iMotorhome eMagazine Issue 28 - July 06 2013

iMotorhome

28: July 6 2013

magazine

Issue

because getting there is half the fun...

Independent Stay Win!

$50 Caltex Fuel Card!

Luxury Liner!

Across America in a C-class rental...

Celebrating everything American for the 4th of July...

US Travel Tips...

Insights to make your US holiday more enjoyable!

On my mind

3

HAPPY INDEPENDENT STAY!

M

otorhoming is a great way to see the USA (and Canada) as it provides maximum travel flexibility. With this in mind and out of respect for the 4th of July I’m dedicating this issue to American Independent Stay! I’m hoping it might encourage you to venture over there and enjoy the sights of a truly spectacular land.

in any motorhome. Our travels, and the vehicle, highlighted just how different our national systems are when it comes to licencing, design rules and the ways everyday things are done.

Even the philosophy behind our vehicles is miles apart, although it’s interesting to see European manufacturers like Mercedes Benz and Fiat just starting to make inroads.

Inside this issue you’ll find a road test of the big C-class motorhome the Good Mrs iMotorhome and I crossed most of America in. It was an eye-opening experience in many ways, not least because it was the longest we’ve lived

Americans whinge like crazy over ‘gas’ prices – between A$0.90 and A$1.10 per litre in equivalent terms during our visit. Yet 6.8 and 8.0-litre petrol engines are the norm in C-class and entry level A-class motorhomes and

almost everyone tows a car (often with engines not much smaller). Fortunately for them North America is crammed with places to go and things to see, so people often only drive a few thousand miles a year even if they spend months on the road.

Economies of scale also play a huge part in making motorhoming affordable to a much wider population base in America. It’s true that pay rates are generally lower, but so too are tax and interest rates.

In an American RV magazine I subscribe to I regularly see finance offers on a machine like our rental for around $450 a month. Can you imagine?

Continued...

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...Continued

The downside for American RV owners is used values. Our Fleetwood rental motorhome had a list price around $81,000, but in 10 years will be lucky to be worth $20,000.

Nobody seems to pay close to the sticker price for new motorhomes in America – I’d expect $10-15,000 off the Fleetwood without much shopping around – but it comes

back to bite them in the end.

So when you’re looking at a 10 year old Australian motorhome that still seems like an arm and a leg, remember it will have good resale when you’ve had it 10 years or so. Hopefully...

Route 66 ext weekend there will be a special betweenour-usual-issues Route 66 edition; primarily because

N

I took too many photos and simply couldn’t cull 3500 down to a dozen or so! It’s also a chance to show you a bit more than an average travel story and to share some lighter moments and some of our special finds.

I hope you enjoy it!

d r a h Ric

The iMotorhome Team

Richard Robertson

Malcolm Street

Agnes Nielsen-Connolly

Publisher & Managing Editor

Consulting Editor

Design & Production Manager

A long-time freelance RV, motoring and travel writer, Richard is a dedicated, longterm motorhome enthusiast.

Unquestionably Australia and New Zealand’s best known RV journalist, Malcolm is a fixture at CMCA rallies and RV shows and is now in his second decade as a specialist RV writer.

Agnes is an experienced and talented graphic designer with extensive experience across a wide range of disciplines, including travel and advertising.

richard@imotorhome.com.au

He has held senior editorial positions with some of the best know recreational vehicle magazines in Australia. Richard also has a passion for lifestyleenhancing technology, which is why he is the driving force behind the new iMotorhome eMagazine.

malcolm@imotorhome.com.au

If it’s available on either side of the Tasman, Malcolm has probably driven it, slept in it, reported on it, knows how it’s made and can tell you just how good it really is.

agnes@imotorhome.com.au

Designing and producing iMotorhome issues since June 2012, Agnes does much of the behind-the scenes work to ensure every issue looks great and is easy to read.

©2013 iMotorhome. All rights reserved. Published by iMotorhome. ABN 34 142 547 719.

PO Box 1738, Bowral. NSW. 2576. Contact us on 0414 604 368 or Email: info@imotorhome.com.au

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INSIDE EDISNI

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3 ON MY MIND 7 ON YOUR MIND 12 NEWS 16 TESTED 36 RENTAL RELOCATION 40 TRAVEL TIPS 48 RV MUSEUM 59 CLASSIFIEDS 60 ROADSIDE EATS 64 MOBILE TECH 68 MOBILE TECH 74 NEXT ISSUE Happy Independent Stay!

Have your say for a chance to win a $50 Caltex fuel card!

News from the RV world and beyond

Maiden Voyage – Delivering the Queen Mary across America...

Time to spare? Grab a quick motorhome holiday now!

Local Knowledge – Some good advice for your own US adventure

You don’t know Jack, but you should!

This week’s featured iMotorhome Classifieds

Try you luck at the Roadkill Cafe!

Hema USA Touring Atlas

TomTom iPhone app

What’s coming up, plus our show calendar

On your mind

7 It’s only fitting that since Ed has his say in On My Mind, you should be able to have yours too. If you have anything to say – or ask – just drop a line to letters@imotorhome. com.au and we’ll share it with

Hi, we love your magazine and look forward to every issue. We are travelling in the UK at the moment and I’d like to share something we found by accident in our rental campervan – using a wall as a speaker! If your phone or whatever has a speaker that you play music through, put it very close to a wall, like where the wall and a bench top joins, and angle it up a bit. The sound volume and quality will increase noticeably. It works best where the wall is smooth and works really well in the bathroom, especially in hotels!

Keep up the good work.

John & Barbara via email Thanks for such a great tip!

I’ve tried it at home and it does seem to work quite well – no batteries required! It reminds me of a hollowed out piece of bamboo with a slot in the

top that I saw being sold as an iPhone speaker, a while back. Because you’ll save us so much money (!) you’ve won our $50 Caltex fuel card. Just drop me a line when you’re home and I’ll send it out.

our readers. We’ll also reward the most interesting, useful or thoughtful letter each issue with a $50 Caltex fuel card to help you on your way.

On your mind

Hi Richard, don't know if this is up your alley but the tourist body did this press release on our safari as we passed through Emerald.

A few grey nomads were only too happy to reveal their spending habits during a recent stop-over in the Central Highlands.

8 motorhome and campervan owners who recently enjoyed a week in the region before continuing on to Karumba in the Gulf. Tourism Project Officer Peter Grigg, from the Central Highlands Development Corporation, calls it a great example of the value of visitors.

“Research shows the average spend of a visitor is about $125 “We’ve spent a lot of money per day and the length of stay here,” Lynette Hough says, in the Central Highlands is 2.8 with her travelling companions days on average,” Peter says. confirming that fuel alone costs “So having groups such as the an average $80 a day for each Wide Bay Wanderers here for of them. “Batteries, converters, a week, along with the extra inverters, food and drink, discretionary spending that they washing (at the laundromat), it all put back into the local economy, adds up.” is great for the region.

Lynette is president of the Wide Bay Wanderers, a group of

“Our peak tourist season has started late this year, possibly

because the message out on the road was that Queensland was so wet at the beginning of the year, but they’re really starting to flow in now and we need to make them feel welcome.”

That message is already being heeded, if the Wanderers’ experience is anything to go by.

“We didn’t know our way around but everyone has been so helpful,” Lynette says.

“If the Central Highlands is going to get a decent share of this flourishing ‘grey nomad’ market, we need to start planning how to proactively attract these travellers and ensure there’s enough here for them to do, to keep them here,” Peter says.

We started with 27 motorhomes and are leaving a fortune behind as we pass through towns along the way. Just arrived in Karumba today.

Regards, Arthur via email.

G’day Arthur, thanks for the heads up, your great PR work and the fabulous group shot.

There’s one region unlikely to fall to the spin of the anti-free camping lobby. Safe travels!

The Wide Bay Wanderers relax at Emerald Showgrounds after spending up big during their stay in the Central Highlands. From left to right: Brenda Zillman (relaxed), Terry Zillman (very relaxed), Ken Green (red shirt), Lynette Hough (small sheep on lap), Carol Green (white dog), Arthur Bugden (very handsome) and Trevor Hough (great cap).

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On your mind / News

Richard, most astute observation regarding Fiat in Australia. I have an Iveco Daily based Winnebago and a Fiat 500 sedan (2012 model).

Macquarie Trucks look after the Iveco very well, know their stuff and are expert at the repairs and service. I cannot say the same for Fiat. Bought my 500 brand new. Nothing from Fiat to welcome me to the family, nothing when they changed dealerships, nothing at all when I contacted them to ask about accessories, and it took the new dealer a week to reply to a new model price request !

I am thankful the car is a delight and I love it but I would be very nervous buying a Fiat Ducato if my car buying experience is anything to go buy. And I would be surprised if you get an interview as well. Returning phone calls and emails with information from Fiat seems to be a very unusual thing. LOL...

Best regards, Jonno via email.

G'day Johnno, thanks for your interesting and amusing email.

Good to know, too, that I'm not the only one in the Fiat vacuum…

Also good to know you're pleased with your Iveco (and

10 Winnebagos by the sounds of buying two). If you'd ever like to write an owner's report I'd be more than happy to look at running it.

Glad you love the 500. I test drove a couple of them when I was writing about motoring and also loved them. There are so many me-too cars out there and so few with soul, like the 500...

I'm not holding my breath re Fiat but will keep pursuing it. I'm very fond of the Ducato and believe it deserves a better support and after sales package. Hopefully that will come (you can tell I'm an optimist!).

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News

12 v Esperance Update v

A section of the sideways-facing lounge removes to provide legroom for the window-side passenger.

F

ollowing our review of the Esperance last issue, Avida contacted us to clarify a few points raised. Here’s what they had to say, “Despite the handbrake position, the driver’s front seat does swivel all the way (around) to serve as a lounge chair in the living area. Whilst not as easy to do as swivelling the passenger seat, with very little effort, you can turn the driver’s seat fully.”

“In the 2013 Esperance, we have opted for the L-shaped lounge rather than the club lounge as fitted to previous models. Our research suggests that the majority

of our customers are mostly one or two people travelling but on occasions, and with this in mind, we have installed two full lap/ sash seat belts in the lounge area (previously only lap belts were fitted). We created a removable section of the lounge so that four people can travel within the vehicle, perfectly legally, extremely safely and quite comfortably.”

“Regarding the bed, one is slightly longer than the other, a compromise often found in motorhomes when trying to include all desired features into a given space. The longer of the two is 193 cm; longer than the standard single bed length

of 190.5 cm as offered by the bedding industry. The other bed is a little smaller at 185.5 cm or 6’1’, longer than the 6’ given in the article. I think it can be conceded that where a couple is concerned, one person is often taller than the other therefore the individual bed selection is academic and the beds do offer a good night’s sleep.” iMotorhome apologises for any confusion caused and looks forward to more comprehensive handovers in the future, to avoid misunderstandings.

13 News Flash! Don't miss our Route 66 special issue next Saturday, 13 July...

News

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e Nyngan Welcomes Visitors? e

F

ollowing recent negative publicity regarding the town of Nyngan’s decision to stop free camping at the local showground, the following media release has been received: Since Council’s decision at its meeting on 23 May 2013 to not allow free camping at our showground for selfcontained motor homes, campervans and caravans for up to 96 hours (4 days and nights) a lot of emails, letters and adverse comments have come our way.

We would like to take the opportunity to respond to all who have made submissions to us: 1. Nothing has changed. Our attitude to any travellers passing through Nyngan remains that they are welcome to stop, stay and shop in our friendly town. No “gates” have been put up at the entrances to our town to divert anybody.

2. There are a number of areas in Nyngan, some along the highway and main street where self-contained motor homes, campervans, caravans and other travelling vehicles can pull up and stop overnight. Some of these, including the Teamster’s Rest and Flood Memorial Park, have adjacent

clean toilets. More information about overnight stopping areas is available from the Nyngan Visitor’s Information Centre based at the Nyngan Museum, telephone 6832 1052 or Council offices on 6835 9000.

3. One of our parking areas, the Teamster’s Rest in our main street has a Waste Dump Point (since 2009) freely available to all self-contained recreational vehicles.

4. Nyngan is a safe town with no law and order problems. We are a 24/7 alcohol free zone – preventing consumption of alcohol along our streets and public car parks, thus making our town much safer for those who choose to stop overnight.

5. We have a “dog off-leash area” between the river and the levee bank near our Engineering depot. Dogs are not allowed at the showground.

6. We have never had the blue RV Friendly Town signs erected on the approaches to Nyngan. There are signs directing caravans to parking areas in the main street on the approaches to town. We have erected a “no unauthorised camping” sign at our showground. Authorised camping arrangements for events and for people travelling with horses can, however, be made by contacting Council on 6835 9000.

7. Not all towns in NSW, or Australia, have the RV Friendly Town signs or agreement / status.

Therefore, in all fairness, shouldn’t

all those who have contacted and criticised us, direct similar messages to all these towns?

8. Unfortunately, at the showground camping area some campers and travellers were taking advantage of the power and other amenities despite signs advising them of the need to be self-contained.

9. We understand that not all campers and travellers need to, or wish to stay at Caravan Parks.

However, Council was not prepared to allow free camping for up to 96 hours at our showground. Some travellers who took advantage of this may have otherwise spent some time at our Caravan Parks.

10. Our Council, town, businesses and people continue to extend a friendly, safe welcome to all travellers passing through Nyngan and hope they will stop, stay and shop.

Ray Donald Derek Francis Mayor General Manager Despite this media release there is much animosity amongst travellers, as witnessed by these comments in response to the media release when posted on iMotorhome’s Facebook page: “Bit rich starting with "Nothing has changed.” I can still park on the main road, wow. It's true that not all towns are RV Friendly but it's Nyngan that has decided to remove this facility and a stand needs to be taken to avoid other towns being Continued...

News

15

...Continued

conned by the CP lobby. Freedom camping and CPs can coexist to the benefit of local businesses and travellers” “I'm not boycotting Nyngan, there's just no reason for an quick

stop. Local businesses will lose from the showground parking and I doubt if the CPs will gain any trade (maybe tirade) especially as one has the most confusing tariff structure I've seen, which charges more for a motorhome than a caravan.”

And...

“24 hours is a rest stop, not a rest-nshop stop. This is just a token offer.

Takes more than a parking spot on the side of the road for the night to gain my hard earned dollars.”

d Distant Horizon d

H

orizon Motorhome’s boss Clayton Kearney and his family, who set out two weeks ago from Ballina in a custom 4WD Horizon Waratah, are now in Broome. The adventure has so far taken them through Nyngan, Cobar, Port Augusta and Coober Pedy; past Uluru, through Alice Springs and across the desolate Tanamai Track.

The family is taking a well earned break by the sea before heading off soon for the return run to Alice Springs. On July 21 they will hand over to Mr & Mrs iMotorhome, who will bring the big 4WD Waratah home via the Plenty Highway and Birdsville, while the Kearney family flies home.

So far the big and highly visible 4WD Waratah – based on an extralong wheelbase Mercedes Sprinter van – is creating a lot of interest and Clayton reports it’s, “Running like a dream.” Roll on July 21...

Touring Test: Fleetwood RV Tioga Montara 31M

Maiden

Voyage

Delivering the Queen Mary across America...

Review and images by Richard Robertson

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Touring Test: Fleetwood RV Tioga Montara 31M

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Our first night on the road: Free camping just off the Interstate near Danville, Illinois.

T

he first thing you need to understand about lowerend US motorhomes is that they are appliances intended to be junked after a relatively short time.

Designed and built to a price they are cheap to buy, expensive to run and quickly become ‘bargains’ in the used market. Indeed in many ways they epitomise everything wrong with America’s consume-to-excess-andthrow-it-away society.

This ‘test’ vehicle was actually a brand new Apollo rental motorhome that we picked up at the Fleetwood RV factory in Decatur (pronounced De-

Kate-Err), Indiana. Every year between March and June, Apollo needs to move hundreds of new vehicles from the factory to its rental locations in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas.

Consequently, a veritable motorhome mass migration takes place each year and the Good Mrs iMotorhome and I joined this year’s stampede.

Our vehicle of choice (yes, we had one) was a Fleetwood Tioga Montara 31M, complete with two slide-outs. We could have opted for the single slide Tioga Montara 25K, which was the predominant model available and would have been

a bit more economical, but chose the extra space and comfort instead.

On Apollo’s website these vehicles have different names and the rental fleet changes regularly, so for this story I’m using the manufacturer’s model designations. We quickly christened our vehicle the Queen Mary due to its size, thirst and handling prowess: a name that proved entirely appropriate.

Moving Ford

T

he smaller/cheaper end of the US motorhome market is primarily built on Ford cab-chassis. By far

Touring Test: Fleetwood RV Tioga Montara 31M

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On old Route 66 somewhere south of Springfield, Illinois. Note the ill-fitting dinette slide-out at the top, which would never retract flush.

the most common vehicle type on the road, the venerable F-Series Ford is now actually the E-Series, which means it can accept ethanol-based fuel. Interestingly, this whole line of light-to-medium duty trucks and vans, which has been the backbone of Ford’s commercial line-up in America for decades, is being replaced in 2014 by the Ford Transit.

However, production of the cab-chassis models to suit motorhome construction (and other specialist duties) will continue until the end of the decade, Ford has announced.

The Queen Mary was built on a Ford E450 Super Duty cab-chassis and had a gross

vehicle mass (GVM) of 6577 kg. It was listed as a 31 footer (9.45 m) but was actually 32 ft 5.5 in (9.89 m) long. It was also 8 ft 6 in wide (2.59 m) excluding the awning and side mirrors. Australia’s limit is 8 ft 2 in (2.5 m) including attachments. Interestingly, the Fleetwood brochure has a

disclaimer in the fine print that says, “Motorhomes feature a body-width over 96" which will restrict your access to certain roads. Before purchasing, you should research any state and/or province road laws which may affect your usage.” Very comforting (not!) and something nobody at the

The first fuel stop of many, at a tiny rural gas station.

Touring Test: Fleetwood RV Tioga Montara 31M

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Ford’s E-Series trucks will be replaced by the Transit by the end of this decade.

Fleetwood factory or Apollo mentioned. Completing the measurements, the Queen was 11 ft 5 in (3.5 m) tall and rode on an 18 ft 2 in (5.54 m) wheelbase. No special license was required for this size/weight motorhome – or it seems, for any other size motorhome in America. Go figure...

According to its Federal Certification Tag (equivalent to our compliance plate, but a paper sticker inside the vehicle) the tare weight was 5621 kg, leaving an occupant and cargo carrying capacity of 956 kg. Interestingly, the tare weight included an allowance of 271 kg for fresh water and propane, but not grey and

black water. Maximum towing capacity was 2268 kg but with a ball weight of just 159 kg.

Surprisingly, the tag said the vehicle was seatbelt equipped for seven people although we didn’t notice more than a couple of dinette seat belts (but then we weren’t really looking).

Spring time camping at Meramec Caverns, Missouri. Mrs iMotorhome enjoys a glass of red in the chill of the spring evening, under the large electric awning. Despite appearances, rear overhang and ground clearance never proved a problem.

Touring Test: Fleetwood RV Tioga Montara 31M

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Power Play nder the Queen Mary’s bonnet lurked a 6.8-litre Triton V-10 petrol engine, which at first I thought was ‘stonking’ but by the trip’s end realised was quite modest by American standards. For example, Chevrolet makes a V8 petrol engine used in many A-class motorhomes and it’s 8.1-litres.

U

Big 6.8-litre V10 petrol engine is hardly accessible through the short bonnet.

Hooked up in Vegas: All connections are a bit different to Aus/NZ, though.

The Triton V10 produced 305 hp (227 kW) and 420 lb-ft (569 Nm) and drove through a five-speed column-shift auto to the rear wheels – naturally.

To satiate the V10’s thirst a 55 US gallon (208-litre) fuel tank was provided and on average we comfortably travelled 250 miles (402 km) between refills.

Overall we averaged 7.8 mpg (30l/100km), with a worst of 5.88 mpg (40l/100km) while escaping an ice storm in Oklahoma City. Ouch! Our best was 9.5 mpg (25l/100km) on the largely downhill run into California from Las Vegas. The Apollo brochure says 10-12 mpg is to be expected. In their dreams! I drove conservatively and usually below the posted speed limit, never exceeding 60 mph (100 km/h) on the freeways, even in places where the posted limit was 75 mph (120 km/h). Drive it at those speeds at your financial peril!

Suspension-wise the big Ford was more sophisticated than anticipated. Independent coil spring front suspension was a surprise, as were

Touring Test: Fleetwood RV Tioga Montara 31M

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Ready to go, with windscreen mounted phone for GPS and dual iPads charging in the centre console.

Thank goodness for multiple 12 V dash outlets! Note limited footwell space, especially for the passenger. four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, although a live rear axle with leaf springs was what I’d imagined. Steering was power assisted recirculating ball and true to form lacked any real precision, but it was nicely weighted and suited the vehicle.

I was pleased to see quality Michelin Mud & Snow tyres fitted all around, although I’m not sure if they were standard or specified by Apollo. They certainly had their work cut out in the snow and slush as we left Oklahoma City in an ice storm, but never missed a beat. That was just as well as no spare wheel was provided: the task of wheel changing deemed far too risky for tourists. If we’d had any problems we were required to

Gas stations often have separate RV lanes. Water is free (note unusual red tap) but dump points often cost.

Touring Test: Fleetwood RV Tioga Montara 31M

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The Queen Mary proved just the right length for two car spaces in suburban car parks.

Best to straddle four, though, to avoid being parked in. call Apollo (if we’d had phone coverage!) and let them send someone. Not very reassuring, to be honest.

Construction-wise the Queen Mary was thoroughly conventional: A frame of steel and aluminium covered by composite walls with a fibreglass outer skin and internal block foam insulation.

There were also plenty of external storage bins, as you’d expect from a vehicle this size.

Casting Off! umping into any new motorhome requires some adjustment, even if you’re familiar with the basic vehicle type. Jumping into a new motorhome that’s about a foot wider than anything else you have driven, on a completely unfamiliar base

J Judging width proved a challenge with those extra wide mirrors.

Touring Test: Fleetwood RV Tioga Montara 31M

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Dash was modern although showing its age, but reversing camera was a godsend. Nicknack storage was good.

Stepping into the cab for the first time I found myself sitting quite low and yet there was still decent visibility, aided by large side mirrors and a most welcome (optional, I’m thinking) reversing camera.

Both front seats proved very comfortable but the age of the E-Series design was obvious in a number of ways.

vehicle, with the steering wheel on the wrong side and requiring you to drive on the wrong side of the road was more than the usual challenge.

I guess it’s a tribute to the easy drivability of the big Ford that it didn’t prove too much of a challenge.

Firstly, the engine protruded considerably back into the cab and significantly compromised the footwell space – especially the passenger’s – and also radiated much heat into the cab, especially on the passenger's (exhaust) side.

Secondly, the equipment level was odd. For example, despite heated electric side mirrors, power steering and steering wheel-mounted cruise control,

the cab lacked central locking (very inconvenient) and there was only a basic AM/FM radio.

Firing up the big V10 was simple and the engine was quiet and refined under most conditions. Only when cruise control dropped it back, say from 5th to 3rd in quick succession on steep hills and the revs rose north of 3500, did it intrude. On long down hills the gearbox had a neat feature that helped hold the big girl back. At the end of the gear lever was a button marked tow/haul, designed like a sports mode to hold the transmission in gear to assist in the American national pastime of towing. It held gears longer under acceleration and also prevented upshifts when coasting; sort of acting like an

Touring Test: Fleetwood RV Tioga Montara 31M

Rest stop Somewhere USA: Trucks and RVs seem to share the road with little agro. engine brake on long descents.

Very handy.

Despite her size the Queen’s turning circle proved quite reasonable; her ground clearance and rear overhang didn’t cause any problems and she had a comfortable and quite refined ride quality, even on choppy surfaces (aided by her long wheel base, no doubt). Our east-west route saw us battling strong quartering headwinds for about two-thirds of the journey and that was where the Queen’s two biggest drawbacks came to the fore: thirst (understandable) and windage.

Effectively a tall and empty box on wheels, the Queen’s

The Queen was dwarfed by this 12.8 m (42 ft) rocker near Fanning, Missouri.

24

Touring Test: Fleetwood RV Tioga Montara 31M

25

Making a mile: It didn’t take long to feel at home. Thankfully, the seats proved very comfortable. vast slab sides, huge nose cone and relatively low weight (compared to a similar sized truck) caused ‘bother’ in strong winds. Lots of bother, actually. With winds gusting 60-80 km/h most of the time and reaching 100 km/h on occasions, twice we were literally nearly blown off the road. The rest of the time was

a constant battle to stay in the lane – not always successfully – and an inexperienced driver might have had real issues.

Despite all that after about a week I was completely ‘in the groove’ and by the time our 15 days/14 nights were over I was genuinely sad to hand Her Majesty back.

Luxury Liner f course, driving the Queen Mary was only half the adventure.

Living in her was a whole other experience. Compared to the more compact (and nimble) motorhomes I’m used to reviewing in Australia, the Queen was indeed a luxury liner – albeit a rather

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Driving the Queen Mary was only half the adventure.

Living in her was a whole other experience.

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“Camping” at Circus Circus Casino’s RV park on the Las Vegas Strip. So scenic (not) and only $54 a night!

Rubber end cap kept drain hose secure in rear bumper. old fashioned one. But first, here’s a look at some of the major differences between US and Australian/New Zealand motorhomes.

For starters, North American vehicles have an inbuilt propane (think LPG) tank that requires filling at a ‘gas’ station.

Propane tank is 21 kg capacity, vehicle mounted and always on.

This is never turned off and in fact the Queen’s large Dometic two-door fridge/freezer ran exclusively on propane (a rental feature I later discovered) and operated 24/7. Surprisingly, we didn’t blow up, nor did we see highways and campsites littered with burnt-out wrecks.

Also, North American vehicles almost invariably have their own generator and the Queen was no exception: a remote start Onan 4 kVa petrolpowered unit was tucked neatly away in an external bin just aft of the driver’ door.

Having plenty of water

Touring Test: Fleetwood RV Tioga Montara 31M

Black/grey water drain hose stores in hollow rear bumper. Clever!

(60 gallons/227 litres), propane (11 gallons/21 kg) and our own generator meant we free-camped most nights and only connected to ‘shore power’ (as the American’s call it) when we stayed on the strip in Las Vegas, at Circus Circus. Shore power is another interesting difference and the Queen was wired for 30 amp power, which I’m told is equal to our 15 amps, given the US uses 110 volt electricity. Bigger US units require 50 amp power and you have to specify what you need when you check into an RV park.

The power hookup method was very different, too. It used an inbuilt heavy-duty power

Onan 4000 watt remote-start petrol generator is standard.

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Touring Test: Fleetwood RV Tioga Montara 31M

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First dump! Must remember: Drain the black (toilet) water first, then flush with the grey water...

Two other Apollo delivery vehicles in Las Vegas. Ours was the same as the one on the right.

lead in one of the external bins which, when on the road, needed to be left plugged into a bin-mounted power point to allow the house electrics to work. When connecting to shore power you unplugged it, pulled out the cable from the

bin and connected it to the mains power point. Because of the amperage the cable was very thick: I’m guessing twice as thick/heavy duty as an Australian 15 amp.

Waste water management

was another major point of difference, with North American vehicles seeming to use black water tanks for the toilet waste rather than removable cassettes. This necessitated a different routine and we were advised to let the black water

Touring Test: Fleetwood RV Tioga Montara 31M tank, which held 35 gallons (132 L), fill more or less to capacity so the toilet chemicals could work their magic on the contents. Both grey and black water drained via a common hose (that cleverly resided in the hollow rear bumper bar) and you had to ensure the black water was dumped first, with the great water used to flush the black tank and hose. Our vehicle also had a separate mains pressure connector for fresh water that was just used to flush the black and grey water tanks.

Another major difference was the use of propane-fired central heating. Operating via a domestic-style wall mounted thermostat, when we pulled up at night I just set it to auto, set the temperature slider to around 72F (22C) and it kept the Queen cosy until morning

via five floor level outlets (2 kitchen/lounge, 2 bathroom and 1 bedroom). Very civilised.

Considering we used propane for heating, refrigeration and hot water, we only filled (partially) once en route for about US$15 and still had some left in LA. Naturally, airconditioning was included and a single roofmounted system sent cooling air via ducted ceiling outlets throughout the vehicle. It was operated from the same wall mounted thermostat control as the central heating and could be run using the generator when not connected to mains power.

All Plans on Deck! he Queen’s floor plan comprised an overcab bed, front lounge and dinette, mid kitchen and

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rear bathroom and bedroom.

Although the dinette and fridge were in the front slide-out and could easily be used without extending it, the queen bed down the back required the slide-out to easily access it and most of the bedroom cupboards (although you could still open the double wardrobes).

We only used the over-cab bed for storage and it was voluminous. Through-cab access was easy with the centre bed-section folded back and I felt like a bomber pilot every morning; stepping down into the cockpit, ducking slightly and lowering myself into the left seat and then starting the engine, while my copilot retracted both slide-outs.

Speaking of slide-outs, we quickly developed an evening routine. Arriving in camp and

Over-cab bed was enormous but we just used it for storage. Through-cab access was good; note the TV/DVD on the side wall. We watched for 10 mins in Las Vegas but could only find commercials...

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Queen bed was comfortable, private and well away from the living area.

Still good floor space with slide-out dinette retracted. with the engine still running we would both slip back into the living area, where I’d activate the dinette slide-out. Mrs iMotorhome would make the long journey aft and activate the bedroom slide-out and once deployed, I’d cut the engine, lock the cab doors and we were set for the night.

The driver’s side four-place cafe-style dinette had a height adjustable table, while directly

The iMotorhome office for two weeks.

Not a bad place to work! opposite was a rather too upright two-seater lounge that converted to a third bed. We basically lived at the dinette and I put Issue 23 of this magazine together from there, but after just two weeks the cheap foam seat cushion had a Richard-shaped depression in it. Opposite the fridge, at the rear of the dinette, was the side entry door, which effectively separated the lounge area from the kitchen.

Positioned in the middle of the vehicle the -shaped and relatively small kitchen had everything Mrs iMotorhome needed – except much usable bench space. It included double stainless steel sinks, a full gas oven/grill/cooktop, rangehood, microwave and 2-door fridge/freezer, plus a decent set of cupboards and drawers.

Touring Test: Fleetwood RV Tioga Montara 31M Because of the kitchen’s L-shape, to move past it towards the bedroom you walked down a hallway on the driver’s side, complete with a feature floor-to-ceiling window!

The kitchen’s back wall was shared with the bathroom and

Twin sinks great; bench space stinks.

at the end of the hallway on the left, just before entering the bedroom, was the main bathroom door (there was a secondary concertina door between the bathroom and bedroom – of course!).

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The bathroom featured a separate shower cubicle with sliding Perspex door, a corner vanity, a heap of cupboard space and in the corner between the main and secondary doors – in splendid isolation like a true throne – sat

Fridge and dinette were both in the front slide-out.

L-shaped kitchen was well equipped and formed a hallway to the bath/bedroom.

Decor was very old fashioned but typical of American RVs.

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Spacious bathroom had hallway and bedroom doors, and worked well. the ceramic bowl toilet! In all honesty the bathroom worked very well and it was great having double access. It was also great having a ton of room around the loo and not trying to squeeze into a corner on some cramped swivel-headed device!

The bedroom featured a kerbside east-west queen sized island bed, bedside windows, tables, reading lamps and overhead cupboards, plus a double wardrobe and lots of drawers on the wall opposite the foot of the bed. The bed had an innerspring mattress and proved very comfortable, while the bedroom layout – with the bed head in the slideout (behind the bathroom) and the bedroom door by the foot of the bed – afforded plenty of privacy even without the need to close the bedroom door.

Most evenings I’d work on the magazine and the good

Mrs would retire to read and eventually nod off. We were, effectively, in separate worlds.

Handing Over hen it came time to hand over the Queen Mary we’d both become very fond of her and were rather sad. That’s despite the awful 1980s decor; the mix of ill-placed fluoro and incandescent lighting; cheap foam dinette cushioning; the uncomfortable sofa; the dinette slide-out that never retracted flush and sat out by about an inch at the top; the bathroom vanity light fitting that was broken ex-factory; her appalling thirst; dodgy handling in high winds and the need to empty the toilet via a black water hose.

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(which nobody pays), whereas an Australian equivalent would be something like three times the price. In bang-for-yourbuck terms the Big Girl proved hard to beat; if a bit crude, rough around the edges and unrefined by our standards.

Would I buy my own Queen Mary? Surprisingly, yes. Or something similar. Discounts in America are rife – expect to pay about $65,000 with a bit of shopping around – and the diesel argument doesn’t stack up: you’ll never save the price difference with fuel savings unless you basically travel allday every-day.

Consider also that in 10 years she’ll be worth around $20,000 or less and the used market is littered with them. They can make excellent buying, You might say, “Only in just make sure it was never a America,” but consider this rental. Long live the Queen – continent-crossing land-liner lists at just US$81,340 full price we can’t wait to do it all again next year!

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In bang-for-your-buck terms the Big Girl proved hard to beat; if a bit crude, rough around the edges and unrefined by our standards.

Touring Test: Fleetwood RV Tioga Montara 31M

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Specifications Manufacturer

Fleetwood RV

Model

Tioga Montara 31M

Base Vehicle

Ford E450 Super Duty

Engine

6.8-litre Triton V10 petrol

Power

227 kW @ 4250 rpm

Torque

569 Nm @ 3250 rpm

Gearbox

5-speed automatic

Brakes

ABS ventilated 4-wheel discs

Fuel Capacity

208 litre

Tare Weight

5621 kg

Gross Vehicle Mass

6577 kg

Towing

2268 kg

Licence

Car

Approved Seating

7

External Length

9.89 m (32 ft 5.5 in)

External Width

2.59 m (8 ft 6 in)

External Height

3.50 m (11 ft 5 in)

Internal Height

2.01 m (6 ft 10 in)

Rear Bed Size

2.03 m x 1.52 m (7 ft 6 in x 5 ft 0 in)

Cooktop

Gas 4-burner/grill/oven

Fridge

220-litre propane only

Microwave

Yes

Lighting

12 V Fluoro/incandescent

Batteries

unknown

Generator

Onan 4000 remote start

Propane Capacity

21 kg propane

Heater

Propane, ducted

Air Conditioner

Roof mounted, ducted

Hot Water Heater

22-litre propane

Toilet

Dometic porcelain

Shower

Separate cubicle

Fresh Water Tank

227-litre

Grey Water Tank

132-litre

Black Water Tank

132-litre

Price (USA)

US $81,340 plus on-roads

Pros • • • • • • • •

Bang for your buck Vast living space Gas central heating Standard generator Comfortable bed Big bathroom Tough E450 Ford Smooth, easy to drive

Cons • • • • • • • •

Appalling thirst Poor build quality Ford’s odd equipment list Dated decor Cheap foam dinette seating Poor quality interior lighting Stability in high winds Suspect longterm body durability • Awful resale

Contact Fleetwood RV 1031 US 224 East Decatur, IN. 46733 USA Ph: (+1) 1800 854 1344 W: www.fleetwoodrv.com

Click for Google Maps

Feature: Rental Relocation

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Relocation Relocation Relocation The lowdown on grabbing a motorhome holiday bargain in Australia, New Zealand or the US...

Baby 25 ft (7.6 m) Apollo rentals awaiting delivery across America.

Feature: Rental Relocation

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iMoova’s website offers normal car and camper rentals as well as relocation deals.

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he rental relocation concept is simple enough: Rental companies often need to reposition vehicles depending on seasonal and customer demands, and offer special deals to travellers who can help them out. A nominal daily rental is charged to make a legally binding rental agreement, but essentially you’re getting the vehicle for nothing and they get it repositioned for free.

Rental relocations are a good way for people new to motorhoming to affordably experience the lifestyle.

They’re also a good way for experienced people to sample a variety of different sized

vehicles and differing layouts, so that when you go to buy your next vehicle you’ll have a better idea of what you like.

Many rental companies have their own special offers, but by using a website like www.iMoova.com (formerly Standbycars.com) you can view and book most, if not all, available offers. The key to getting the most out of relocations is travel flexibility and this has certainly been aided by the advent of heavily discounted airfares. You just need to do a bit of homework first.

To begin with, check out the iMoova.com website and

see what’s on offer. Because vehicle movements usually reflect seasonal requirements there can be lots available at certain times or between specific places, then nothing.

Offers are also quite fluid and can sometimes be just for a single vehicle, so you need to move fast if you known where and when you want to travel. You can also let them know what you’re looking for in advance and they’ll try and find something specific or match you to the closest deal available.

Just the Facts n Australia the basic scenario goes like this: A 4-berth motorhome with

I

Feature: Rental Relocation

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Choose a trip from the list and click “more info” for the fine print. shower and toilet, for example, is listed for $5 a day between Melbourne and Brisbane and you’re allowed 4 days and 2233 km to complete the trip. You also have the option of adding up to 2 extra days (250 km/day) at $75 per day.

A deposit/bond of $1000 is required on pick-up and charged to your credit card (which covers insurance), while excess kilometres are charged at 55 cents each if your allowance is exceeded.

and sleeping bag and you’re in business.

Vehicles come with equipment basics like crockery and cooking utensils, but bedding can be optional. No matter, you can usually hire any extras you need or just throw in a towel

Big Deal! ur American motorhome adventure came about via a regular email newsletter from the old Standbycars website

and was the first time I’d seen US relocations listed. While most Australian and Kiwi offers Deals vary and the more are short duration, the US deal vehicles need to be shifted; was for 14 nights. I guess they the more remote the start/ needed to do this because of finish points or the shorter the driving distance involved the time window for the rental (think Sydney-Perth) and the companies, the better the deals time and cost for international get. It’s not uncommon to see travellers to make the journey vehicles offered for $1/day plus worthwhile. By comparison hundreds of dollars towards a Sydney-Perth relocation is fuel costs (refunded at the end allowed six or seven days, of the trip on production of although extra days are receipts). available.

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Our US deal was also unusual in that it was a delivery run from the factory to the rental depot for a brand new vehicle and it was listed about six months before departure. We paid $20/

Feature: Rental Relocation

39 Companies like iMoova are known as aggregators and bring together offers from a wide range of companies.

Useful Websites iMoova.com DriveNow Apollo Relocations2Go

night for travel in April, but as I write this (early July) I can see the same trip for $1/night plus $750 free fuel and $200 towards general trip costs!

Pass the Kleenex...

Insurance is always a big deal in America and for a normal car can easily outstrip the actual rental cost. For our relocation a US$1000 credit card deposit was required on pickup. That covered general insurance and was refunded after we dropped the motorhome off, undamaged. I did note, however, that damage to the roof, awning or undercarriage were not covered by our bond: a fact not brought to our

attention at any time, it was just something I found in the fine print. Caveat Emptor.

Deliveries aside, ‘normal’ rental relocations are available in America (Canada coming soon), while in New Zealand there are also plenty of opportunities. Included interisland ferry costs for the vehicle and driver are the norm in NZ, with passengers needing to pay their own ferry fares, but that too can change in peak seasons.

Go or No Go? otorhome relocations aren’t for everybody.

They often require a quick decision to go,

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plus flexible time and travel arrangements. A love of driving is also a must as time is always of the essence.

If you’re after a relaxing, dawdling type of motorhome holiday then you’ll need to cough up full fare for a normal rental. But if you’re a travel ‘sniper’; able to wait patiently and act only when the time is right, then move swiftly and make the most of the short opportunity, a rental relocation is certainly worth setting your sights on. We’ll be back...

Feature: USA Travel Tips

Travel is a learning experience. Here are some things we discovered to help make your USA road trip easier and more enjoyable...

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Feature: USA Travel Tips Do your homework

Firstly, set a budget – at least a rough one. On a simple spread sheet enter categories including airfares (international and domestic); pre and post-motorhoming accommodation, meals and transfers/car rental; motorhome rental and fuel (I planned the trip roughly on Google Maps to get approximate total milage and worked on 10 mpg and $4/gallon); campsite fees and a general allowance for meals out, souvenirs, sightseeing and so on. Don’t include self-catering food, coffee, etc that you would normally spend at home as it isn’t part of your actual travel costs.

If the budget is doable, refine it as you pay for things before departure and/or confirm prices.

Once on the road, keep a daily track of what you’re spending and compare it to your budget, but don’t get anal about it.

Next, when planning remember that because of its extremes of weather, much of the USA and Canada is effectively ‘closed’ at various times of the year. This means you need to time your visit to suit the areas you intend visiting, or travelling through to get there. For example, many roads across the Rockies only open in May/June and are closed again by September/October. Also, in the mid-tonorthern parts of the US and throughout Canada, many camping areas, RV parks, tourist attractions, etc are closed for the winter, as well as parts of spring and fall.

Finally, if you can, allow yourself a few days to adjust to local time and acclimatise before collecting your motorhome. Be kind to yourselves and don’t try to cram in all sorts of activities, either.

The same goes at the end of the trip, especially if you have gift shopping to do. Don’t buy as you go and lug it around the country, spend an extra day or two unwinding at the end and psyching yourself up to going home. It also means that if you’re delayed returning the vehicle – either by circumstance or choice – you’re not panicking trying to change flights and rearrange things.

41 Licences and driving

Your Australian or New Zealand driver’s licence is all you need for car or motorhome rental in North America. Gone are the days when you also had to carry an international driver’s licence, although some people still do (these are available through motoring organisations).

Don’t let driving on the ‘wrong’ side of the road daunt you: like other skills it just requires practice. The easiest way to remember which side of the road to drive on is to keep yourself – the driver – closest to the centreline (or your partner in the gutter!). Once underway it soon becomes second nature to keep to the right of the centre of the road, but confusion can strike when pulling out of a gas station or carpark, for example, so at these times you need to concentrate and stay aware.

Turning at intersections also requires concentration, but don’t let any of this deter you: It just takes practice.

As far as general driving goes, we took freeways when needing to cover ground quickly and secondary roads when not.

The freeways were often packed with trucks and they would blast past us at up to 75 mph (120 km/h) depending on the posted speed limit. I stuck to a max of 60 mph (100 km/h) to keep the fuel bill vaguely manageable and sat in the slow lane – the far right lane – where I was never bothered by the truckies. They seem well used to old folks in RVs, although as a truck barrelled past its bow wave pushed us to the right before its tail vortex sucked us closer in.

Again, it’s just something you get used to.

Feature: USA Travel Tips Know your Vehicle

When you collect your vehicle spend some time getting to know it. Go over everything the rental people showed you and make sure you know where all the controls are, how they work and what they do. Familiarise yourself with the electrical switches and any specialised procedures, plus learn how the plumbing works (if a mains pressure reducer is required, for example), where the tank drain levers are and which is which.

Also ensure you have your driving position properly set up before leaving the depot, including your GPS if you take one, and take extra care when maneuvering for the first few days because the vehicle is likely wider than what you’re used to (or is legal in Australia).

Be very sure you know how tall your vehicle is, too, and remember to look for bridges!

Hint: If picking up or dropping off in a large city like Los Angeles, time it so you depart/ arrive the depot outside peak hours. Also, if transiting a large city area and you’re daunted by the prospect of up to eight lanes of freeway traffic rushing along beside you, time your transit for late at night (after 8 pm) or very early in the morning (before 6 am).

Don't be afraid to ask

Americans are incredibly hospitable people and extremely proud of their country. They also love to help, so never be afraid to ask for advice, directions or help – no matter how dumb the question might sound.

42 Get Comfortable

Rental vehicles come with varying levels of equipment, so make sure you check out what you’ve got and then make a list of what you need to get through your holiday comfortably. Why go without a decent pillow, fluffy towels, real wine glasses or even slippers, for example, even if you leave them behind at the end? America is the land of cheap shopping and a little extra spent at this stage can add a lot of enjoyment.

Plan one day ahead

We learned that aside from our overall plan – we had two weeks to get from Chicago to LA – it wasn’t worth planning more than one day in advance. Changes in weather, interesting places found along the way, tiredness and even just the desire to stop and ‘hom’ a little meant flexibility was the key. As long as we knew we were meeting our overall distance goals, or could with a bit of extra driving, then taking the trip one day at a time was the way to go. It also meant that each evening we could research the next day’s travels and have a plan in place when we hit the road the following morning.

l l e m s d Sthoep paanncakes... t

Feature: USA Travel Tips

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Staying Connected

You should be able to use your mobile phone in America and Canada provided you check with your carrier before departure to ensure Global Roaming is activated (and provided your payment plan allows it). Your Carrier can best advise what plans are available and once over there your phone will automatically detect and join the local networks.

Note: It’s vital to ensure Data Roaming is switched OFF. I also ensure Cellular Data and Enable 3G are off on our iPhones (check for similar setting on other phones), as we have been stung with a couple of hundred dollars of data fees just by having phones on even though they weren’t used (thanks Vodafone).

US friend’s address or even was half price! It was an that of the motorhome ongoing plan but I could rental company, if required), cancel anytime and did so and you’ll be in business. on our return (with 2 days to spare) and was only Free WiFi is available in charged the $25. There places like Starbucks were no cancellation fees and some McDonalds, and no attempt to recoup plus many big stores like the ‘other’ $25 from the Lowes (think Bunnings) and first month’s special offer Target, but strangely not (can you imagine our Telcos in places like Subway or allowing that?).

Walmart. WiFi speed and quality varies enormously Apart from a few places and a free WiFi finding app off the beaten track and in is a good idea. Most RV small patches across New parks have WiFi, usually Mexico and Arizona, data free but not always, as do reception was good to tourist information offices excellent – and blindingly and most hotel lobbies. fast in the larger towns WiFi means you can use and cities. The only thing I services like FaceTime found was it didn’t permit (Mac) Skype and Viber to Skype calls, which was call home, but success with a real bummer when we these is subject to local suddenly had to phone usage demands and can home and incurred an $11 often be quite frustrating in mobile charge for about 3 large public areas. minutes.

If you want a phone over there I know there are travelling sim cards you can put in your own phone, although phones on a ‘plan’ first have to be unlocked from their host networks (even older ones where the plan has expired). Perhaps the best alternative is to pop into Walmart or similar and buy a cheap phone. You can sign up on the spot, even as a foreign visitor (use a

I took my iPad and bought a data sim card for it from an AT&T store. The card was free and I signedup online, once the card was installed. I used our friend’s address and the whole process was quick and painless. Needing lots of data for email and web work I signed up for the $50 a month 5GB for 30 days plan, using my credit card, with the unexpected bonus that the first month

Obviously, deals change all the time, so research what’s available via the Internet before you go, including where the nearest telephone company shop is to your arrival accommodation.

Feature: USA Travel Tips

The world’s largest retailer, Walmart is also the travelling RVers best retail friend. Almost every town has at least one and with literally acres of parking they’re the ideal place to do your initial (and subsequent) provisioning.

Walmarts sell everything from fresh food to wine, clothes, coffee machines, mobile phones, bicycles and even hunting rifles. They also have pharmacies, clean restrooms and many have a Subway or other fast-food outlet.

Most importantly, they have a small RV Supplies section in the Auto aisles where you can stock up on things like toilet chemicals and RV-friendly toilet paper, plumbing and electrical items, and a host of other RV related bits and pieces.

‘camp’ was in the outer edges of the carpark near the gardening/ outdoor section, which was patrolled by security through the night because they left everything out.

Depending on our time of arrival we would look to see if anyone else was there and ‘circle our wagons’ near them – but no too close! In warmer weather it’s not unusual to see a circle of camping chairs amongst the overnighters as fellow travellers enjoy sundowners and a view of the passing parade.

The only bummer is Walmarts don’t have WiFi, but often nearby stores do, especially Lowes, which is a huge Bunnings-style hardware chain. They’re often build next to Walmart, so if you need communication more In the evenings, unless than companionship it otherwise signposted due can be worth doing a lap to local regulations, you’re of the Walmart carpark welcome to free camp to see if any free WiFi in the Walmart carpark is available (I’m not a for one night. We often Robertson for nothing!). found the best place to

44 Finally, visit iTunes and grab the Allstays Walmart Overnight parking Locator app. For $2.99 it has all the Walmart stores in the USA and Canada, on maps and searchable or browsable, including those that do and don’t allow overnight parking. I found it invaluable coming into towns as it also displays the full address, which I then just put in the GPS and off we went. Great value! Allstays makes a series of handy apps including Truck Stops & Travel Plazas for $10.49 (which we used and found worthwhile), Camp & RV Parks ($10.49), RV Dumps and Sani Stations ($1.99), Hotels by Chain (99c) and even Ghost Towns (99c). They also make a free app called RV Care Network and even have one for finding Harley Dealers ($1.99).

Go figure...

Feature: USA Travel Tips

Credit Cards & Cash

same name) and it worked Credit cards are accepted for almost everywhere in the US like a charm! So much security! For the rest of the and Canada, but it’s best to trip I was from Beverley Hills arrive with some cash and and on only two subsequent always keep some handy. occasions did it reject A Visa or MasterCard preme (one of which I later loaded cash debit card realised I’d entered 90210 with US$ loaded is also dyslexically). a good way to help keep your budget on track and Because we like coffee we eliminate costly international often stopped at Starbucks credit card transactions fees. and McDonald’s McCafes for the closest mass produced Paying for fuel in America thing we could find to real requires prepayment at the of pump or at the counter (often coffee. Keeping a wad small bills handy was a real not at all convenient and a ht long walk). Visa, MasterCard, pain, so we soon boug both a Starbucks and a Amex and others are MacDonald’s card and put accepted at the pump and $50 credit on each. That way it’s easy enough to follow our coffee money was always the on-screen prompts, but the thing is you have to enter on hand and we could account for all of it, rather the zip code of your billing than just fritting away a few address for security reasons dollars here and there. We before it will pump – and the only ever kept a maximum of system doesn’t recognise $50 on each card as in parts non-US zip codes. So on of the US, both Starbucks my second fill I decided to and McCafe’s can be a bit try the only US zip code I thin on the ground. know (90210 for Beverley Hills, from the TV show of the

45

Speaking of McCafe’s; we didn’t find any as big, plush or well equipped as ours. All were just a small section of the main Macca’s counter and all they did is coffee – no cakes or other menu items. Tip: A flat white in US McCafe speak was a “full cream Latte, no syrup.” Americans love sugar syrups in coffee and all McCafe coffees include them unless you specifically ask otherwise.

We also kept $50 on a Subway card, because lunch was usually our eat-out meal and Subway’s are not only healthy, they’re pretty much everywhere!

Feature: USA Travel Tips Tipping

This deserves a separate mention because it’s often the bain of Aussie’s and Kiwi’s US holiday experience. In a nutshell: Get used to it! It used to be that 10% was the norm but these days 20% is really the mark. Just be sure to check your bill in case they’ve added a service charge (aka Tip), but if not and you can’t work it out then a good rule of thumb is to look at how much tax is included in the total and then double it, as the tip.

Loyalty Cards

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Don’t tip at Maccas or Oh yes, tip shuttle bus other food outlets where drivers at least $1 per you get counter service, person even if you don’t but do tip otherwise have any luggage and – and be cheery and the same for anyone generous. Why? Because who handles your bags in America the Federal ($1 per piece) or brings minimum wage hourly something to your room rate is just $7.25, but on request. They’re all at if tipping is involved the bottom of the food (like wait staff) then it’s chain and a little good will an unbelievable $2.13 goes a long way! (although employers have to make up the difference to $7.25 if tips don’t do it). Thankfully, only in America...

from America is the land of loyalty cards; ne has gas stations to coffee shops everyo example, them and they pay dividends. For ins of gas we used the Flying J and Pilot cha ways station that are usually close to free complete and often have separate RV lanes, p with free water and a paid toilet dum cost point. Joining their loyalty program address nothing (Mrs iMotorhome used the form!), of the gas station on the application lon fuel but immediately we got a 4c a gal pped discount. The dump point cost dro brainer. from $10 to $5, too, so it was a no

Stop & Smell the pancakes

Whether this is your once-in-a-lifetime trip or just another great adventure, remember to make time to stop and smell (and taste) the pancakes. Don’t finish the trip regretting not spending $10 on that souvenir you really wanted; not buying that special piece of handmade Indian jewellery or passing up a stack of pancakes somewhere exotic – like the Roadkill Cafe – if the money involved won’t break the bank. We have a ‘travel wall’ at home we decorate with mementos from our travels and it has become a much-loved work of art in its own right – and we can’t remember how much a single piece cost.

Feature: USA Travel Tips

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Take lots of photos

Digital photos cost nothing and let you capture a ton of memories. Lugging a camera around can be a chore, e however, so if you’re buying an new one balance desir with compact practicality. Also find out how many photos it will take on a single battery charge and take a spare battery (that you keep charged, of course).

If you have a late model smartphone don’t overlook its camera. I take many photos with my iPhone, just because it’s in my pocket, and at 8 megapixels they’re (usually!) fine for magazine publishing.

The secret is to cull unwanted images at the end of the day and \ organise them into folders, either by day/ week/destination, depending on how your brain works.

This works well, in concert with the next point...

Tiny 1953 Fleetwood caravan...

Keep a Travel Diary

You might think you’ll remember everything, but you wont. A daily diary – Mrs iMotorhome was our designated Diareer (my word!) – is invaluable and helps spark memories of even tiny events when looking back. Include the minutia of your daily travels and it will make for a much richer and more enjoyable experience.

It’s also good to record the general weather conditions, including temperature.

And remember Getting there is half the fun!

There are some great travel apps if you’re that way inclined – like Momento – which let you combine photos and diary notes into a proper travel journal that you can also share with family and friends via social media. An exercise book, however, is almost as effective, doesn’t require recharging and won’t break if you drop it. The choice is yours!

Feature: Jack Sisemore Traveland RV Museum

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You don't know Jack?

You should, he owns a remarkable RV museum...

Feature: Jack Sisemore Traveland RV Museum

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A big museum needs a big sign, especially in Texas!

Nice profile: 1973 Winnebago.

L

urking at the back of the Jack Sisemore Traveland RV dealership in Amarillo Texas is a hidden gem well worth discovering: the Jack Sisemore Traveland RV Museum.

Plenty to smile about for Trent and Jack!

Like Texas itself, Jack Sisemore is a big man with a big story.

Now in his 70s Jack has built an empire since he borrowed $2500 from his Grandmother in 1963 and bought a gas station (probably much to the dismay of his preacher Father

and Grandfather). Already working in that line of business, the young Jack saw an opportunity, grabbed it and still works daily in the business he loves, although the gas station has long since gone.

Feature: Jack Sisemore Traveland RV Museum When his youngest daughter was born Jack bought a Winnebago to rent out so the family would have one to use when they wanted. The rental cost? $175 for 3 days or $250 for a week, plus 10c a mile. That was 1974 and by the following year the rental fleet had grown to six units. It was also the year Jack bought a Champion Motor Homes’ franchise and the first part of his current property, which has subsequently grown to six and a half acres.

Jack went on to became the first Winnebago dealer in Texas, in 1978, and in 1996, along with three other dealers and four employees, started Keystone Manufacturing (now

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This 1948 Flxible Clipper was once a movie star.

Keystone RV Company).

Keystone, which makes fifth wheelers like Cougar and Laredo, travel trailers (think caravans) and toy haulers claims to be the largest RV manufacturer in the world and lists some 24 individual brands on its website.

Inside, the Clipper is fitted with a period camper conversion.

In 1996 Jack also took on a partner; a young man named Trent, who I believe was a childhood friend of Jack’s son (who at one stage was the Mayor of Amarillo). Trent had been working in the business for many years and in 1988 he and Jack had seen the need

Feature: Jack Sisemore Traveland RV Museum

State of the art – 1948 Flxible Clipper style.

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Feature: Jack Sisemore Traveland RV Museum for an RV museum, which was didn’t stop in, but common founded in a building at the rear sense prevailed when the Good of the dealership.

Mrs iMotorhome pointed out this was the first RV museum We stumbled across we have ever discovered and, the Museum thanks to a for goodness sake, we’d better small brochure at a tourist go and check it out! information office yet almost

52

Inside, an eclectic mix of motorhomes, travel trailers and other camping vehicles are beautifully presented and open for your close inspection. It was a real treat to wander amongst some of American RV history’s most important vehicles – like

Jack’s even recreated the gas station where his empire began.

The circa 1920 Lamsteed Kampkar body was built for a Model T Ford by Anheuser-Bush in St Louis (makers of Budweiser beer!) and cost $535 ready to mount.

Feature: Jack Sisemore Traveland RV Museum

53

Jack’s original rental: A fully equipped 1973 Winnebago that’s still in full running order. the very first Itasca motorhome ever made – and sit at the wheel of an immaculate 1948 Flxible Clipper, converted to a motorhome and used in the Robin Williams’ movie ‘RV’.

Another highlight was the replica of Jack’s original gas station at the exit-end of the Museum.

Admission is free and at the time of our visit Jack told me they had plans in with the local city council to add a second story, as there are many more vehicles to exhibit. Despite certainly never needing to work again, Jack spends his weeks at the dealership and on weekends retires to a sprawling

Dashboards have certainly changed since 1973.

cattle ranch on the outskirts of Amarillo. A big Texan in every way, with a vice-like handshake, broad smile and a genuine love for people and his business, Jack is as much an attraction as the museum and his vast dealership.

If you’re getting your kicks on

The Winnebago’s “buddy” passenger seat also swivelled.

Feature: Jack Sisemore Traveland RV Museum Route 66 make time in Amarillo to visit the Jack Sisemore Traveland RV Museum. It’s a remarkable experience that won’t disappoint. Just be sure to look for Jack. You don’t know Jack? You won’t miss him.

Jack Sisemore Traveland RV Museum

Click for Google Maps

4341 Canyon Drive Amarillo. Tx. 79110 Hours: Mon-Sat 9am-5pm T: (+1) 806 358 4891 E: sales@sisemoretraveland.com W: sisemoretraveland.com

Gotta love 1970s orange and brown. Winnebago certainly did!

The Winnebago’s bed was this rear mounted convertible lounge.

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Feature: Jack Sisemore Traveland RV Museum

Cupboard roller doors in a 1976 Argosy caravan.

This beautiful tear drop camper was a kit in 1946, made from war surplus aluminium.

Tear drop’s kitchen is a model of efficiency and simply beautiful!

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Feature: Jack Sisemore Traveland RV Museum

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Compared to the ’73 Winnebago this ’75 Itasca was space age!

The first Itasca motorhome. Made by Winnebago as a parallel brand, Itascas are still made and very popular.

Feature: Jack Sisemore Traveland RV Museum

Groovy Baby!

Austin Powers would feel right at home in the ’75 Itasca.

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58 magazine

iMotorhome

because getting there is half the fun...

iMotorhome Classifieds are for private sellers and dealers alike, with a great introductory offer until the end of July...

• Motorhomes & Campervans only • Unlimited words • Up to 12 photos per ad • Unlimited edits and updates • Latest ads featured in iMotorhome Magazine • Advertise until sold • Introductory offer for June and July: $25 – that’s 50% off!

Visit www.imotorhome.com.au today

Classifieds: Snapshots

iMotorhome Featured Classifieds

59

Roadside Eats: Roadkill Cafe

60

Roadside Eats: Roadkill Cafe

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The Roadkill Cafe Fancy a Smear of Deer or Flat Cats? Step inside...

T

he town of Seligman in Arizona, between Flagstaff and Kingman, is like an amusement park sideshow and was totally unexpected when we were cruising on the morning of day 12, craving good coffee. We found that at the Road Runner Cafe and moved on, when suddenly the Roadkill Cafe hove into view. I’m not sure if it was

just the name or the lure of free Wi-Fi as well, but suddenly the Good Mrs iMotorhome decided it was time for second breakfast.

With a name like the Roadkill Cafe I was thinking no good could come of this; yet within moments we were seated inside and pouring over the menu, which on its own made the stop worthwhile. We settled on a

short stack of pancakes each – known as Flat Cats – which were buttermilk pancakes, for $4.99. For an extra dollar we could have had the full stack, God help us, because even the short stack would easily have done the two of us.

Because this was such an unexpected stop I didn’t take my camera inside, just my

Roadside Eats: Roadkill Cafe

62

the Tater – which any fans of the movie Cars will appreciate, young or old.

iPhone, hence the few inside photos and their poor quality.

Interestingly, there was a sign on the wall over the kitchen servery that said, “Honk for Aussies.”

We’re everywhere...

• One Eyed Dog Hit in the Fog (Texas style French toast)

The menu included such delights as:

• Rigor Mortis Tortoise (hungry man’s breakfast)

•R oadside Revenge (steak and eggs) •C reamed Quail on Toast (Route 66 muffin) •S platter Platter (croissant sandwich)

• Meat Treat (Denver omelette) • Smear of Dear (biscuits and gravy)

• Buzzard Bait (chorizo plate) • Armadillo on the Half Shell (breakfast burritos) There was also a separate children’s menu with such delights as Lightning McQueen Got Too Lean and Mater Hit

Prices were reasonable, with the main menu items varying between $4.99 and $12.99, and the Roadkill Cafe opens for breakfast lunch and dinner, from 7am until 9 pm. It’s also home to the “Famous OK Saloon” in case you’re looking for refreshments rather than sustenance. Be sure to stop by when you’re in Seligman, Arizona, getting your own kicks on Route 66.

The Roadkill Cafe 502 W. Hwy. 66 Seligman, Arizona. 86337

Click for Google Maps

T: (+1) 928 422 3554 W: route66seligmanarizona. com/The_Roadkill_Cafe.php

Roadside Eats: Roadkill Cafe

63

Good thing we ordered the short stacks! Fat Cats were to diet for at just $4.99 a serve – and the WiFi was free.

Mobile Tech: Hema USA Road Atlas

HEMA USA ROAD ATLAS

It’s like a proper road atlas in your iPad..

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Mobile Tech: Hema USA Road Atlas

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The iPad lets you zoom in or out with a pinch of your fingers and is great for quickly seeing the big picture.

I

t’s always good to have a backup when you’re navigating, especially in a foreign country. In the US and Canada the huge Rand McNally Road Atlases are the go-to tomes that have helped travellers since the first Pilgrims arrived (how do you think they found New Plymouth?). We very successfully navigated our way across the USA and Canada in a grand circle in 2000, using

just said atlas, but in 2013 it was time to, well, get with the times.

Hema is a respected Brisbanebased mapping specialist and although it focuses on Australia – its 4WD maps are superb – it covers much of the rest of the world. Including North America.

For our USA adventure I bought the Hema USA Road Atlas app for my iPad, which also works on my iPhone. It provided

invaluable secondary navigation to a TomTom USA iPhone app, as well the Rand McNally atlas provided with our rental motorhome.

Retailing for $10.49 it works quite differently to a GPS: All maps are stored internally so you don’t need cellular data access, but you do need GPS to get the best from it – otherwise it just serves as an electronic road

Mobile Tech: Hema USA Road Atlas

66

You can browse maps or search for towns, cities or states.

atlas you can scroll and swipe your way through.

• Displays and records • Built-in Wikipedia search breadcrumb trails as you move function for nearby locations

Once installed and with the GPS active the Hema USA Road Atlas becomes a powerful moving map with many functions. As listed by Hema these include:

• Simple creation and editing of waypoints and routes • Place name search • Displays position, course, speed, heading, altitude and averages

• Custom name marks as locations (e.g. Favourite Mexican restaurant) • Screen orientation lock (landscape or portrait)

Mobile Tech: Hema USA Road Atlas

67

A separate screen records your travels and displays a range of parameters – when you’re moving!

• App continues to track and store data in the background while you use other iPhone/ iPad features

we used it as a big-picture backup to our TomTom app GPS. Taking advantage of the iPad’s big screen we could view huge areas at a time or just get a What it doesn’t provide is bigger picture of where we were automatic routing or turn-by-turn passing through. It was also directions. good to know we had it in case our TomTom went legs-up.

You could use this app as you only means of navigation, but

In value-for-money terms the Hema USA Road Atlas is a great buy, as is their NZ Road Atlas app for $7.49, but as far as I can find out neither is available for Android.

Mobile Tech: TomTom USA & Canada

BEat the drum

Follow the TomTom for excellent GPS navigation

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Mobile Tech: TomTom USA & Canada

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The navigation screen on an iPhone: simple and easy to use.

I

n-car GPS, whether integrated or windscreen mounted, is pretty much the norm these days. For our USA adventure, because I didn’t want a separate stand-alone item and I use my iPhone in a suction mounted windscreen holder in Australia, I decided to opt for the TomTom USA & Canada GPS app in the interests of keeping things simple.

This app, which is also available for Android, turned my iPhone into a regular TomTom GPS and in three weeks of travel across more than 4000 km of America, on only two occasions did ‘Ken’ (our selected Australian voice) cause us confusion and head us off in the wrong direction. Both times it happened at multilevel freeway intersections when a combination of slightly shielded

GPS reception and an absolute rabbit warren of departure lane options saw me choose poorly and sail off in the wrong direction. There were a few other occasions when Ken wanted us to take shortcuts I wasn’t too certain about, compared to our other maps and the road signs, so I stayed on the main roads and Ken soon came around to our way of thinking.

Mobile Tech: TomTom USA & Canada

70

Recent destinations remain in memory and can be revisited at a touch of the screen.

Like any proper GPS you can plan a route, search for a destination, put in an address or just have the moving map going while you drive. It also provides reasonably accurate arrival time estimates, along with distanceto-travel and travel-time-to-go.

Also like any proper GPS, this app works off line so you don’t need cellular data coverage, just

your phone turned on to enable the GPS.

Features as listed on the TomTom website include:

One particularly valuable feature is the free lifetime maps update (unlike a local TomTom), which is handy if you’re planning a return visit, along with free daily map changes from TomTom’s 20 million strong Map Share community.

• IQ Routes (supposedly the fastest and most accurate routes) • HD Traffic (requires and inapp purchase and, I suspect, cellular data coverage)

Mobile Tech: TomTom USA & Canada

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Zoom function is handy.

Note campsites, gas stations and airport icons on the larger scale map.

• Powerful Search (search for destinations with TomTom Places, Facebook and Foursquare)

• 2-D/3-D driving view • Advanced lane guidance (mostly!)

• Fast route recalculation (that’s debatable, sometimes it really wants you to go a certain way at first)

• Multitasking (provides turn-by-turn guidance if you’re on the phone)

• Automatic day/night mode

• Multi-stop and Eco routes

• Clear voice instructions

• Millions of pre-installed points of interest (POIs)

• Landscape/portrait orientation option

• Spoken street names

• Selectable car symbols and more!

Mobile Tech: TomTom USA & Canada

72

Many variables allow you to customise your route choices and even preplan journeys.

I have no hesitation recommending this app to anyone embarking on a USA or Canadian travel adventure as a primary form of navigation. By all means carry backup maps, but for our journey the TomTom US and Canada app was the

best single purchase we made to aid our USA adventure. In fact at $64.99 it was something of a bargain and I think it’s even cheaper for Android users!

As far as windscreen mounts go, on eBay they start around three or four dollars (the

cheapest aren’t always the best!) and you can also find them at Telstra shops and the like, auto accessory stores, department stores, markets and just about everywhere. You’ll need a suitably long power lead to plug into a cigarette lighter/12 V outlet

Mobile Tech: TomTom USA & Canada

The Main Menu is intuitive and easy to operate. Lifetime map updates are a great feature of the app, too.

and it’s worth taking a backup just in case. Bear in mind that the location of the power outlet and the length of the cable might well dictate just where you end up being able to position your windscreen mount.

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Next Issue

74

double trouble lift kit and different wheels and tyres it makes for a very interesting light duty rough roader.

N

ext issue Malcolm samples a Frontline Campervans’ HiAce with off-road attitude.

Featuring an aftermarket electric diff lock, suspension

July 5-7

JUL

26-28

JUL

5-7

Coincidentally, Richard takes a look at a VW-based Trakka Trakkadu AT fitted with slightly oversized tyres and Webasto’s diesel cooktop – now standard across the Trakkadu range. Certainly not a direct comparison, it’s more an apples-and-oranges look at two different approaches to dirt road campervans.

AUG

9-11July

26-28

JUL

26-28

Mrs iMotorhome spent hours at the Trakkadu AT’s diesel cooker trying a range of recipes and cooking styles and will bring you her view on the cooker – plus some simple, delicious dishes you can try on any cooktop.

Until then please follow us on and Twitter Facebook for breaking news, comments and a bit of fun.

Keep safe!

JUL

5-7

AUG

JUL

9-11 9-11 August 26-28

JUL

5-7

AUG

9-11

Lismore Caravan, Camping & Marine Show

Gold Coast Midyear Caravan, Camping, Boating & Fishing Expo

Mid North Coast Caravan, Camping, 4WD, Fish & Fishing Show

Lismore Showground, Alexandra Parade, Lismore, NSW. • Open 09:00-4:00 daily • Free parking • Adults $12 • Seniors $11 • Kids U14 Free with adult

Parklands, Southport, Gold Coast. QLD. 4215.

• Open daily 9:00-5:00 (closes Sunday 4:00) • Parking free • Adults $10 • Seniors $8 • Kids free with adult

Wauchope Showground, Beechwood Rd, Wauchope. NSW. • Open daily 9:00-5:00 (closes Sunday 4:00) • Parking free • Adults $15 • Seniors $11 • Kids U16 free

http://www.lismore4wdshow.com.au/index.php Click for Google Maps

http://australianevents.com.au/index.php/ midyear-caravan-camping-boating-fishing-expo Click for Google Maps

http://www.campingshow.com.au/cmsms/index.php Click for Google Maps

Know of a local or regional show coming up that attracts and promotes motorhomes, campervans and the great RV lifestyle in general?

Drop us a line at info@imotorhome.com.au and we’ll happily promote it in this calendar.