theme resort is located on a unique, beautiful 25 lakeview acres just 10 minutes from downtown Vernon. The amenities include a saltwater swimming pool, gas BBQs, exercise equipment, volleyball and sandsoccer area as well as access to many off-site excursions like live music cruises, boat rentals water skiing, wakeboarding and more. There is public beach access across the road from the resort as well as a provincial park, just a two-minute drive.
The sites include full hookup RV sites for all sizes, conventional tenting sites as well as rustic tent sites — you park your vehicle and carry your camping gear about 100-ft by wagon into our private sites cut into the natural woods of the property.
During the shoulder seasons, the Resort is host to special events like a fitness weekend in May hosted by a local fitness professional with many planned exercise events; and on June 17th 2006 Paraiso Point featured a Mayan night with a performance of professional tribal dancers dressed in Mayan tribal costumes performing a ritual fire dance.
Watch for future events at www.visitvernon.com.
Photos of the resort can be viewed at http://www.visitvernon.com/photos1.htm
All this talk about decorating and the real bottom line is: “What’s new? What is in right now?” So I’m dedicating this article to current trends.
We live in an incredible time when we are not bound by a single trend or colour combination. If you’re partial to the sixties or turtles or fuchsia, you can find it. For that matter, if you are partial to turtles from the sixties wearing fuchsia, you’ll probably still be able to find it. You are free to decorate as you please and it’s all in style. Durable modern fabrics, UV protection and superior stain resistant coatings allow our furnishings to outlast anything in the past. In fact, the main reason we redecorate has little to do with whether something has worn out or is no longer in style. More likely, we’ve become bored with a particular look.
Many times over the years, when I would be on an appointment with a private client or giving a seminar, invariably someone will ask, “How can I decorate so it will never go out of style?” Believe it or not, there are timeless decors. However, what is not possible is to keep from growing tired of the same look day in and day out no matter how timeless it is. By our very nature, we crave change. The urge for change goes way back to the beginning of time, and our fast-paced, TV-influenced lifestyle is constantly barraging us with images causing us to want change even more. Decorating trends used to run about a ten-year cycle. Since the beginning of the year 2000, we have already gone through three retro looks; the fifties, sixties and seventies and I am starting to see an emergence of the eighties. Fashions in clothing and interior design are literally traveling at “warp speed.”
The RV industry until recently was farther behind the design scene. Step into an old brown and orange RV with walnut or oak cabinets and it could be from any era between the late sixties to the early nineties. Only in the nineties as the baby boomers began retiring and pursuing the RV lifestyle did the industry wake up and realize that the new generation of RV buyers had a more sophisticated taste. There has been a sharp uphill change in the look of RV’s built today. They are more elegant, trendier and more residential-looking than ever before. Many can rival high-end model homes on the market today and most RV manufacturers employ interior designers on their staff.
One trend that has emerged in home design, and that has crossed over to the RV industry, is the look of luxury. Even our casual looks include more luxurious textiles and designs than in the past. The rust and brown of the seventies were done in nubby ‘dog-haired’ fabrics; today the same colours returned in velvets and chenilles. The bright cottony colours and patterns of the sixties are back in silks and linens. Plastics have given way to metals.
Another current trend is the tropical look. It has been around for almost a decade now and its popularity has only grown stronger. In fact the tropical look has surpassed being a trend and can now be considered a design style that stands on its own just like traditional or modern.
Clothing and fabrics that are seen on the runway are now transitioned into the home as quickly as they hit the clothing stores. Some stores that were clothing only or home interior only are now combining the two. While you’re shopping for the latest blouse you can pick up sheets and throw pillows in the same look.
The ultra-modern look of the 50’s and 60’s started out slowly a few years ago and has hit full force at the home interior design shows this past fall and winter. Sleek, bare and angular, this minimalist look in furniture is a stark contrast to the dominant traditional, shabby chic and country looks that have been showing so steadily for years. Fabrics are more casual again in bright, smooth cottons accented in strong clean reds, oranges, pinks, sky blues and browns. Their splashy patterns are playful and happy in contrast to the severity of the furniture they dress up. Brass has given way to silvery metals, such as chrome, nickel, and pewter. By contrast, accessories have been ultra-fuzzy, shaggy and furry in bright neon hues.
Every shade of green is hot but blues are emerging for the first time in nearly a decade. They are brighter and warmer than in the past and come in shades such as periwinkle or electric teal. Neutrals are in the gray and taupe pallet coupled with icy whites or yellowy ivories. Even the ever-comfortable earth tones and muddy colours are incorporating a lot of intense acidic greens and the aforementioned blues.
The space-saving modern design of today is actually perfect for RVs where space is a premium and maximizing every inch of it counts. By reducing an item such as a chair or table down to its most basic function and divesting it of extraneous decoration, the result is the illusion of more space all around. It’s hard to know which manufacturers will jump on the trend but many of the RVs I’ve been in lately have already switched the hardware from brass to nickel. Don’t expect the same eye-popping colours and patterns as you would in a conventional home as they can be too intense in a confined setting, but I am noticing brighter accent colours in small doses.
Incorporating a current look into an existing décor follows the same guidelines mentioned in past articles. Whether it’s a particular colour or look, put it in three different places throughout the room and it will look like it belongs. Contrast angled patterns with circular ones and larger patterns with smaller ones. The more intense the colour, the less of it you’ll need to make an impact but it should still be in three different places. If you are a former flower-child of the 60’s you’re coming home, and if you missed it, now’s your chance to play. If your RV is decorated in fabrics that simply will not work with the new splashy colours and patterns of the modern movement, try more discreet ways to work them in where clashing is less noticeable such as sheet sets and bath towels.
The bottom line is to have fun with it. After all, that’s what the RV lifestyle is all about.