Fleetwood Enterprises attempting to placate investors

Fleetwood, maker of RVs and manufactured homes, is making a desperate attempt to forestall payment of $100 million in debt owed to holders of debentures due mid December. Fleetwood was recently booted off the New York Stock Exchange when it’s stock dropped below $2 a share.

In a climate where people are nervous about purchasing new RVs the industry is in panic mode. Fleetwood is attempting to persuade their investors to exchange their debentures for a mix of senior secured notes and common stock. So far there have been no takers.According to a Fleetwood press release, they filed paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission outlining the exchange offer. They are giving the debt holders until December 11, 2008 to sign up. “If holders tender their debentures pursuant to the company's repurchase obligation, they will receive only shares of common stock.” Everyone knows one share of Fleetwood common stock wouldn’t buy a cup of coffee, so this is an act of desperation.

Moves like this are a sure sign of a company trying to hold it’s head above water. I would not be surprised to see Fleetwood file for bankruptcy protection in the very near future. RV manufacturers are attempting to downsize, reorganize and restructure their debt in order to buy time. They're hoping the market will turn around in 2009 and they’ll become profitable again.

I would love to see a turnaround in the RV industry next year but I fear more RV manufacturers will lose their grip on the life raft and slip into the icy waters of failed companies. Fleetwood’s chances for a successful recovery are looking smaller with each passing week. The market for manufactured homes is drying up with the rise of foreclosures bringing a glut of empty housing into a rapidly declining market. A rising unemployment rate combined with tight credit markets and dismal consumer confidence are decimating the retail RV industry.

I agree with Chuck Woodbury’s assessment that smaller, more fuel efficient RVs will emerge as the survivors in the future RV market. Families will still purchase RVs that provide basic necessities and serve as a platform for enjoying the great outdoors and they’ll be looking for value and fuel economy. In the meantime, the length and depth of our current economic crisis will shake out many more RV manufacturers and dealers unable to adapt. Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if fewer than a handful of RV manufacturers survive this economic crisis.

Providing you with in-depth RV industry analysis and news - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RV remodeling - if you don't like it change it

Ron & Dianne Fry have been RVing over 40 years. They live in Anacortes, Washington which is a finger of land surrounded by the sea. They love to ski and take their motorhome to Park City, Utah where they have encountered 16 below zero temperatures. They take extra care to ensure all the bays and holding tanks are heated and well insulated. He even installed a suplemental heating system in the cargo bays for this purpose.

Whoever it was that said, "Just because your RV came that way doesn't mean it has to stay that way," was absolutely correct. Ron didn't care for the location of his AC/heating vent under the dash, so he removed it and moved it up on the dash control pannel.An acomplished woodwoker, Ron has improvised and improved many items on his RV which I will show you at a later time. For now take a look at this very functional computer work station.A laptop computer fits nicely inside this computer tray and it is a handsome piece of work to boot. Ron reclaimed empty space to make this system work for them. besides being a place where you can work at the computer, it also serves as a gps system. Notice the use of hook & latch tape to secure the tray face.They use Microsoft Streets and Trips software with a GPS receiver coming out from behind the computer topside on the dash. While Ron is driving, Dianne is able to navigate comfortably from this convieniently placed computer work station.

Bottom line, if you don't like it, reconfigure it to suit your taste - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RVers should prepare for 23 years of cold winters ahead

Canadian environmental scientists using the new Jason satellite predict a 23 year cycle of global cooling straight ahead. This bodes well for RVing because traditionally thousands of Canadian and U.S. RVers flock to southern climates during winter. The coming cold spell will drive more people to the sunshine of the southernmost states and Mexico regardless of fuel prices and economic hard times.

Researchers studying the data from the Jason satellite have identified a Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) pattern which has developed into it’s cyclical cool phase and will run until approximately 2030.These weather patterns follow predictable cycles for example the earth warmed from 1915 to 1940 then cooled from 1940 to 1975. The next global warming began in 1976 and is now turning cold again. Though not discovered until 1996, the PDO turns out to have been an accurate indicator of these warming and cooling cycles. The scientific data is well collaborated by fish migration cycles and ancient tree rings in Baja, Mexico showing there to have been 11 PDO shifts since 1650 averaging 23 years each.Many researchers are now abandoning the “greenhouse gas” theory that drove the recent concept of global warming made popular by Al Gore. The new evidence strongly refutes the idea global warming is caused by man made carbon dioxide emissions because the previous warming cycles were just as bad or worse than more recent cycles and they occurred before man had the capability to produce massive CO2 emissions.
So if you don’t want to be shoveling more snow, chopping more wood, turning up the thermostat and paying higher utility bills, then get your RV ready and head south. I’ll be waiting for you - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing


You can read more specifics here: Canada Free Press

RV dental tourism in Mexico - Part II

RVers have been taking advantage of Mexican dentistry for years. The work is excellent, fast and about a third the cost of U.S. and Canadian dentistry. The responses to the first installment of this series raised some questions I will address in this article.

Jody Brandvold from Brooklyn Center, Minnesota has been RVing to Mesa, Arizona for 11 years and has been receiving dental care in Mexico for over five years. She says she is not nervous at all about the experience saying her doctor is competent, does great work and is gentle. Jody said, “I went to my dentist back home in Minnesota and was quoted over $5,000 and I was able to get the same work done here for about $500.”Blaine an Luella Anderson from Wellsville, Utah are staying at a local RV park in their travel trailer. Luella said she had a complete dental makeover done in Los Algodones three years ago and remains very pleased with the work. Blane tells me he had seven crowns, a new partial and bonding on six of his front teeth, “I figure I saved six thousand dollars compared to back home.”There is a common misconception that Mexican dentists attend dental school in the U.S. but in fact the majority attend dental college at a Mexican university. After graduation and residency some will attend U.S. universities like UCLA or Loma Linda Dental Colleges for post graduate studies.Dentists in Los Algodones accept cash, checks and many take credit cards. Be sure to ask about payment options before you get in the chair.

One of the great advantages to receiving dental care in Mexico is the speed at which they get things done. They use their time wisely and get you in and out quickly while maintaining high standards of professional service. If you are planning on having implant work, keep in mind that after the surgery you must return in three months to have a crown attached to the post.

Tony & Kay Coletta from Lake Nebagamon, Wisconsin have a park model in Phoenix and have been coming to the dentist in Los Algodones for the past three years. Tony was recommended by his cousin who experienced bad work from a U.S. dentist and came to Mexico to have it fixed. He was very pleased with the work and brought the old crown back to the U.S. dentist and received a full refund.

Peggy Arthur from Phoenix, Arizona says of the Mexican dentists, “They don’t hurt you! It’s the best experience I’ve ever had in a dental chair.” She’s been coming here for two years and is a satisfied customer. “And it’s fun,” says Peggy who has friends who come here from as far away as Alaska to get their dental work done at a fraction of the cost.

You may drive across the boarder, but be sure you have Mexican insurance. If you are transporting someone with a handicap this is the best option to use.It costs $2.00 for parking in town and there is about a one hour wait to exit back across to the U.S. side of the border. You can also pay to park in the Indian reservation parking lot and walk across. The town is wheel chair accessible. There are also clean and comfortable hotels located in town within easy walking distance of your dental appointments.

Los Algodones is a safe town with ample security and tourist police. The dental association and other businessmen want to keep Los Algodones clean, safe and a respected haven of dental, audiology and optometry care for both U.S. and Canadian patients. They are not tolerant of any illegal activity by the locals that might in any way soil the reputation of their town. So in that sense, this is not a typical Mexican border town.

There are also many cost saving pharmacies located in Los Algodones.And while you're in town pick up a couple souvenirs from the local vendors.
Blaine & Luelia Anderson are from Redvers a small town located in southeastern Saskatchewan, Canada. I met Luelia when she wandered into my dentist’s office while I was waiting for my appointment. She looked bewildered and when I asked her how she was doing, she told me her story. After she recovered from a mild stroke her dentures no longer fit properly. She told me she went to a couple of dentists in Canada and had four different sets of dentures made but none of them fit properly. She was about to give up on the idea of having a decent set of dentures. I introduced her to my dentist, Dr. Janira Rodarte who immediately took her in for an examination. About 10 minutes later I see Dr. Janira taking Luelia by the arm and leading her out of the office and down the street. When Dr. Janira returned she told me she had taken her to a specialist in geriatric dentistry.

Two weeks later I ran into Blaine & Luelia at the audiologist office where Blaine was being fitted for a hearing aid (I’ll say more about optometry and audiology services in Part V of this series). I was delighted to see Lueila smiling and happy and she was equally happy to see me. She said, “Thank you so much for insisting I see your dentist. After she examined me she took me to Dr. Sam Galaviz. He took me in right away and began working. I came back after lunch for some additional measurements and by 4:00 O’clock I had a new pair of dentures that fit perfectly. I’ll never go back to a Canadian dentist again!” What are the chances you’d get this kind of personal service in the U.S. or Canada?

If you have trouble with your dental work, for whatever reason, the dentists of Los Algodones will work with you to make it right. They want you to be satisfied with your dental work and pride themselves on doing their best for you.

Setting the standard for international RV journalism - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Beaudry files bankruptcy, Bigfoot is gone, is Lazydays next?

32 year old Lazydays has been a top dealership selling many RV brands at their massive dealership located near Tampa, Florida. In the past few months they’ve received awards for being the number one dealer for American Coach, Fleetwood, Tiffin, Carriage, Monaco and Winnebago.

So why are they not able to make the minimum interest payment to their bond holders? This past Monday Lazydays told their senior note holders they elected not to pay them on time (they technically have a 30 day grace period).

What would happen to you if you couldn’t pay the minimum interest rate on your house or RV loan? The lender would foreclose your house and repossess your RV. Lazydays finds itself in that position and is scrambling to find a solution. The problem is Lazydays, like all the RV industry, is running out of options.

Here is the official excuse for failure to pay, “We have the financial resources to run our operations as we normally would as we approach our selling season. Our primary concern is the outlook for the medium and long-term should RV sales remain depressed for a protracted period. Rather than wait for such a situation and have to respond in a reactionary way, we have elected to be pro-active and address these important issues with our bondholders at this time,” said Randy Lay, chief financial officer for Lazydays.

So if you “have the financial resources to run our operations as we normally would…” why don’t you just make your interest payment? It doesn’t take a genius to guess why.

If that isn’t an admission they’re on the edge of bankruptcy, I don’t know what is. Many dealers are in the same boat and can’t bail fast enough. Beaudry RV was forced to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week to keep bankers from shutting down their operations and don’t be surprised if Lazydays follows suit. In fact, don’t be surprised if you begin to see dealerships just disappear altogether. In this financial climate companies are finding it more difficult to reorganize under chapter 11 and simply elect to go out of business.

“Many companies in Chapter 11 are teetering between whether they are able to move forward with their reorganization or shut down because they can’t find additional funds,” said Mark D. Collins of Richards, Layton & Finger, which represents Linens ’n Things in its bankruptcy case.

“True reorganizations, in the spirit of the bankruptcy code, are becoming extremely rare, instead, many companies file for bankruptcy protection and proceed immediately to liquidation.” said Sandra E. Mayerson, a lawyer at Holland & Knight in New York.

Banks, hedge funds and bond managers need cash from the sale of whatever assets they can get their hands on in order to satisfy their nervous shareholders and bond holders who are cashing out. An example of this occurred today when Bigfoot RV, one of Canada’s largest RV manufacturers was shut down by the bank who controlled the company’s financing.So how does this downturn in the RV industry affect you? I strongly recommend you have warranty work done as soon as possible before your dealer disappears. Second, if you think you’ll need any proprietary RV replacement parts I suggest you purchase them now. And finally if you are looking for a great deal on a used or new RV they will soon be available through bankruptcy liquidation auctions.

Reporting RV news as it happens and frequently giving a "heads-up" before it happens - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RV dental tourism in Mexico - Part 1

Not covered by a dental plan? Interested in no frills high quality dental work at a low cost? Your answer may lie across the U.S. Mexico border. I needed a lot of dental work and I kept hearing from RV friends who have had their dental work done just across the border in Mexico, so I decided to give it a shot.

In this five part series of articles I will take you to Los Algodones, Mexico near Yuma Arizona, Acuna near Del Rio, Texas and New Progresso near Brownsville, Texas. The written articles along with the videos should provide you with enough information to make an informed decision about your future dental care.

Mrs. Professor and I acted on a recommendation to see Dr. Janira Rodarte D.D.S. in Los Algodones, Mexico. We crossed the border with ease (making sure we had our passports for the return trip). Walking down the streets I noticed a street sweeper keeping the neighborhood tidy for the mostly Canadian and U.S. tourists. There are modern and clean public restrooms on the Mexican side of the border for your convenience.
We walk down a narrow walkway with vendors, dental shops, restaurants and pharmacies mixed together. We easily found our recommended dentist and went into the office. The receptionist doesn’t speak English well (and I don’t speak Spanish well). She hands us a form to fill out and a young, well groomed Mexican boy comes in with his backpack. He picks up a package, then exits, jumping on his bicycle and is off. He’s one of many dental couriers carrying dental work back and forth between the labs and the dental offices; very efficient and quick.

As we wait to see the dentist we watch tourists walk up and down the walkway outside the office. We are a little nervous but feel confident because we were recommended and the folks in the lobby are satisfied return customers from Canada and the U.S. Outside vendors hawk their wares while workers in medical scrubs walk by sipping on soft drinks while on lunch break.

Harold from South Dakota had three teeth extracted, four crowns, two fillings and a bridge all for $1,150.Walt Hammer, also from South Dakota, had a partial both upper and lower done for $320. Walt says that an exam and cleaning back home costs him $150 while the same thing here is only $30.The best way to find a dentist here is by word of mouth. Ask your fellow Canadians or Americans who are in the clinics (yes you are free to just walk into the clinics) how they feel about their experience. You’ll find many satisfied customers. You can also shop for the best price (it’s expected in Mexico).

My new dentist greets me with broken English, gives me an exam and sets me up for an appointment the following day. Mrs. Professor and I head for the restaurant next door and enjoy a fabulous Mexican lunch for around $5 a plate.
Getting back across the border is more difficult than coming into Mexico. In fact, when you come into Mexico no one stops you or asks any questions, you just walk right in. Last year crossing back to the U.S. side could take up to two hours standing in a long line. They were constructing a new processing center last year so the wait time should improve. The Mexican dental association in Los Algodones was kind enough to erect benches, a covered walkway and bathrooms to make the wait more comfortable.There are an abundance of RV parks in the Yuma area and it’s a short drive to the border. You can park your car or RV in the Indian reservation parking lot (it was $5 per car and more for an RV last year) and walk across the border. We stayed at the Indian reservation RV park just outside the border gate and found it convenient to walk to our dental appointments.

Stay tuned in the following weeks as I continue to share this experience with you. My goal in this blog is to open up new possibilities for you to explore.

Taking a bite out of expensive dental care - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Should you consider installing alternative energy options on your RV?

The U.S. electric power grid is old, weak and falling behind demand by the day. Brownouts, blackouts and unreliable electricity delivery may be here before we know it; so says a report by Mark P. Mills at Forbes.com.

Here is something to chew on, since the 1973 oil embargo U.S. oil consumption has only increased 15% whereas electricity has jumped by 115%. It’s not the commercial and industrial sectors that increased the demand, it’s the ginormous increase in home computers, appliances, monster TVs, spas, and all manner of new gadgets all requiring electricity. On top of all this we want to ad electric automobiles that can be recharged at home.

So how realistic is it that the U.S. may become like a third world electricity provider in the near future (sometimes the power works, sometimes it doesn’t)?“Right now the nation has 760 gigawatts of power plants to meet current consumption, with another 154 in reserve capacity to maintain grid reliability. But in fact only 10 gigs is truly excess capacity. The other 144 is utterly essential to keep lights on when unexpected demand arises from heat waves, outages or maintenance downtime. That reserve will begin to shrink quickly. NERC (North American Electric Reliability Corporation) estimates that over the next decade 135 gigawatts of new capacity will be needed to meet the growth in consumption. But right now plants producing a total of 57 gigawatts are planned.” said Mills.

For perspective, one gigawatt would power a city the size of San Francisco.

When you do the math we come up 78 gigawatts short. We barely have enough power to meet demand now, "There really isn't any excess in the system," says Rick P. Sergel, chief executive at the North American Electric Reliability Corporation.

Half of U.S. electric power is generated by coal which is increasingly looked down upon because of it’s carbon footprint. 59 new coal fired plants were canceled in 2007 and approximately 50 more are at risk of being axed by environmental opposition. It takes a long time to plan one of these plants (get permits, environmental studies, etc.) and it takes another six years just to build one.

Natural gas plants supply 20% of U.S. electricity but our natural gas reserves are dwindling and international demand for this hydrocarbon is increasing driving up the price, so it’s not the answer.

Nuclear power supplies another 20% and we haven’t had a new nuclear plant for over 30 years.Hydroelectric, Wind, and solar together generate less than 10% or our power and though promising technology is on the horizon, it won’t arrive in time to have any significant impact on the situation.

So what does this mean for your electric use and your electric bill? What does it mean for the rates at RV parks? According to NERC, electric rates at peak times will increase as much as tenfold. According to Mills we could also see forced conservation, rationing, or even blackouts in rotation among business and residential customers.
RV alternative energy options:
Installing solar panels on your RV may be something you may want to consider. RV parks will have no choice but to pass on increased electric rates to their customers. On the other hand, if you have solar panels and a good set of batteries you can free yourself from the power grid and enjoy camping where there are no electric hook-ups. Your camping options increase dramatically when you produce your own electricity.Small portable wind generators have come a long way and new models are much more efficient. Many of these units are being successfully employed by RV boondockers on BLM land in the southwestern United States. If you are camped where there is wind you can tap into this alternative source of energy.

Solar and wind won’t be able to power your air conditioner, but you’ll be able to run a fan and use other electrical appliances. Awnings and the prudent use of your generator should keep you more than comfortable as you enjoy undisturbed electric power from your truly self contained RV.

Staying charged up about RVing - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RV industry in the ditch with no tow trucks available

We received many outstanding and thoughtful comments on my article RV industry on life support may not survive and some of you thought I was out to lunch. This article by by Marilyn Odendahl of The Elkhart Truth Newspaper with its journalistic fingers on the pulse of the RV industry correlates nicely with my earlier analysis. The article appears below or you may click here to go to the source: The Elkhart Truth Newspaper.

No quick fix seen for RVs
by Marilyn Odendahl of The Elkhart Truth Newspaper

The RV industry may not bounce back as quickly from this economic downturn as in the past, says IUSB economist Grant Black.

Local wisdom holds that the recreational vehicle industry is the first to recover from a recession, but one university economist believes this time could be different.

The drastic loss of personal wealth coupled with the expectation that the tight credit market will continue leads Grant Black to predict RVs will not bounce back as quickly from this economic downturn.

"I don't think that's going away," he said. "Even with the stabilization in the markets, I think you're going to see a lot tighter credit than you did a year ago or two years ago."

Black, the director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at Indiana University South Bend, was among the IU economists at the IU Kelley School of Business 2008 Business Outlook Panel.

The panel predicted the economic decline would extend through the first half of 2009 but by the fourth quarter the economy will be improving. However, that improvement probably will not have factories pumping out products and consumers spending freely.

Instead, by the fourth quarter the American economy will have returned to the level it is today, explained Morton Marcus, director emeritus of the Indiana Business Research Center at IU.

"Tough times are here and tough times are ahead," Black said.

Although gas prices, which initially tripped up the RV industry, have dropped to below $2 a gallon, shipments are falling to record levels, in part, because buyers are having great difficulty getting financing.

"The banks are tighter than a frog's rear end," said Rob Reid, president and owner of Great Lakes RV Center in Elkhart. "I am mad at our local banks here because they don't want to help. They're pulling back rather than helping out."

As an example of how tight the credit market has become, Reid pointed to one customer who had a solid credit score of 710 and wanted to borrow $54,000 but got rejected by the bank in October. In March, that same customer would have slid through with an automatic approval.

"I was baffled," Reid said. "In fact, I yelled at the banker, 'This is ridiculous.'"

With the concentration of manufacturing, the Northern Indiana region was hurt by the recession but Elkhart County has fared worse because of the "massive slowdown" in the RV industry, Black said.

The indicators of the economic conditions include:

* Of the 8,800 jobs the region lost through September, Elkhart dropped the most at 5,300.

* The average weekly wage in Elkhart has stagnated at $702 for the past couple of years.

* The number of households in Elkhart receiving food stamps has risen 27 percent to 8,700 from August 2007 to August 2008.

Local banks are not giving any signal of when they will start lending again, but Reid anticipates bankers will keep a tight hold on the money for another six months. As for when the RV industry will rebound, he was not so sure.

An estimated 150 business professionals attended the breakfast event at Saint Mary's College, which was presented by the Northern Indiana Workforce Board.

Like it or not, I give it to you straight, and you read it here first - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Working around RV slide out protrusions

Remodeling an RV with a slide-out rooms may present problems. For instance, if you plan on laying new tile in your rig you may need to remove the decorative molding around the interior slide-out frame and extend the slide-out room enough to expose the floor. It's a hassle which requires a level of expertise and tools most do-it-yourselfers don't possess. The most common problem is working around a platform "lip". The first modern RV slide-out rooms used a mechanical means to move the slide straight out leaving the platform lip exposed inside the coach. Later improvements allowed the slide room to be lowered so the platform lip was level with the floor of the RV. The old platform lip can still be found in new coaches usually covered by a couch or bed. Since these furnishings cover the lip you don't notice it and it's cheaper to build.

But what if you want to get rid of that extra couch and replace it with a desk or a recliner? What do you do about the platform lip? Fulltime RVers JC and Bev Webber faced this challenge when they wanted to remove a couch and install an heirloom desk and a Lazy Boy chair. Once the couch was removed they simply used a half round wood slab to support the chair. They bought a round table top at one of the large box hardware stores in the lumber department, cut it in half, glued it together and voila - problem solved.

They also used a piece of wood to support one of the legs of their desk.They move the chair along with the supports into the slide when they bring in the slide room. You could go a step further and find some matching carpet to cover the supports. Remodeling frequently requires innovation and imagination, so if you can imagine it you can do it! Helping you think around the box - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Optimizing RV storage compartments makes RVing more enjoyable

It takes a few years of serious RVing before you settle on what items are essential to take along in your RV. Many men think it important to bring tools along and the type and quantity varies with each guy. Women RVers may find it important to have craft projects and the tools that accompany them. Since everyone has different tastes RV manufacturers leave it up to individuals to determine how to configure empty storage space.

When most people take a trip in a car they don't think much about storage, they simply toss their suit cases into the trunk and leave. RVs are different because RVers need more gear and storage space is at a primium. Most veteran RVers will tell you it's important to optimize storage space through organization.

Knowing exactly what he likes to take along in his RV, Jack Skogman decided to convert a roll out storage tray into a cabinet. He removed the sliding tray (leaving the slide out hardware in place) and built a cabinet with three drawers to fit in it's place. He can pull the full extension drawers out to retrieve his stuff and he can also pull the whole cabinet out on the tray sliders.
If you don't have the skills to make the cabnitry yourself, draw up some simple plans and take it to a cabinet shop. This is a great way to take full advantage of empty storage space. It also helps keep storage spaces tidy and prevents stuff from getting pushed to the back and lost.

Another thing Jack did was to build a lawn chair organizer. This is a simple plywood box with slats to hold the chairs in a uniform place inside one of his outside storage bays.Once you know what's essential for your RVing style, these kinds of organization ideas will enhance your overall RV experience. It doesn't matter if you have a small travel trailer, a Class "C" or a monster diesel pusher, these concepts can help you better organize so you spend less time looking for things and more time enjoying the great outdoors. Helping you get it together and keep it together - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Improve your RV view with this flexible screen door idea

A huge part of RVing fun is being able to enjoy the scenery as you travel. Mrs. Professor has complained for some time about the screen door blocking her view from where she sits in the passenger seat so I was delighted to meet Barbara Grogan from Cardiff by the Sea, California, who gave me this idea which I implemented with great success in my own motorhome. She had her husband John remove the screen so she could see the sights. The idea works great except it fails to keep the bugs from invading once they are parked. The solution was to use hook and latch on the new screen and the door frame so that the screen can easily be removed and replaced.They put the soft part of the hook and latch material on the door frame so it wouldn’t scratch the person sitting near it. The hook part of the material was sewn onto the screen which helps hold the rolled screen in place for storage when not in use.The Grogans used screws at first to help hold the hook and latch material in place. The screws didn’t work so they replaced them with rivets.I didn’t use rivets on my door frame because the adhesive on the back side of the hook and latch material holds it in place just fine (at least for the time being). Barbara also did the same thing to the bottom of the door frame because she says it’s easier to clean.The Grogans used a heavy duty sun shade type fabric for this project. I just used the standard nylon type screen material you can pick up at any hardware store. I used a sewing machine to attach the hook and latch material to the screen using two runs of thread on each side of the tape. I folded the edges and pinned them to the hook and latch material prior to sewing for a clean professional finished look.

Now Mrs. Professor can see the sights and I can keep the insects out as we move around the country enjoying our RV.

Working the bugs out one great idea at a time - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Make your RV more user friendly with these inexpensive ideas

A little organization will go a long way towards making your RV adventures more pleasant. When things are well organized and in their proper place it makes setting up and breaking camp much easier. RVers Allen and Evelyn Hokenson from West Covina, California showed me a few tips on how they organize their RV.Allen made simple plywood dividers inside one of his storage bays to hold folding chairs. He varnished the wood (eliminates splinters) and fastened it to the floor and ceiling of the compartment with "L" brackets. This storage solution is inexpensive and easy to make.

Evelyn loves her travel organization basket. This basket sits on the dash and holds maps, pencils, notebooks, reading glasses and other assorted travel aids. The basket sits low enough not to disturb the driver's view and provides a handy storage solution that's easy to reach and keeps the dashboard tidy.


Keeping it clean - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RVer takes a fence to unused storage space

What do you get when you cross a collapsible ladder, a fence post and an RV? This:Long time RVer Mike Butler from Glendale, Arizona wanted a convenient place to store his collapsible ladder. So Mike chose a vinyl fence post available at most hardware stores and converted it into an RV storage device. He ran the length of hollow vinyl fence post along the empty space over his propane tank suspending it with plumbers tape (also available at hardware stores).The end caps are in the vinyl fence accessories section and make a nice finishing touch on this practical storage solution.What I liked best about this application was the retaining wire that holds the cap when the ladder is being extracted. Mike used an electrical wire connector with a solderless connection which he crimped onto a length of flexible wire. This is a great idea and can be used with any application where you need to allow a cap or connector to remain attached. A sewer cap, bumper cap, fresh water inlet cap, gas cap, and a windshield fluid reservoir cap are a few ideas for this application. Posting more great RV ideas inside and out - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RV industry on life support may not survive

RV manufacturers and dealers have been dropping like leaves in fall as the greatest economic crisis of all time descends on the globe. Here are the reasons this is happening:

Potential RV buyers are having difficulty obtaining loans for new RVs
RV customers have all but disappeared
Inventories of all RV types are stacking up and not moving
Dealers can’t afford to carry the unsold inventory
Manufacturers don’t have the financial capital to carry them through this crisis
Manufacturers who are traded publicly have seen their stock prices fall relentlessly making it difficult if not impossible to raise new operating capital

I am not expecting the patient to live much longer. In fact, I’ll be surprised if any RV manufacturers come out of this alive. You may think I’m blowing smoke on this issue, but I assure you our Humpty Dumpty economy will not be put back together again. In fact, things will never be the same again despite what all the king’s horses and all the king’s men try to do. Here are the facts driving a stake into the heart of the RV industry:

Unemployment is increasing and will continue to climb making discretionary purchases such as a new RV out of the question.

Pension funds and 401k retirement accounts have lost so much money people are postponing retirement. This is significant because retirees represent a large segment when it comes to purchasing “big ticket” RVs. I won’t bore you with the details, but public pension funds have lost billions of dollars so far this year (most have lost over 20%).

How does your average baby boomer afford to buy a $350,000 motorhome? They were counting on selling their home for a handsome profit and motoring off into the Arizona desert for the winter. Forget it! Housing prices have fallen off a cliff. Nearly 20% of U.S. mortgages are under water (meaning folks owe more than their house is worth) which represents 7.5 million properties. This condition will continue to grow worse as time progresses. The era of easy money and home equity loans are a thing of the past. I once used a $25,000 home equity check along with a personal check to purchase a new 5th wheel. In the past RV dealerships saw many of these financial instruments used to buy new RVs but not anymore.

The big three U.S. automakers are just months away from filing bankruptcy. The government may come to the rescue but don’t count on a government bailout of the RV industry. The health of the auto industry is directly related to it’s cousin the RV industry. What is happening to the automobile industry is happening to the RV sector magnified many times.

Consider this October 28th Wall Street Journal article quote by Kate Linebaugh: “With credit drying up and new-vehicle sales slumping to a 25-year low, car dealerships from New Jersey to California are going out of business at an accelerating pace, threatening greater economic pain for communities around the country. The National Automobile Dealers Association estimates 700 new-car dealerships will close this year, up from 430 last year, and taking with them an estimated 37,100 jobs around the country.”

I’ve lost count of the many RV manufacturers who have gone out of business or have cut employment this year.The trucking industry and heavy equipment sector is also on the ropes. Companies like Volvo, the second largest maker of commercial trucks, have seen orders for new trucks plummet this year. Caterpillar is also worried. “Next year, no doubt, will be a challenge,” Caterpillar’s chief executive, James W. Owens, recently warned.

I can give you another dozen reasons why the RV industry as we know it is dying, but you’re savvy readers and already see the handwriting on the wall. So what should you do given this information?

If you plan on keeping your current RV, then make sure everything works and pick up any spare parts you need to keep it going in the next few years. If you need warranty work, get it done before your dealer goes out of business. If you plan to shop for a good used RV, there will be plenty to be had at bargain basement prices in the months ahead as unemployed folks liquidate their assets to pay down debt.

Reporting from the intensive care waiting room - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing