Travel in the USA:

Sheila, I wish to pass on our experience during our trip south in February-March 2007, and I apologize for not sending something sooner. We found that the major gas stations are now asking for a ZIP code when using a credit card at the pump. As we don’t have a ZIP, it means giving your card to the cashier, going back to the pump after they have activated it, and then going back in to retrieve your card and signing the receipt. I contacted the Chevron corporate office in California this morning just to verify whether they had any plans to change this policy and was advised that, no, they weren’t about to change anything and we’d better get used to it!! I just hope that Canadians will put the pressure on, (where I myself don’t quite know) but I think this is such a great inconvenience for all travelers, as well as the fact you are handing over your credit card to a stranger!! I fully understand why this is happening, namely to combat stolen and phony credit cards, but I don’t think they thought far enough as to how Canadian tourists are now being treated. Hopefully somehow this situation will get resolved. Keep up your great magazine!! ~ Norm Miller, tormaid@hotmail.com

Self-Owned Campsites in HHS:

I am writing regarding your sad news in the September/October Issue of The RV Times that Harrison Hot Springs will soon have only 60 RV sites instead of the 600 it once had. I would like to let you and your readers know that there is another choice in Harrison Hot Springs for RVers. There are over 400 self-owned campsites in the village. These are co-op membership campsites whose prices vary with the market. Each site is serviced with sewer, water and power and varies in size and price. Many of us used to camp at Sasquatch Springs and other RV parks but decided to purchase our own private campsite at Harrison Holiday Park. It is located on over 40 acres just as you drive under the “Welcome to Harrison Hot Springs” sign on Hot Springs Road. This is a beautiful park with wandering paved roads, plenty of trees, swimming pool, clubhouse and playing fields. It was formed in 1976 for the same reasons that are true today: campsites full or closed, long border line-ups, etc. It is important to note that Harrison Holiday Park campsites are not deeded or leased lots. Harrison Holiday Park is a registered society with co-operative ownership by its members. Each purchaser of a membership acquires not only exclusive use of a fully serviced campsite, but also a share of all the facilities commonly owned by the association. There are almost always campsite memberships for sale. For more information on this membership park you can drop in to the office at the front of the park (Tuesday to Sunday), get a map of the park and a list of membership sites available for sale. Hope this helps some of your readers know about other options out there for us RV owners. ~ Don Grant, Maple Ridge, BC

Engine Overheating:

Just had to say I love the new format of the magazine. Just about passed it by at our local Save-On-Foods as I was looking for the old newsprint magazine!! The RV Times is certainly up there with the best of RVing lifestyle magazines. I live in Terrace and we are having a problem with our motorhome engine overheating. Our local mechanic has tried back flushing the radiator, replacing the thermostat and replacing the clutch fan but the engine is still overheating and the mechanic is basically stumped. ~ Jenny Neil, jgneil@monarch.net

Jenny, You don’t mention the year or make of the coach, but this information should be valid anyway.

I would suggest that simply back-flushing the radiator won’t cure a partially plugged cooling system as the coolant will simply take the path of least resistance and not always properly clean the rad. It is likely that to get the system to cool correctly you may have to have a new rad made for the coach, with a larger capacity than the original and preferably baffled internally so the coolant has to travel a greater distance through the rad in order to go from inlet to outlet. Any good rad shop that makes custom rads should be able to do this for you. Then have the motor fully tuned and ask them to make sure that it is not running lean as this also will cause excess heat build-up. ~ Brian Yeates, Langley RV Ltd.

2008 Samboree in Camp Hope:

We are members of Good Sam. The Assistant Director for the Lower Mainland asked me if I would write a letter for him for The RV Times, as in invitation to all RVers. So here goes: The Good Sam RV Club of BC would like to invite all Good Sam Chapter Members, Good Sam Members at Large and any RVers interested in meeting fellow campers and having a good time to come to our 2008 Samboree.

The Samboree is being held from June 24 to 27 in the Fraser Valley at the beautiful Mountain View Camp and Conference Centre at Camp Hope, eight kms west of Hope on Hwy. 7. (Early arrivals June 23 after 9 a.m.) We will be celebrating BC’s 150th birthday with the theme “Happy 150th Birthday, BC - The First Fifty Years”. BC rigs are being asked to bring cookies. The Samboree is a happy, busy event filled with a wide variety of activities that will appeal to all RVers and their families. Some of the planned activities include: nightly entertainment, craft displays, judging and sales, commercial exhibits, games, ice cream socials, seminars: RV and general interest, silent auction, swap meet, a breakfast, a supper, door prizes, theme parade (prizes for the best costume), and more. All of the above will be included in the price of the registration. Golfing and tours will be available for an additional fee. Every year the BC Sams hold a Samboree in a BC community. The event attracts rigs from BC, Western Canada and our neighbours from the pacific-northwest USA. Our 2007 Samboree was held in Barkerville with 186 rigs (400 people) in attendance. We had the enjoyment of following in the footsteps of the miners and town folks who lived in the towns of Wells and Barkerville in the 1850’s. The Lower Mainland Good Sams are working hard to make the 2008 Samboree an exciting and enjoyable event. We look forward to meeting new folks and sharing an enjoyable experience with friends old and new. For more information call Paul Day 604-536-2423 or pceeday@telus.net. Information and Registration forms available at www.bcsams.ca. ~ Gail & Tom Davis, toga@telus.net

Problem with Pocketmail:

I have had Pocketmail for five to six years and have bragged about this way of keeping in contact to everyone we talk to. About two weeks ago my device quit working so I emailed Pocketmail’s customer service department to send me a new device, but as I was travelling it was to be delivered to my daughter’s address in Aldergrove, BC. She was coming to Mexico in January and would bring it to us then. In the meantime I would get my messages from computers online. I received a reply that they “would not” send any devices to Canada. When I replied asking what that was about, I was told that due to our Government Custom’s costs of $60 per device, they decided they would not send any more into Canada. When I complained that they were happy to take our usage fees and they should be sending these to whoever ordered them, I was told they would send one BUT it would have to come collect and all costs would have to be born by myself, over and above the list price. Well the list price previously included all shipping, brokerage etc. I just paid what the advertised price was, if I remember correctly. I also told them I went through their entire website and nowhere could I find anything telling us Canadians about this. Possibly they have corrected this in the last week but it wasn’t there when I went through it all. No apologies for a good customer or anything, just they would not send the device. Also, they do not have any devices until December, 2007 so anyone we know with a USA address will have left for Mexico by then so I can’t even get it shipped to them. By the way, we are in Perula, Jalisco and the weather is wonderful, a warm and sunny 90 degrees. ~ Phyllis & Herman Nyard, nygaards2@hughes.net

No RV Park in Richmond, BC:

First, may I congratulate you on a great RV magazine. Well done. My husband and I are new to RVing. We bought a truck to tow our boat, and now we have a camper on the truck, and are going to sell the boat. We think we’re going to get more use out of our camper than the boat. I just wanted to let everyone know that there no longer is an RV park in Richmond, BC. We recently took our truck and camper to Richmond to visit my mother and discovered that the RV park I’d gone online to get the directions to no longer exists. They’re building a new Speed Skating Oval for the Olympics on that spot. I went to the Richmond City Hall to see if there was an alternate site, but there wasn’t. The closest place to park your RV is Tsawwassen, or you can drive to New Westminster and boondock in the new Wal-Mart parking lot. ~ Jennie Anderson, Sorrento, BC

Craft Sales:

I read with interest the article on page 49 in The RV Times Nov/Dec 2007 Issue, called Crossing Canada selling books and brandied blackberry sauce. My husband and I are snowbirds and we travel from Alberta and winter in Victoria. This year as I am an avid crafter I brought some crafts with me that I had been busy on all summer. I thought I would find some craft sales here for Christmas. But I was told that as I am not a resident of Greater Victoria I could not rent a table. So my question is how did Barb Rees manage to rent tables in all the different provinces? Is it just Victoria that has these rules? By the way Sheila, we really love your magazine, which has some very helpful and interesting articles. ~ Christina Pludek, fliskit@hotmail.com

Christina, Victoria is not alone in restricting sales to locals only. We ran into that in markets in several provinces. We work around that by calling or emailing in advance to get permission. Most markets are thrilled to have someone different, especially if you have an interesting story to share about why you travel like that.

So just check online or talk to other vendors and find those who will welcome you ...they’re out there. ~ Barb Rees, Dreambg1@shaw.ca

Good Samaritans:

This past September our alternator on our 1996 Chevy motorhome stopped working about 30 miles east of Astoria, Oregon. We got to the 76 Mini Service on Marine Drive and 31st Ave. in Astoria and their mechanic quoted the cost of replacing it and put aside other work to get us back on the road. Even though the parts supplier brought the wrong one, and then another wrong one, the mechanic, his name is Neil, adapted the second one to fit and we were on the road in two hours. He is a true mechanic in my books. The cost was less than originally quoted and we have had no problems since. ~ Ray Rix, raynjune@shaw.ca

Water Leak:

I have an 88 Allegro 22 foot motorhome. I noticed I have a water leak that starts by the fridge and goes to the middle of the RV. It is also wet on the step to go outside. Are there pipes running underneath the carpet or is it caused from the water pump? Is it an expensive fix? ~ Shelly Kaz, Kaz54@aol.com

Shelly, Water lines are rarely run through the floor of RV’s. Water lines are usually run above the floor. A couple of things to check for:

1. Does your water pump run when no taps are turned on? This would indicate a leak somewhere.

2. If your fridge has a condensate drain hose, ensure it is properly routed to the outside.

You may have a leak in the sidewall or roof of your unit. Most RV dealers can do a SealTec leak test and determine what is causing your problem. The cost to repair water leaks is difficult to estimate until an experienced technician determines what the exact problem is. ~ Tom Brackett, Parts Manager, Triangle RV, Sidney, BC

Airtabs:

Thanks for a great magazine Sheila, especially the new format. I have a question about “Airtabs” the little air deflectors that are placed around the rear of a motorhome to help with keeping the rear of the unit clean, keeping the camera clean, and keeping the dinghy clean, and “much more”. All of this sounds just great but do they work? There are times when my car is just a “dirt ball”. ~ Fred Eaton, fredeaton@shaw.ca

Fred, Airtabs have been on the market for several years now. We have a few customers who have installed them and find they do help in keeping the rear of the unit clean. The manufacturer makes several claims as to improved gas mileage and handling but we’ve never had these claims confirmed by our customers.

Your local RV dealer should be able to obtain this product for you if you want to try them. ~ Tom Brackett, Parts Manager, Triangle RV, Sidney, BC

RV Dealer Helps Grant Child’s Wish:

Last July, a five-year-old Ottawa boy named Darren was granted his wish when he and his family picked up a brand new tent trailer from Ottawa Camping Trailers. The little boy’s wish was made possible thanks to the Children’s Wish Foundation, an organization that seeks to fulfill the wishes of Canadian children coping with high risk or life-threatening illnesses. Darren is diagnosed with a rare-blood disorder called Familial TTP. Darren’s family previously owned an RV, but had to retire it due to its age. Darren’s father said that Darren loves being outside so much that he would live in the outdoors if he could. This love for the outdoors prompted Darren to ask the Children’s Wish Foundation for a new RV. Upon arrival at the RV dealership, Darren was given an honorary staff uniform and nametag. Darren and his family then picked up the tent-trailer that he had previously picked out - a Starcraft “RT” series trailer that sleeps seven people. When asked why he selected this specific RV, Darren replied that he “really liked its big wheels.” Ron Blackburn, General Manager of Ottawa Camping Trailers, said that he was happy to help grant Darren’s wish. “RVing, at its heart, is about helping families build memories together,” said Blackburn. “Darren’s a great kid, and my staff and I were thrilled to help Darren and his family continue to enjoy the RV lifestyle.” Go RVing Canada recently released key findings from its 2007 National Ownership Study, revealing that RV ownership is on the rise in Canada, with some 14% of Canadian households owning a recreational vehicle. Darren, in the meantime, is anxiously getting ready for a week long vacation in his “big wheeled” tent-trailer. He is also contemplating charging his older brothers to stay in his RV. The Go RVing coalition was formed in 1997, and consists of RV manufacturers, RV dealers and campground operators. The coalition serves as the Canadian RV camping industry ambassador to provide the public and media with information about the benefits of RV travel. The coalition also seeks to enhance consumer information and satisfaction with the RV experience. ~ www.GoRVing.ca

Careers Available:

The Recreation Vehicle (RV) Industry, throughout North America, has experienced tremendous growth in recent years and is expected to continue its rapid expansion well into the future. This significant growth has created a shortage of personnel at RV dealerships, which provide a wide variety of “little known” opportunities for rewarding and dynamic careers, personal growth and lifestyle enhancements. Our website, www.RVCareers.ca, outlines the various career pathways and provides contact information to learn more about becoming a part of this exciting industry. Whether you are seeking full-time, part-time or seasonal employment, the RV industry offers flexible and fulfilling career opportunities for individuals from all age groups. Recreation Vehicle (RV) ownership has reached record levels and over one million Canadian households now enjoy the freedom and fun provided by the RV lifestyle. As a result, modern RV dealerships have evolved to become multi-faceted operations. In addition to marketing RV’s that offer the most recent trends, we provide a wide variety of support products and services to enhance our clients’ RV experiences. Our careers program is designed to assist you in making the important decision to become a valued member of the RV industry’s team. Discover the opportunities and explore our many exciting career pathways, which include skilled journeyman RV service technicians, apprentices, parts professionals, sales associates, administrators, managers, accounting personnel and a wide variety of support positions. Please visit www.RVCareers.ca to learn more about the many rewarding career options available in this rapidly growing industry. ~ Ariel Cobangbang, Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association of Canada, Richmond, BC, arielc@rvda.ca

Ignorance IS Bliss!

This is a lesson on how not to hook up a trailer. Safety and common sense seems to totally escape some people. I’d love to see how the trip ended up but I feel confident he ended up in a ravine somewhere wondering why bad things seem to always happen to him. Can he even turn a corner without the trailer overhang hitting the rear of the vehicle? He’s hooked up and ready to fly!!

It’s amazing how the extra weight really smooths out the ride in the truck. He did have to air up the rear tires a bit (around 160 psi). Even the trailer hitch was modified from the original fifth wheel mount to a trailer ball mount. This took some intelligent engineering skill!

He added some heavy-duty chain for extra support on the tailgate (note that he used the “Heavy-Duty ‘S’ hooks to attach the chain). He also paid-up for some BIG 5/16 sheet metal screws to attach the frame to the tailgate. Yeah, he knows it’s overkill, but he didn’t want the possibility of having an accident.

Much of his time was spent on his front porch whittling down that MASSIVE 4x4 board to fit precisely into the ball mount receiver. Also note that he used a 14” piece of 1x4 to help distribute the load more evenly— “YOU CAN’T BE TOO SAFE, YOU KNOW!!” Ouch! Look out Utah, cause here he comes!!!! ~ Bernie Klashinsky, klash1@shaw.ca

Go RVing Releases Two Reports:

Go RVing Canada today released key findings from two major national reports. The first study is a snapshot of national sales figures demonstrating that RV Sales are up 68 percent since 2005 and 15 percent since 2006. The second study is the result of Go RVing’s 2007 National Ownership Study. The study revealed that RV purchases have not been dampened by higher gas prices and that RV owners have adjusted usage patterns to adjust to fuel costs. “We are coming into the RV show season where customers are starting to think about new purchases and we are thrilled that our sales numbers are on a roll and that overall fuel prices are not a factor,” commented Go RVing Public Affairs Director Catherine Fortin LeFaivre. Survey respondents were asked the question: “In the past few years the cost of gasoline has risen dramatically. Has the increased cost of gasoline impacted your RV use?” The survey results revealed that 48 percent of RV users were not impacted by gasoline prices, while 52 percent were. Of those impacted by higher gasoline prices, 23 percent adjusted by driving shorter distances, while 19 percent stayed parked more often. “We hear a lot from consumers that higher fuel prices impact every travel sector from airlines to cruises. However, our national survey results demonstrate that RV users can adjust their usage patterns to control costs,” added Fortin LeFaivre. “We also have seen third party surveys this year demonstrating that the cost of RV travel is substantially less than other vacation options.” The sales figures released today are based on Statistics Canada’s latest national retail survey results. The national ownership study was conducted as part of Go RVing’s 2007 National Market Assessment Report conducted by MRP Market Research Inc. The report was based on a major national Internet panel and 3,176 individual interviews conducted nationwide. ~ 1-866-470-3528, www.GoRVing.ca

Kamloops Cowboy Festival:

Sheila, I know your readers are planners, so I want them to mark in our event today, as we will have room for them. The 2008 Kamloops Cowboy Festival, on March 7, 8 & 9, 2008 is celebrating 150 years as Canada’s Original Cowtown!

In 1858:

• · The Crown Colony of British Columbia was established,
• · The Cariboo Gold Rush began.
• · BC’s Cattle Ranching industry was born.
• · Kamloops established its place as the hub of British Columbia’s Ranching industry.

The Kamloops Cowboy Festival began a dozen years ago, as a celebration of this heritage. It has gone on to establish a reputation as one of the most prestigious Western Heritage events anywhere, attracting visitors, artists and entertainers from across North America and beyond! Not only does The Kamloops Cowboy Festival attract individuals, it also attracts other events. This year both the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (West Of The Rockies Tour) and the BC Rodeo Association will be holding Spring Committee Meetings in Kamloops so their delegates can also attend the Cowboy Festival. The Kamloops Art Gallery and the Kamloops Museum and Archives each plan to host events in conjunction with the Festival. The Kamloops Cowboy Festival currently uses both Calvary Community Church and Forster’s Convention Centre to host four feature concerts, three days of nonstop cowboy poetry and western music, an Invitational Western Art Show, a Western Art and Gear Trade Show, a Cariboo Country Film Festival, the BC Cowboy Hall Of Fame induction Ceremonies, and a couple of special performances for volunteers and weekend pass holders only. There is also a variety of workshops and jam sessions. It is a jam-packed weekend! Tickets on sale for the 2008 Kamloops Cowboy Festival at the Horse Barn on Mt Paul Way in Kamloops or order by phone: 250-579-5667, toll free within Canada 1-888-763-2224, outside Canada call 1–250–579-5667, or visit our website www.bcchs.com for further details. Coming in your RV? The Knutsford Campground is two miles up the hill from the Cowboy Festival on the old Merritt Hwy. They have full hookups available as well as heated showers and washrooms. Their toll-free phone number is 1-866-777-1954, local number is 250-372-5380. We will have a shuttle service available to make things easy for you. ~ Mike Puhallo, Kamloops, BC, mikepuhallo@direct.ca

Urban Legends:

Sheila, thank you for publishing my favourite RV magazine. I read it online regularly and try to contribute to the forums when I can. I wanted to let readers know about a couple of urban legends that made their way onto the letters pages of Issue 120. I checked with http://www.snopes.com. The first letter was titled Hard Lesson Learned and detailed a stolen cellphone being used to obtain a PIN from the owner’s spouse. The bank account was then cleaned out wit the stolen bank card. This urban legend has been circulating on the Internet since 2006, likely originating in England. Even so, the lesson to be drawn from the story is a good one. Never give out a PIN to anyone. Period. The second letter was titled Beware. It told of a carjacker somehow attaching a piece of paper to the back window of a vehicle. The bad guy then steals the vehicle when the driver gets out to remove the paper. Again, this story is an urban legend. According to Snopes it has never been reliably reported to have actually happened. The story first started to circulate via email in February, 2004. ~ Greg Harrison, greg@bobog.org

RV Repair Wait Times Causing You Stress?

I just returned from the RV Snowbird Show and was constantly bombarded by RV owners who complained that the selling dealer was making them wait for service, sometimes as much as six to eight weeks and how come? After all they bought their RV from the dealer and should be first in line for service, right? Well let’s explain how the dealer has to organize there service department first and then let’s see what you can do as RV owners. In order for your dealership to run efficiently, the Service Manager (SM) has to pre-book work so that he/she can schedule how many technicians are needed for any given day or week. To do this the SM needs to try to forecast for new and used RV’s that will be sold. The SM needs to try to fit in those customers who buy today and absolutely must have their RV tonight or at the latest first thing in the morning. Oh ya, PDIs can take upwards of 10 hours. Then the SM has to fit in the regular customers’ scheduled repairs and maintenance. Sounds like a full shop already! After this our overworked SM now has to fit in the emergency repairs, you know like, you just hooked up your RV to your truck to head out of town for your only long weekend off, and the ??? won’t work and you need it fixed NOW! Most of the time the SM drops everything and gets you going. Then along comes you with a list on non-emergency type repairs that need to be looked at soon, but won’t stop you from using the RV. Although the window may not open easily, or the drawer keeps opening, you can still use the RV. I know that the scenario above is very generic, and every owner wants to have repairs done as soon as possible. I also know that each SM wants to have every customer serviced as soon as possible. However in today’s job market there are not enough qualified RV technicians in the industry to keep up with the workload. This is where you, the RV owner comes in. The entire RV industry is in need of qualified RV technicians. The wait times at most dealerships are due to the ever-expanding demand for the RV lifestyle and the lack of trained RV technicians. If you are looking for a career change or know someone who is trying to decide what career to pursue, then recommend the RV Service Technician Training offered at Okanagan College in Kelowna, BC. Okanagan College (OC) offers all levels of RV Service Technician training from the Entry Level course, right thru to the Interprovincial Trade certification. OC is the only all-level training facility in Canada and has been training technicians for 20 years. If you ask your dealership if any of their technicians are OC trained, I’m sure you will find most technicians in BC came thru the OC programs. OC’s training is recognized throughout North America, and is even considered the top training facility in North America. If you want any more information or know anyone who might be interested, call Al Cohoe at 250-762-5445 ext 4488. ~ Jon Itterman, RV owner, RV technician, and RV Technician Instructor Okanagan College, Kelowna, BC

Kustom Koach RV Centre:

We are new RV owners having recently purchased a 24-ft. Jamboree (made by Fleetwood) from Candan RV in Langley. Since Candan will be closing due to retirement and our coach is stored in Aldergrove, we needed to find another dealership within the area. We had some questions about ‘winterizing’ our coach and I called up Kustom Koach in Aldergrove and spoke with Mark in the service department. Not only was he kind enough to answer our questions, but offered to give us several other pointers when we dropped by ‘on the fly’ without making an appointment. We also received assistance from a member of the sales staff (missed his name) who came out to chat with us about our new coach. Before we left the dealership, we passed along our thanks and told them that we would be back for our routine maintenance and to correct a few warranty related issues. They encouraged us to return and said that they would be happy to help us with our future needs. We were very pleased with their professionalism and wanted to pass this along. Sheila, congratulations on your wonderful magazine! ~ Ron & Danielle Budd, Vancouver, BC

RVers Question re Sunlight:

We purchased a 2005 Class B unit in June 2007 with very few actual miles. We finished using the unit in October and it will stay in my yard until May 2008. I put RV antifreeze in the system until it came out each spigot and toilet; covered A/C with regular A/C cover, and the wheels that are exposed to the sun. I bought an air compressor and brought the tires up to max psi, as shown on each tire, which is 65 lbs. I placed cardboard on the inside of the windshield and each window as well air vent. Was wandering if should block the sun or let it in? ~ John Miller, joro@nb.sympatico.ca

John, It sounds like you have done a great job preparing for this winter. I was born and raised in New Brunswick myself. I came out to the West Coast for university a number of years ago and ended up staying here. The longer, milder camping season on the West Coast is very nice as long as you can get use to the rainy season. The rainy season does play havoc with our RVs here. I remember Maritime winters having frequent snowstorms followed by bright sunny days with much drier air than we get on the West Coast. Blocking the sun out will not hurt your Class B. Keeping the UV radiation out on bright sunny days will help protect the fabric. The unit itself will warm up on the interior on bright sunny days naturally. I just spoke to my mom in Moncton. You have had quite a snowstorm with many more predicted for this winter. Your unit may be covered by snow until you dig it out this coming spring! Love to see you on the West Coast sometime. ~ Kirk Hicks, Assistant Sales Manager, Fraserway RV LP

Campgrounds Closing and Opening:

We are in Mazatlan and pure luck got us a site at TP San Fernando – someone had just cancelled their reservation. La Posta, TP Escondido and Las Canoas are all closed. That’s about 500 sites no longer available. The new park at Cerritos is not yet ready although fully booked and with a waiting list. Several rigs are out there in the red dirt. The other parks are booked solid. I don’t know about the one on Stone Island but it is a very rough trip in there. There are two parks at Celestino Gasca at Km 75 or 73 on the Maxi Pista. They look very nice and appear to be on the way to being full. Also they are quite a way from the highway over rolling dirt roads. In our opinion they would not be at all convenient for those wishing to play in the big city. On the way here we stopped overnight at Santa Ana and visited with our hosts Ana and Edgar. This is a nice stop after a day doing customs, insurance and all. Next night we were in San Carlos at Totonaka, which is a nice large park with plenty of activities. We stopped next at Las Glorias out of Guasave. There were a few units there but the ambience was missing. The owners were not there and the new staff spoke no English. The pools were not usable, but to be fair the weather was not good and on the day we left the rain came in sheets and by the time we were ready to leave there was at lest two inches of muddy water in our pad. The restaurant there is still very good and inexpensive. I have heard it said that six RV parks on the coast of Nayarit have closed. We do not know this personally but would suggest that people check out the situation for themselves. Lots of changes happening! ~ Sharon & Gene Charron, Langley, BC

Gas Price Comparison:

It is ironic the exchange rates should take a tumble just as the gas conversion chart was published. (RVT 120 pg. 18.) A little twist is now necessary to continue the chart. The media report the exchange in terms of $1.05 - $1.07, however, for the purposes of this price conversion it will be necessary to use a reciprocal number – in other words, $1.05 converts to $0.95 and $1.07 to $0.93. Now, to buy one dollar US it will cost you ninety-five cents, ninety-three cents or whatever the case may be. Below is the revised chart. ~ Bryan Christensen, Winfield, BC, nutfarm1@gmail.com