The RV Blog
The official blog page for frugal-rv-travel.com
Wow! This RV blog, has won some great honors: Best Budget Blog in the 2011 Tripbase Travel Awards. After being a top finalist in 2009, this year, my site made it to the top of the list!
It was also chosen for Frugal Dad's list of Top 50 Frugality Blogs of 2011,
For this, I thank all my loyal followers! Why not become one of them?
Now you, too, can now stay in touch, learn when new pages are added to this website, and receive travel updates from us on our next trip, by subscribing to our RSS feed.
Here's the basic principle behind RSS:
Instead of having to check our site for new information, you can now have short announcements (like the paragraphs below) delivered to your desktop, or to your My Yahoo page, My MSN page or Google page, whenever we add a page or something new to the site.
Just click on the little colored RSS buttons on the bottom left hand side of this page (located below the regular navigation buttons), then follow the simple instructions.
Or
If You Need To Learn More About RSS,
please click on the question mark (?) beside the heading, "Subscribe To This Site".
Jan 27, 2012
Top 50 Frugality Blogs of 2011
I just found out my site is on the Frugal Dad list of the Top 50 Frugality Blogs of 2011. I guess I was so busy back in December that I totally missed the notice they sent me.
I'm number 31 on the list but you'll want to bookmark this page and come back to it time and time again. There are many great sites there, all with sage advice for people in any walk of life who want to live smarter, easier, and better.
Jan 23, 2012
Boondocking in California
Yes there is boondocking in California! We found plenty of it on our recent trip through some of the state's most desireable areas.
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Jan 22, 2012
Boondocking with a 40' RV
Q: What is the percentage, would you say, in all your books that this size of RV pulling a tow can get in and out of without difficulty? My other question
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Jan 19, 2012
California Boondocking Guide
I know many of you have been waiting for this news: The long awaited Frugal Shunpiker's Guide to California Boondocking is now available - hopefully in time for some of your winter adventures in that state.
California is so big and I ended up with so much information that the ebook guides will be in two parts. This first guide covers the deserts and everything east of the Sierras as far north as Lake Tahoe.
Look for the second guide, covering summer destinations in California's coastal and mountain regions, to be released in time for your summer travels.
Permalink -- click for full blog post "California Boondocking Guide"
Jan 18, 2012
California Boondocking
Nearly 100 California boondocking locations across the state's Deserts and Eastern Sierra regions. Free camping in incredible, out-of-the-way scenic locations for RVs and tents.
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Nov 26, 2011
2012 Campground Host Positions and LTVA Options
I was just on the BLM website and saw this:
BLM is currently looking for Campground Hosts for all Bishop Field Office campgrounds for the 2012 season. For more information please contact Becky Hutto, Park Ranger at(760) 872-5008.
This area, east of the Sierras is our favorite in California. For RVers who want to just hang in one spot, it would be a great place to spend your summer. But you don't have to take on host duties to stay long term. Few people know that they also have an LTVA program. $300.00 covers you from March through October. Permits are limited so apply now.
It gives full-timers who spend winters in LTVAs in southern Arizona and California a similar summer option without putting on too many miles. Average summer temperatures are in the 90's (bearable).
We checked out some of these BLM campgrounds on our recent trip. We especially love Tuttle Creek near Lone Pine.
Nov 23, 2011
DL Bonus Book
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Oct 24, 2011
Texas RV Vacation
A Memorable Texas RV Vacation - a suggested RV Itinerary for the best sites in Southern Texas
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Oct 19, 2011
Our 2011 Trip Was Over Budget
Yes, the trip cost more than anticipated but we're not going to sugar-coat the report and certainly there will be no talk of raising our debt ceiling :-)
Here it is...the final breakdown and tally of expenses of the California Dream Tour - the six-month trip we completed Sept 1, 2011.
Although, per month, the costs worked out quite high compared to previous trips, we're not surprised. There were plenty of reasons for the increase.
It had been three years since the last extended trip we documented.
Five of the six months were spent in California - where fuel prices are the highest in the contiguous United States.
Because the trip included research for my upcoming California Boondocking Guide, we put on a lot of extra miles to personally check every free camping option.
We wanted to cover as much of California as we could so we were constantly on the move, spending only one or two nights in most locations.
We spent more on campgrounds than on any other trip for two reasons: we were in prime tourist areas in peak summer season and, when fuel prices are high, sometimes it just makes sense to pay extra for camping rather than drive miles to save a few dollars. Over the trip, our camping costs averaged out at just $2.00 per night.
Our RV is that much older and repairs and maintenance costs were higher.
We're older too so our maintenance costs... er, I mean extended medical coverage, is also more expensive.
Our usual total trip budget for the two of us has been $1000 to $1100 per month. On this trip we exceeded it by 30%. No matter what we blame it on, it's the way it is. Even frugal travel isn't free but then, neither is staying put in our sticks and bricks home where we are now - nesting, resting, and saving the pennies for our next adventure.
Expenses for all our extended trips are listed here. Scroll down to California Dream Tour for the full breakdown of our 2011 trip.
Sep 28, 2011
2011 California Adventure
Goodbye (for now) 2011 California adventure. Hello humble Ontario home.
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Aug 27, 2011
Peak Bagging
On the last leg of our six-month trip, we finish with some Peak Bagging.
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Aug 18, 2011
Bear Encounter
Woah - a bear encounter! Sequoia trees - the biggest in the world. Slackpackers picking up the pace.
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Bear Encounter"
Jul 24, 2011
The Seirras
Exploring mountain passes in the Sierras, old gold mining towns, unpretentious winemakers, and finding a campsite in Yosemite Valley without reservations
Permalink -- click for full blog post "The Seirras"
Jun 28, 2011
The Beach
Last week we arrived at the coast. Barefoot on the beach - our California adventure continues.
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Jun 17, 2011
Our RV Life in The News Today
Guess what! Our life, as a couple traveling (and getting along) in the close quarters of a small RV was featured today on TODAY.com. Here's the link:
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