Buying or Renting a Motorhome in America

Buying or Renting a Motorhome (RV) in America

                        INDEX

The RV

                        Rent or Buy

                        Renting an RV

                        Buying an RV

                        Choosing the right RV

                        RV built-in facilities

                        Registration and Insurance

                        RV Storage Options

                        RV Clubs and Roadside Assistance
                        Servicing your RV

The Trip

                        Planning the Trip

                        RV Parks and Park Directories

                        National Parks and State Parks

                        Choose the dates for travel

                        Choose your Travel Route

                        Free Camping

                        Travel Costs

                        Ferries

Driving

                        Driving in the USA

                        GPS

                        Towing a Vehicle

                        Toll Systems

                       

Other

                        Visas and Passports

                        Travel Insurance

                        Money & Cards

                        Phones & Internet

                        Shopping and Loyalty Cards

Please Note:   This post is in the process of being set up, as yet links from the index are not set up.  My apologies for any inconvenience in have to search and scroll. 


Rent or Buy

Whilst owning the RV has a lot of pluses in it’s favour, if it were for a single trip, the scales tip towards renting, there can be some tempting deals around, particularly if it is not in the peak season.  For anything under 4 months, the time required to set it up plus the added costs of owning, registration, insurance and storage or selling would, in my opinion rule out buying.

After that it can be a viable proposition to purchase, particularly if further trips to the USA or Canada are planned.   In our case, we will have had 10 trips spread between family members over the 48 months of ownership, a total of 25 months on the road.

Keep in mind that this blog is written from an Australian’s perspective, consequently any reference or comparison to Australian systems may, or may not, be relevant to other countries.

However, the intent here is to explain some of the issues faced by Non-Americans when trying to navigate through the systems.

Renting an RV

Some of the big RV renters are USA RV RENTALS,  EL MONTE RV RENTALS and CRUISE AMERICA RV RENTALS,  CAMPING WORLD

If you look at the rental RVs on the road the majority are 24 or 26 ft “C” Class

The hire RVs are generally 24 or 26 ft Class C, Ours is a 24 and we find it great, it is classed as a 6 berth, but it is great for 2, the table is always up and ready to use, the overcab bed is great for storage and the bed at the back is made up all the time, toilet, shower, big fridge/freezer, built in furnace (LP gas heating system) built in generator, 110 volt mains power air-con/heater, all good,

For hiring, you would need to check out the rates, keep in mind all of the extras,

Such as bedding, outdoor table & chairs, GPS and mileage.

They generally allow 100 miles per day and you would need to buy a block of mileage before heading off, if you think you will do more. It can cost 25 to 40 cents per mile for the extra mileage if you just leave it until the end of the trip.

We did 170 miles/day on our National Parks trip in 2010, 

220 miles/day on our Alaska trip in 2009

and 120 miles/day in 2011across the south fro LA to Miami

Insurance small print items are always a worry

Important also to check out any area restrictions that might apply.

Some websites to check out are:

www.usarvrentals.com

www.elmonterv.com

www.cruiseamerica.com

www.rvrentalsofamerica.com

www.campingworld.com/rvrentals/

And the list goes on

In Alaska :  http://www.greatalaskanholidays.com/ is a major renter.

Their website also offers some great suggestions for Alaska RV destinations

It also seems Mid April to Early September is the range for the RV season in Alaska.

Another is : http://alaskabestrvrentals.com/

In Canada

A few sites to start looking there are :

http://www.cruisecanada.com/

http://www.apollorv.ca/

http://www.canadream.com/

Buying an RV

The Cost of Owning an RV Stored in USA

The purchase of the RV which could range from $20k and up, depending on your taste.

A good 6 berth “C” class would probably set you back $35k

Then there are the fixed costs:

Annual Registration                    $120 pa (will vary depending on the state of registration)

Annual Insurance                       1^st Year $1200,  2^nd  year  $850 pa

Storage                                     $1440 pa (12 months LA)  or  $600 pa (12 months in Atlanta)

Good Sam Membership              $20 pa

Good Sam Roadside Service       $110 pa  (Platinum)

Good Sam Mail box                   $10 per month  (plus mail forwarding costs)

Buying the RV

One shouldn’t loose sight of the fact that compared with Australian and European prices, RVs are at comparatively bargain prices in the US. I have to say that to try to screw the last $ out of the purchase price could end up being a disaster and the exercise wrecked.

Buying second-hand from a dealer, 

Be aware that the RV will, by law, have been stripped of everything except for the mattress.

Allow $3500 - $5000 to re-stock with bedding, linen, cutlery, crockery, cooking utensils, water hose, sewerage disposal hoses and fittings, electrical lead, Snow Chains, First Aid Kit and of course it is essential to have a GPS.

Plus allow several days to purchase and set up the equipment before travelling.

Some suggested sites to start looking on the internet are:

www.rvonline.com

www.lazydays.com

www.rvusa.com

To get an idea of RV values the NADA site can help, it requires a zip code for your required area such as 32513 for Pensacola Florida or  92801 for Anaheim California the site is:

http://www.nadaguides.com/RVs

Lazydays have great setup in Tampa Florida. They have now set up a branch in Tucson Arizona,

They have a huge lot of used RVs, they will give you a golf buggy to tour around the lot and pick out an RV that you like, once purchased you can camp on their site whist it is all sorted and being in Florida can make reg & Insurance easier, The only down side to them was that we could not browse their website for prices as they do not list them, make an enquiry on a unit and they will email the price. Also the cost to get to Florida made it less appealing. In hindsight, it would have been the cheaper way for us to go. By looking at their website you can see the range of RVs that they have to offer. They seem to stand by what they sell.

Buying second-hand,   private sale.

Certainly you could get it for the best price and it will probably come with all the fittings and furnishings. The problems here are: no warranty, and getting around to view them. To find one on the internet, you may find the need to travel all over the country to view them. This of course is costly and time consuming.  There have also been horror stories of buyers from overseas having paid the funds over before they get into the country, being confronted with a vehicle, a lot less quality than what was expected or in fact advertised. Once the sale has gone through, you are stuck with it. I would like to be able to “Kick the Tyres” before handing over the cash.

USA in general is a very pet friendly country, and that is born out in the fact that pets are welcome in 99% of RV Parks, National Parks, State Parks. Etc.  Accordingly they become a part of the RV community and have left their mark on some RVs on the market.  I note some sellers advertise “No Pets”.  Something to look for, if it may bother you that dogs or cats (or both) have been living in it.

Buying second-hand using an intermediary

Still a gamble, we tried this method, cost an arm & leg in inspection fees and we still ended up with a lemon that we traded in after two weeks. Cut our losses and put it down to experience.

Ex Rentals

Our unit is an ex rental and as they change them after 2 -3 years to keep their fleet modern, it is not a bad option, They are usually well maintained mechanically.

Most ex-rental RVs are sold off through the dealers

Three of the big RV renters are USA RV RENTALS,  EL MONTE RV RENTALS and CRUISE AMERICA RV RENTALS,  It could even be worth contacting them direct to get on to an ex rental unit before it goes to a dealer.  

I am told that Cruise America is offering deals for international buyers and have an arrangement with the Arizona State to accept registrations there. But check out the registration costs before committing, I have been told it is excessive.

Payment Options

For details of payment, when purchasing the RV refer to the "Money and Cards" section

Choosing the Right RV

Selection and Size of RV

There are a lot of huge RVs in the USA, many of which are driven to a single location and set up for the holiday season. Many are set up as permanent accommodation. They look great have all the bells & whistles but they are a pain to drive once off the main highways.

If the RV is to be used for travel and sightseeing some compromises have to be made.

We found the “C” Class models were best for travel, they are available in all sizes. From 22ft to 33ft 

If you look at the rental RVs on the road the majority are 24 or 26 ft “C” Class, which is an indication of the popular sizes

 Again in considering that we were intending to visit a lot of the National Parks, we noted that some of the access roads restricted travel to 26ft long vehicles

Transport on ferries and storage parks are also paid on a per foot basis.

Many of the later model “C” class brands have been incorporating one or two slideouts, which increase your living space but maintain a small size for driving, Some of the rental companies are offering them as an option now, so those will soon be drizzled onto the used RV pool also.  But be aware that to use the slides the RV is required to be perfectly level for them to operate, This would seem to be an inconvenience if it is just an overnight stop, so make sure that the RV is still usable without extending the slides.

Model of  RV

As late a model as possible is best. Lets face it, most products today are made to replace not repair and often have a built in 10 year life span, I do not see that the RVs are being made any differently.

I note that some storage facilities will not store vehicles over 10 years old.

Originally we purchased in Seattle, through an intermediary, we ended up with a bomb and traded it when we got to Boise Idaho, the 1st RV was supposed to be max 30 ft and it was sold as that, but on collection it was 34ft.  It was also a 1997 model and apparently in that era the water and other pipes were below the floor line, which caused freezing issues all the time during winter, later models have all the pipes above the floor line.  Our current RV which is the one we bought in Boise is a 24ft Fleetwood Jamboree 2005 model and we find that just fine, it is a 6 berth but as you would be aware, you would have to be desperate to travel with 6 in it, It is great for 2 for extended travel,  Another option is engine size, we bought a 450 Ford V10, they also have the same size RVs with the 350 Ford engine, I would assume it would be a saving in fuel, with the 350.

We went for the 24ft, a 26ft was on offer at the same yard and it had a walk around bed across the back and would have been a better option, as it is we have to enter the bed and crawl up to get in, not a big drama but the other would have been better. The extra $1500 was the decider after coming back from having to trade in the one that we bought by engaging a “tyre kicker” to organise the purchase, big and costly mistake, in hindsight we would sooner allow a week to do the inspections ourself.

It can very tempting to go for the luxurious “A” Class, and some do and are very happy with it, but be aware that they come with restrictions as to where you can drive them and that you are going to be driving in a strange environment, eg. Left Hand drive, and many of the smaller roads do not have the side verge that we take for granted. You can find trees or boulders right on the edge of the bitumen. Often the best solution, if tempted to go for the larger “A” class, is to go the whole hog and tow a small car.   If your mode of holiday is to stay for extended periods in an area and thoroughly explore the region, before moving on, then this may well be a good option.

RV Built-in Facilities

LPG Furnace

Most RVs, are fitted with a gas furnace, which is a necessity, particularly if travelling anywhere near the snow.

The LPG system is different to ours in Australia and also that of Europe and the UK, in that it is a large permanently fixed tank, accessed through an outside hatch, and is only filled by the servo attendant. No Cars run on LPG.

Electric Connection at RV Parks;

The American electrical system operates on 110 volts as compared with Australia, Europe and UK where they operate on 240 volts  It is therefore advisable to take a 12v/240v inverter with you if you are also taking any electrical items that may need charging from a 240v outlet.

There are three connection outlets at most sites 50 amp,  30amp  and 15 amp

Most “C” class RVs use the 30 amp unless it is a monster with twin aircons.  “A” Class RVs are more likely to have the 50 amp connection. It is a good idea to carry a couple of adaptors  50 male / 30 female and  15 male / 30 female.  We have needed each of them at odd times.

Generator

Most Rvs have a generator installed from new, they are built in and generally only require maintenance when the RV is serviced. A common model is the Onan 4 or 5Kva (they are quiet).

It is certainly worth having and should be a criteria when selecting.

It is essential that the generator is operated at least once per month and if it is a petrol generator, make sure to have a stabilizers fluid added to your fuel tank for the last time that the generator is operated before storage. Onan recommend their “OnaFresh Fuel Preservative and Stabilizer”

Sewer Connections

As with the electrical system, the USA use a sewerage system different to those in Australia, Europe and the UK.  Rather than the removable cassette, the US RVs have a fixed blackwater tank, to which a flexible hose is connected and plugged into a sewer point in the ground near the rear driver’s side of the RV.  Once connected, a slide gate is opened to drain the blackwater tank into the sewer point. The sewer gate is then closed and the grey water tank gate opened, this action flushes the hose.  We have a habit of flushing a bucket of water through the toilet bowl to clean the blackwater tank, then a bucket of water through the kitchen sink to clean out the grey water tank.

Registration and Insurance

Registration / Insurance

When buying an RV it has to be registered to a person who has an address in the state where it is to be registered.  Herein lies a problem, unless you have a friend or relative prepared to lend their address to your purchase. 

Sometimes to overcome the problem, the salesman will use his address to get the sale done, however the problem re-arises when renewal comes up and not knowing whether you will get any mail forwarded on to you from the salesman.

Many states such as California and Idaho require the RV to be presented for inspection annually for re-registration.

California and Canada are particularly hot on having regular “Emissions” Certificates for the RV. California requires one every 2^nd year.

It appears that Florida does not require inspection and the RV can be registered for 2 years at the one time.

We found the answer was in joining “Good Sam” which is an equivalent to Australia’s RACV, RACQ or NRMA Whilst they are based in Florida, it operates nationally.

Good Sam membership can provide:

An excellent Roadside Service specific to RVs.

A home address for Registration using Florida as the home state.

The same address for Insurance of the RV

Contact to an Insurance Company for RVs

A mail collection and or forwarding service, through their “American Home Base Inc.”

Mail out of the “Highways” monthly journal

It should be noted that to arrange a USA mailing address before you enter the country, it cannot be done through Good Sam, However you can arrange it direct with “American Home Base” overt the internet.     http://www.amhomebase.com/

I would advise anybody to get the US address set up first before attempting anything else-- Here`s the problem.Good Sam would not provide an address until we were in the U.S.However, American Home Base who actually operate the Good Sam service were happy to oblige with the address through them direct and we completed the paperwork for the PO box after we arrived. This meant that we were able to open a bank account with Bank Of America as soon as we arrived. The bank was happy with our Aust. Tax file No instead of the ubiquitious social security No.

We could not renew our initial insurance, which we had arranged in Idaho when we bought the RV, as we did not have an Idaho address.  Again the answer came through Good Sam and our Florida address, However there were some minor hitches in getting the insurance accepted.

We went through Gilbert RV Insurance Agency in Orlando Florida   Ph 407-382-9204. We had to explain that we live in Australia and use the RV for holidays, eventually that was accepted, it seemed that they were concerned that it was our only home, as we do not have any other insurance in Florida.

Most important is to arrange the mailing address with Good Sam before negotiating any deal, insurance, registration, or any other contract.

We also found it a hassle to have an extra person’s name added to the list of drivers for the insurance company. To avoid the drama, list all probable drivers at the time of setting up the insurance, for the year, if it is intended that they will be driving the RV for more than a week. The Insurance company required a certified copy of each persons’ State and International Driving licences. (obtained in Australia from RACV, NRMA, etc)

No problems with our insurance going to Alaska, I know some companies baulk at Mexico but ours doesn’t. although we haven’t and most likely won’t drive there.

Whilst in USA just recently we were advised that the US Department of Home Security has thrown a cat amongst the pigeons by declaring the use of the Good Sam Mailing address inappropriate for the registration of RVs.

If this is the case, it would seem to have far reaching effects, as many US citizens have sold their house and live full time in their RVs and use a mail forwarding service, such as Good Sam as their legal Address.  It appears that the intent is to put a barrier up for the likes of us “Aliens”.

We have our RV registered under this address and as yet we have received no notice of any change, however, please be aware that all may not be plain sailing.

A review of the options available apart from Good Sam are :

Case 1.

Jeannette Rea from Johnnie Walker Travel Homes, 5800 Boulder highway Las Vegas NV  89122       www.jwrv.com   comes highly recommended

Jeannette, the RV sales lady did all the work for them so all they had to do was pick up the keys for her when they arrived in the US.

Case 2

When we bought in Colorado Springs it was all up to us.

When you buy an RV/vehicle from a sales place they do not register the vehicle like in Australia.  They give you a temporary notification allowing you 60 days to get it registered.

We didn't pay any sales tax/stamp duty until you register the vehicle so be very aware of that as it could cost you big time later.

You must have insurance before you drive out of the sales yard and that insurance needs to be from the State where you are going to register the vehicle.  eg.  We had Nevada insurance but we had to cancel that and take out South Dakota insurance when we registered it there,or that is what I have found.

We picked South Dakota to register as it has only 3% sales tax BUT you need to get a SD driving licence which did include a written test & drive.   For the licence we did need our I-94 departure card (B1/B2 Visa) With a USA driver’s licence it make the insurance a lot cheaper.

It seems Sales Tax in Arizona is 6% so it would be worth while checking out the state you are going to purchase in.

In South Dakota we had help from

Terri Lund

110 E Center St

MADISON   SD   57042.

Terri also has a mail service called www.mydakotaaddress.com Terri has been very helpful and trustworthy. 

Case 3

The vehicle rego in California with a Florida address was no problem and we have just renewed it on line.(you only need the smog test in Ca. every 2 nd year) Insurance was done through Michael Diamond of Diamond Michaels Insurance in Sun City just out of L.A( which is where we purchased the vehicle) and could not have been simpler. We contacted him before we left Aust and did it all on line. He arranged cover for us through Progressive Insurance with full comprehensive and $19,000 cover on the vehicle for under $400. The added bonus is that Progressive are a recognised national company which seems to overcome the state based insurance issues. I would highly recommend him.We did need an international driving licence for the insurance                            DMIA - Diamond Michaels Insurance Agency                     28125 Bradley Rd Ste 190, Sun City, CA 92586

(951) 679-1329

We have just returned from our trip across the Southern States, and there have been some developments, of which you should be made aware.

In the past two months, a colleague from Australia has purchased an RV, privately in Alabama, picked it up and drove it to Florida to effect the registration. The registration officials in Pensacola Florida would not accept the Good Sam address as a legal address for the registration. He was told that the “Department of Home Security” had intervened and had declared it not suitable for a legal address.  The staff at Good Sam were beside themselves with the news and the possible implications, as many US residents have sold their homes and taken to life in their RV, using Good Sam as their legal address.

Fortunately in this case, the Australian buyer did happen to have a cousin who resides in Florida and was able to use his address, so his problem was solved.

However that leaves the rest of us up in the air. We have our own RV registered and insured using the Good Sam address and have not been advised of any change. But until it is cleared as to whether it was a kneejerk reaction by some official of the Department or if it will flow through to us we do not know. Maybe it is a stopper for new registrations not renewals.

We would hate for someone to be faced with the same problem, based on our recommendations and not have a handy Cousin to call on.

But all is not lost, whilst in the USA we were put in touch with an organisation called “Montana Corporate Services” and they seem to have the answers to our registration and insurance issues as Non Residents (Aliens). We have spoken to John McCluskey john@montanacorporate.com  and we are satisfied that it is a way to go. We have attached some brief details below, of their operation, as they were relayed to us.   If interested check out their website montanacorporate.com, where a series of links end up giving the complete picture.

Montana Corporate also offer a mailing service, which seems a little cheaper that Good Sam.

• http://www.montanacorporate.com
•  
• 1 - Fill-out our simple Montana LLC online form. We'll prepare and file it for you.
  2 - Buy your RV, boat or airplane in any state, and from any dealer or individual.
  3 - We'll get your plates and FedEx them to you. That's it!

How it works

• The Limited Liability Company (LLC) form of business offers both the protections from personal liability of a corporation and the favourable tax treatment of a partnership. It provides for flexibility in the contribution and distribution of assets.
• Under this type of structure, you need not hold annual meetings, elect officers or issue stock.
• There are no stockholders. Owners are called members.
• The LLC can purchase assets like vehicles, boats and aircraft.
• Because the LLC is considered a Montana resident, no sales taxes are collected on any purchases.
• An LLC-purchased vehicle is not owned by you but by your Montana LLC and your business address will be 302 N. Last Chance Gulch, Suite 403, Helena Montana, not your home state address.
• You can also have a personal, Montana mailbox address for LLC members.
• Official Government documents come to us, not you, and we - as your Montana Registered Agent - forward official correspondence to your home address.
• The cost to form your LLC is $575 and is all-inclusive.

    The Costs

• Your credit card will be charged when we file your LLC with the Montana Secretary of State.
• We'll send you an email copy of the draft Articles of Organization for your LLC prior to filing. About an hour after that, your Articles of Organization will be filed and your credit card charged $575.

The 2nd step of the process - the licensing of your motorhome - will cost $720. Your credit card won't be charged for the licensing until we get your plates.
Keep in mind that you will be saving by not having to pay Sales Tax on the purchase of the RV.
You have the option of automating future payments for maintaining your LLC's annual requirements.
Montana does not require proof of insurance to license a vehicle.
When you do insure your vehicle, speak with your insurance agent and make sure he or she understands your vehicle will be licensed in Montana through your LLC but may be domiciled elsewhere. If your insurer has a problem with that situation, here are insurance companies other clients have used successfully:

• Garden City Insurance
  (Keith Nelson)
  Email: info@gardencityins.com
  415 N. Higgins Ave., Suite 5
  Missoula, MT 59802
  (866) 444-1084 [Toll Free]
  (406) 549-8527 [Fax]
• Farm and City Insurance Services
  "Your RV Advantage"
  1-800-331-1520
• American Modern Insurance Group, Inc.
  1-800-543-2644
  P.O. Box 5323
  Cincinnati, OH 45201-5323
• Progressive Auto Insurance
  1-800-PROGRESSIVE
• Aon Recreation Insurance
  1-800-521-2942

There is no problem or barrier for a non-US citizen to form an LLC in Montana for the purpose of buying a motor home. We have clients from many countries, including Australia.

With the use of a PMB (Personal Mail Box) the member address can be the same as the Montana LLC address. More details on PMBs can be found here: http://www.montanacorporate.com/PMB.asp

Here are some basic details:

There are just two steps required to register a motor home or other vehicle in Montana.

·         Form a Montana LLC. This is always the first procedure and can be done online.

·         Buy the vehicle (or transfer ownership) in the name of the LLC, and license it in the State of Montana.

We assist you with both steps.

The total cost involved for both steps is $1,295 for motor homes. For other vehicles like cars, trailers or motorcycles, the total cost will be $995 plus the Montana State vehicle registration fee.

You will not pay sales or property tax on any vehicle licensed in the State of Montana and no vehicle inspections or proof of insurance is required.

The annual cost to maintain your LLC is $150 and includes all the functions required to keep the LLC in good standing.

Additional details can be found on our website: www.montanacorporate.com

Don’t hesitate to email or call if you have any questions.

RV Storage

RV Storage

It should be noted that for storage of the RV in USA, it is preferable to select a storage facility below the snow line of the US, a rough line is through San Francisco on the West Coast to Myrtle Beach on the East Coast.

We met one couple taking their RV from Canada to store it in Southern California for the winter, as it had caused too much problem during the severe winters in the North.           Crater Lake NP has an average of 44ft of snow per year (that is the highest in USA) can you imagine a motorhome left out in that.

Apart from the storage cost other issues to be taken into account are:

The cost of internal flights from the International entry airport to the location of the storage unit.

The cost of travel, from the nearest airport.  

Cyclone and Tornado affected areas.

From Australia, LA is generally the cheapest arrival city and transport from airport to Storage unit would cost a max of $100 (taxi) there are other cheaper options. We used an RV Park & Storage only 10 mins walk from Disneyland and could use the Shuttles from LAX

Myrtle Beach, whilst it has an airport the cost to get there from LA is via a 3 flight route costing around $500 ea return. However the whole East lower coast is subject to possible cyclone and storm damage.

On the East Coast, Atlanta is a better option, can be direct from LA at cost of around $300 ea return.

Some random storage costs:                  Anaheim LA      $120 / Month

Atlanta              $50+ / Month

Indianapolis       $60+ / Month

Denver              $50 / Month

Myrtle Beach     $54 / Month

Storage of the RV is not a big problem there are many RV storage facilities and whilst they do not actually take responsibility for the unit, most have secured entrances that require a code to get into, we started off with Anaheim Fullarton storage in California and later shifted to one which was 10 mins walk from Disneyland and is an RV park as well as storage, we used a similar one in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and also in Atlanta, Georgia.

Just google RV storage in the area that you want and see what is available,

We do not winterise the RV, as we choose a storage facility below the snow line,

Some good deals are available in Arizona, Yuma and Wickenburg.

An undercover storage was found in Houston Texas for $60/month
 

Texas RV Centre at Cleburne between Fort Worth and Houston where they have under cover storage for $55 per month, not an enclosed garage, just under cover. 

www.texasrvcenter.com/

Cleburne also has an RV Service Centre.

www.cleburnervcenter.com

Shuttle services operate from many airports and are considerably cheaper than taxis. It is best to pre-book the shuttle via the web: for example SuperShuttle services over 35 airports:

www.supershuttle.com

RV Clubs and Roadside Assistance

RV Clubs

Good Sam publish a directory and is very good, it includes state maps with all RV parks noted. Membership is $20 pa and offers a great roadside service facility for $80 to $120 depending on the level of service required, We chose the Platinum Service at $120 as it gives us a complete backup service. Good Sam’s Roadside coverage services http://www.goodsamclub.com/default.aspx

Camp Club USA , Costs $50 per year to join, but that gives you a copy of Woodall’s, another top directory, plus 50% disc on 1200 RV parks in USA & Canada, check out both websites.

An update here is that:

Passport America has taken over the operations of Camp Club USA , still the 50% discount applies however there are now  over 1800 campgrounds across USA, Canada and Mexico available to you. Membership is still around $50pa but well worth it. You can join online before you get there at www.passportamerica.com    They also have a mail forwarding service. A catalogue of their parks comes with the membership

Family Motor Coach Association

This is the largest club specifically for Motor Coaches (“A” Class RVs)

www.funroads.com

Roadside Assistance

Be aware that RVs do not come with wheel or tyre changing gear, no jack or wheel brace, there usually is a spare wheel. It is considered too dangerous for owners to be out changing wheels on the heavy RVs.  So roadside service is a must have option. The other requirement, of course, is that you will need a mobile phone to contact the service provider.

We found AAA helpful. Their roadside service is national, but their branches are all state orientated, we joined AAA in Seattle, Washington, but when we wanted to register the RV in Florida our home branch didn’t want to know us. We found that Good Sam is a national organisation and gave us everything we required. Some time later AAA came back and tried to put us on to a section that would recognise a non USA mailing address. Too late, we had gone with Good Sam. 

http://autoclubsouth.aaa.com/membership/membership.aspx?nvbar=membership

Is a good place to start enquiries with AAA

Twice when we had a tyre problem and rang Good Sam, it was the AAA local guy that turned out. So they all work in together anyway.

The problem often comes from their web site structure, when filling in an application form for AAA, you will come to a drop down selection for “State” and it will list all of the US states but will reject any thing such as Qld or NSW, there can be a drop down for the country and Australia may be listed, however they do not give an option other than a US state, similarly with zipcode and an Aussie post code does nothing.  This of course can all be solved by getting a Good Sam mail address.

We found this problem of web page design several times with US organisations, whilst it gives the impression that they do not want to deal with any other than US residents, I think it is more likely just short sighted web page design.

Servicing Your RV

We found it important to have the RV serviced before putting it back into storage after each trip.

There is a site called

www.rvservicereviews.com which has listed all RV Service Centres in each state and has a user rating on each, so go on line, nominate your preferred state and select “sort by location”

Planning the Trip

Home Research

We use a Michelin Road Atlas to plot and plan our trip.

We do a lot of research into where we are going to travel, work out what we want to see and joint the dots on the map to plot the travel route.  Using the internet, we would google “tourism” for the particular city or area and select the most popular item and decide what we want to see. Check out City tour operators and note the preferred tour or just list those features that the tour will visit and prepare to drive there in the RV.  For National and State Parks the relevant website will give a map and details of the park and it’s features.

Once the route and destinations are listed, we try to allocate around 150 - 200 mile driving legs, to select where we would plan to stay for the night.  We would add extra days at cities to provide a buffer, as we often find recommendations from locals will point us in the direction of “Must See” places. We print out our Itinerary from that research, but it is not set in stone, we are prepared to diverge where necessary.  As we travel, we will modify a copy of the itinerary to represent the actual trip for our records.  Those itineraries are available to view on the posts at :  http://www.bluroo1.blogspot.com.au

We print off a page for each destination, number them in their sequence and take them with us to the US.

Trip Records                                                                                                                          Our Alaska trip 2009,  10200 miles, we spent $2958 for fuel and $636 Camp costs,              an average of $73 per day.                                                                                                 Averaged 220 miles per day

2010 National Parks, 7,500 miles, Fuel $2397, Camp costs $1043                                         an average of $78 per day.                                                                                               Average of 170 miles per day.

2011 across the South from Los Angeles to Miami,  7200miles and have stayed at RV Parks for all but seven of those nights, 2 freebies, 1 NP & 4 SP, Fuel $2615,    RV Parks $1945                                                      An average of  $75 per day.                                                                                                    Average of 120 miles per day.      

RV Parks & Park Directories

Cost of parks vary, of course, $25 -35 for a small town, we paid $60 in Las Vegas KOA, but only a walk to the strip, $45 in San Diego KOA, have seen $70 in San Francisco and New Orleans, that’s probably the top of the range.  For Florida Keys, State Parks $43, RV Parks and $60 to $120.at Key West

It is important to know what type of site you want, We usually ask for :                             “Water and Electric 30 amp, Back in site”

“Drive through Full Hookup” is what you will get unless you ask and that is the dearest. Sometimes there are no options. That will include sewer, cable TV (could be 90 channels)

“Back in, water and electric” is all that is needed if you are moving around, if it is offered it is the cheapest option. In most cases we only use the water in our tanks and do not use that unless we need to top the storage tank, a taste test is also a good move.  Apart from that, it is not wise to dump the sewer too frequently, the system works better if it is left to near full, that allows the chemicals to have time work their magic.

To hook up to the “town water” directly to your RV is an option, but not one that we have used, there are sometimes warnings about the pressure, which can cause damage, unless a pressure attachment is fitted. Unless we were going to have a lengthy stay it is not worth the risk.

We did call at two RV Parks where there were no toilet/shower facilities, they only take RVs that are completely self contained.

Park laundries  Most RV parks have Laundry facilities, they all take quarters 25Cent pieces in varying quantities. You can usually buy quarters from the office. We usually start off with a “Log of Quarters”  (40 for $10) you are going to need them along the way.

Good Sam

Apart from the insurance, registration and mail assistance, Good Sam membership gives a 10% discount on many RV supplies as well as a discount on Good Sam listed RV parks.

Their website is: www.goodsamclub.com

KOA (Kampgrounds of America)

A chain of RV parks, well worth signing up to. They are a national franchise group, generally the parks are well run and well set up.  I believe they are linked with “Big 4” in Australia., maybe they will give reciprocal rights, I do not know.  Sometimes they are expensive eg. Nashville $56. while the park up the road was $35. You will find them at www.koa.com

Camp Club USA , Costs $50 per year to join, but that gives you a copy of Woodalls, another top directory, plus 50% disc on 1200 RV parks in USA & Canada, check out both websites. An update here is that :

Passport America has taken over the operations of Camp Club USA , still the 50% discount applies however there are now  over 1800 campgrounds across USA, Canada and Mexico available to you. Membership is still around $50pa but well worth it. You can join online before you get there at www.passportamerica.com    They also have a mail forwarding service. A catalogue of their parks comes with the membership

Disneyworld, Orlando, Florida

There is an RV Park in the Disneyworld complex called Fort Wilderness Resort and we noted that one of the boats from the main gate called there, so it certainly would be a good option and is $61 to $76 per night with no transport worries between the three Disneyworld Parks. Complimentary transport is available to all Disney parks and to Downtown Orlando.

Park Directories

Printed directories are a must, to have at least one.

Woodalls           Full directory of all RV Parks

Good Sam         Trailer Life Directory   Full directory of all RV Parks

Passport America    Their directory is restricted to the 1800 or so affiliated clubs

Online directories are also available at:

www.campusa.com

www.camptheusa.com

www.gorvcampgrounds.com

www.reserveamerica.com

National Parks & State Parks

National Parks and National Monuments

Both are controlled by the National Parks Service.

The difference between them is that the NPs have been gazetted so by Congress, which can take a long time to achieve. It was realized that a much faster way to preserve a natural or historic “treasure” was for it to be declared a national monument, which the President could do with the stroke of a pen.

From the public’s point of view they are treated the same.

Probably the best investment a motor homing tourist can buy, is a National Parks Annual Pass. The cost is $80 and it’s value can be seen when you consider some of the NPs charge up to $25 entry, plus $20 per night camping. The annual pass gives free entry and usually a 50% reduction on the camping charge.  Another point with the pass is that it allows for two signatories on the card, which could be two drivers that will use the RV at different times through the year.  At the park entrance both the card and the drivers Photo ID are sometimes requested and checked.

The card can be purchased from the entry booth of the first National Park that you visit and applies for 12 months from that date.

A great website we were told of is :  www.reserveamerica.com

which will display all of the RV friendly national and state parks within a given distance or direction of your intended travel, reservations can be booked ahead, or just use it to find what parks are in the area.

National Parks, a lot are run on the honour system, pick a site,  fill in a coupon put your money in an envelope and drop it in the box, prices range from $8 to $20, State Parks are usually dearer but often better facilities, California state parks are the dearest, as is their petrol. 

Note, the National Parks Pass does not give a discount for State Parks.

Choose the Dates for Travel

15^th May the magic date

Many tourist facilities are closed until 15^th May

Skagway Alaska.  First cruise ships for the season start to arrive and the town comes to life after the winter closure, Most of the store holders close their stores and depart for the winter.

Access to Denali NP can be limited before 15^th May as their shuttle busses start about then.

The Klondike Loop is not a loop until after the “Top of the World” highway opens after the winter shutdown each year, There is an international border on the road and the road opens when the US Customs opens the office each year, which is about 15^th May. The top of the world highway forms the link between the Alaska Hwy and the Klondike Hwy to make the loop

Access through Yellowstone National Park is restricted to the Northern and Western entrances until late May, which leaves the North East, Eastern and Southern entrances closed until then.

Shuttle busses at Bryce Canyon NP do not start until about 1^st June (but you can drive the same route)

Access through Yosemite NP to the Western entrance is closed until about then. (Access to Yosemite Valley is still ok from the West.)

Access to the Mariposa Grove just outside Yosemite opens around 1^st June

Logan Pass on the “Going to the Sun” road through Glacier NP does not open until after 17th June

The walking track down to the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde NP opens about 15^th May (you can still view them from the lookout points)

The Rim Rd at Crater Lake NP does not open til after 1^st June (But you can still get to see the lake)

The “Trail Ridge Rd”  through the Rocky Mountains NP does not open until early June

Events of Interest

Quartzsite : A winter haven for RVers Quartzsite, in Western Arizona, just 20 miles east of the Colorado River on I-10, Quartzsite has been a rockhound's paradise since the 1960s. These days, it is also a mecca to well over a million visitors each year, most of whom converge on this small town in a wave of RVs during the months of January and February, these RVers are referred to as “Snow Birds”.                                         At this time of the year, 2,000 vendors of rocks, gems, minerals, fossils and everything else imaginable create one of the world's largest open air flea markets in Quartzsite. Eight major gem and mineral shows as well as vendors of raw and handcrafted merchandise peddle their wares to the snowbirds, collectors and enthusiasts, making Quartzsite the place to be the first two months of each year.

Calgary Stampede                    

 Early July    2012,  6^th to 15^th is the 100^th anniversary

Autumn in New England           

Famous for the Autumn foliage is best between Sept 22 to Oct 22

White Christmas

Certainly the place to experience a White Christmas, although not necessarily a pleasant one if in an RV.

Florida

The winter destination for many US holiday makers, the season there starts 1^st November

Halloween

October 31^st      Not a public holiday, but a lot of hype goes on with pumpkins, scary stuff and the like. The kids get right into it.  Often the funds raised at Halloween go to UNICEF

Tornados            

The Tornado season is basically Spring, (March – June) although they can occur at any time.

Tornado Alley,  where they are most prevalent is a tract from the Gulf of Mexico up through Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma & Nebraska

Hurricanes         

The Hurricane season is from 1^st June – 30^th Nov (Katrina  was 23^rd August)

Whilst the entire East and Gulf Coasts are vulnerable, Most affected regions are New Orleans and Southern Florida

Travel dates to consider.

Summer begins                         22^nd June                      

Autumn begins                          22^nd Sept                      

Winter Begins                            22^nd Dec                       

Spring Begins                            22^nd Mar

Autumn in New England             Between Sept 22 to Nov 1

Tourist Season starts                 Memorial Day (Last Monday in May)

Calgary Stampede                     Early July

Wild Bill Show (Cody)  starts      1^st June

Florida season starts                  1^st November

Do not even consider touring Alaska without a copy of “Milepost”, available at all newsagents.

For the lower 48 states a similar book is “Next Exit” at about $20

Choose your Travel Route

Starting and finishing point

Obviously needs to be your storage facility.

We have had our RV stored 10 mins walk from Disneyland in Anaheim California and it has been a great starting point for the 6 trips that the unit has had since we bought it. Our first trip was certainly the trip of a lifetime it was 10,200mile (16000km)

Mind you our 2^nd trip around the 30 National Parks was also a ripper, it was about 7000 miles. If we had to choose only 1 then Alaska would get the gong.

If we were going to Alaska again, we would aim to get to Glacier NP in Montana, then through Banff, up the Icefields Parkway to Jasper on to Dawson Creek where the Alaska Highway starts with a big “Zero” mile post in the middle of town and follow that through to Delta Junction, down to Valdez, then around to Anchorage. Back through Fairbanks along the Alaska Highway to Tok, turn left along the “Top of the World Highway” through Chicken on to Dawson City. The down the Klondike Highway to Whitehorse  the access to Dawson City that way is depending on the weather the US customs between Chicken and Dawson City does not open until around 15^th May, just need to check before you go for that year. The drive down to Skagway was well worth it and should not be missed. 

We were unable to do the “Klondike Loop” as we were a week too early and the road was not yet open at the top, it was our only disappointment of the trip.

Our 3^rd trip came about by us wanting to shift the starting off point to the East Coast, so we could maximise our next holiday trips from there. Once we had plotted the trip and done an itinerary, we both became quite excited about it. It took us across the Southern States, did a loop up the music trail from New Orleans and it’s Jazz to Clarksdale, the home of the Delta Blues, then to Elvis’s stomping ground, Memphis, Jackson and then to the home of Country Music, Nashville. We concluded our trip with a fair coverage of Florida, before storing the RV in Fort Lauderdale.

All of these trips can be checked out in detail at http://www.bluroo1.blogspot.com.au

Which includes route maps, travel times and travel costs

Our next scheduled trip in 2012 will cover the North Eastern quarter of USA and around the great lakes.

Reno

If travelling through Reno make a point of visiting the “National Motor Museum” you won’t be disappointed.

Can also recommend  Reno RV Park   735 Mill St Reno  $30    

Close to town & Museum, Bus outside front to town

Free Camping

Free Camping

Free camping is not a problem, however in some areas, it becomes difficult to pick a spot.

Wal-Mart seems to be the favoured place for free camping and sometimes they can look pretty crowded. In general Wal-Marts policy is to allow camping in their carpark, however some towns have regulations against it and consequently those Wal-Mart stores cannot oblige.   It is required that you see the “Customer Service” desk inside the store and ask permission to camp for the night.

We had our RV booked in for service at a Camping World store the next day and asked if we could stay outside overnight, No problems go for it. They didn’t tell us that they had music blaring out over speakers throughout the yard all night, we had wondered why we were on our own.

Free Camping  “Boondocking” as it is known in the USA     Check out the following links, one gives Wal-Mart’s policy and a download of the 4000 Wal-Mart locations

http://www.onfpg.com/

Travel in a recreational vehicle (RV) can get costly, what with the price of fuel, vehicle maintenance, tolls, parking and supplies. There are ways, however, to make the trip more economical, particularly when faced with an unplanned stop. With just a little research, a smart and thrifty RV traveller can find ways to save. The easiest way is to prepare a list of free RV parking locations. Free RV campgrounds, or boondocking sites, exist in every state across the U.S.

Read more: How to Get Free RV Parking | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2104898_get-free-rv-parking.html#ixzz1mFm072ja

Travel Costs

Cost of travelling in an RV will vary according to your preferred way of living.  Excluding the costs incurred with the purchase or rental of the RV    The basic cost of any travelling is made up of Fuel, Accommodation and Food.

Fuel, Certainly the major outlay for the RVer, however it has to be taken in context with the trip that you are doing. Of our three trips covering 25,000 miles we spent $7970 on fuel.

Accommodation,  Whilst the RV provides the basic accommodation, it is relevant to include the costs of RV Parks. For those three trips we also spent $3625 on camping fees including National, State and Commercial Parks   For those who want to free camp all the time this will reduce the cost or if always in a commercial park this will increase the outlay

Food, Most RVs have a large capacity fridge and freezer, fresh food is just as available in the US and Canada as it is in Australia, only cheaper (probably 20% cheaper). However, we do not factor in the cost of food as a trip cost, as we would be eating the same type of food at home in Australia, so there is no extra cost incurred.     There is of course the opportunity to experience a different range of products available.

Our Trip Records                                                                                                                          Our Alaska trip 2009,  10200 miles, we spent $2958 for fuel and $636 Camp costs,              an average of $73 per day.                                                                                                 Averaged 220 miles per day

2010 National Parks, 7,500 miles, Fuel $2397, Camp costs $1043                                         an average of $78 per day.                                                                                               Average of 170 miles per day.

2011 across the South from Los Angeles to Miami,  7200miles and have stayed at RV Parks for all but seven of those nights, 2 freebies, 1 NP & 4 SP, Fuel $2615,    RV Parks $1945                                                      An average of  $75 per day.                                                                                                    Average of 120 miles per day.      

Ferries

For our inside passage trip, we booked the ferry through BC Ferries online before we left Australia, We ferried from Port Angeles to Victoria, drove to Port Hardy at the top of VI where we had our passage booked to Prince Rupert,  Depending on the time of year and the weather as to how far up the inside passage the ferry will take you, all that info is on their internet schedule.   http://www.bcferries.com/

Alaska Marine Highway Ferry System also has a lot of information and destinations

http://www.akmhs.com/

On the other side of Canada Marine Atlantic runs ferry services to Newfoundland

http://www.marine-atlantic.ca/eng/index.asp

Throughout the USA we have come across several ferries that simply link roads across rivers or entrances to waterways, in the main these are a free service run by the relevant state transport authority.

Driving in the USA

General Driving Differences

Coming from the Australian system, we found several issues that stand out and are worth noting. Of course there is the issue of driving on the wrong side of the road, but everyone else over there copes with it, plus the fact that they put the steering wheel on the wrong side of the vehicle certainly helps.

Right turn through the red light at intersections is a great move, it certainly allows traffic to clear.

The position of traffic lights. In Australia, the traffic lights are on both sides of the intersection, so at a red light you would stop at the first light. In the US, the lights are usually only on the far side of the intersection, which means you need to stop well before the light.

Left turn at intersections is a hard one to get used to, you have to think “Left Over” and get to the other side of the traffic before turning.

Right turn  “Turn Right, Hang Tight”  is a good reminder

Petrol Station Etiquette

• Petrol, called gasoline in USA, it’s not always the cheapest petrol advertised and some stations advertise their fuel prices as “cash” price;
• Petrol stations there are all individual in relation to payment methods;
• General method is to pay by card at the pump prior to lifting up the petrol nozzle, however a large number of servos required you to key in your Zip Code (for the card) to use this method and if your Zip Code isn’t in a particular area it won’t let you pay this way and you have to pay inside prior to lifting the fuel nozzle. We were told that if you use 00000 (5 zeros) as the zip code it works sometimes. it didn’t for us so haven’t tried again.
• Some of the servos will only let you pre-pay a set amount, ie $50, $100 etc, but the problem here is, we wanted to fill up all the time, so this method didn’t suit us;
• Failing all else, they would require you to leave (yes leave) your credit card with the attendant.  As a safety precaution one of us would remain inside with the credit card and wait for the other to finish filling the RV, then pay for the fuel.  We had to use this method a majority of the time.
• Another approach is where you go in and prepay $100 on your credit card, come out and fill the tank, if the tank fills at $85 then you go back and get a credit on your card for the $15. Often the computer system will not allow the attendant to start the pump without a payment being made.
• In some areas we travelled, the norm was to use your credit card at the pump, in & out quickly, lift the nozzle, select the grade of fuel, fill tank, hang up nozzle and a receipt is printed out.
• In some areas in Canada we found a $100 limit on auto credit card sales.  If you know you require more to fill, go to the cashier first,  we have been blocked trying to do another transaction after the first is completed.
• Oregon is one of two states where the driver cannot use the bowser, an attendant must do that.
• There were a few occasions where the attendant let us fill and pay after, as we do in Australia, however these locations were rare and usually in a remote area.

GPS Navigation System

A must, in particular when travelling through the major cities, with their freeway systems.

Tom Tom & Garmin seem to be the most popular. However if you want to check out a ripper system, very affordable http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/7-GPS-Australia-sat-nav-navigation-system-Bluetooth-/220840256560?pt=AU_Electronics_GPS&hash=item336b1ae430

Mine came (delivered to Australia) without maps for USA & Canada, but they are downloadable from the internet at no cost, a colleague had his delivered to the USA and it had maps for USA, Canada and Australia as well as every country on it, even Iceland. I suppose when ordering, it could be requested that those maps be included. Have only tried mine in Australia so far but the voice instructions given are very good.

While the GPS will get you to the required destination, if you have it set on “Fastest Route” it will go out of it’s way to get you onto a freeway, however if it is set on “Shortest Route” you could find yourself weaving in and around narrow suburban streets, It might be good to see the area but frustrating being in an RV.   We try to keep it on “Fastest Route” however will check the route planned and ask for an alternative route if it looks a problem.

Freeway Driving

Driving the freeways can be daunting as often you are in an unknown area and dependant on the instruction from the GPS.  In the RV, we found it best to travel in the second lane from the right, if in the extreme right lane, it is possible to get shunted off the freeway by the lane becoming an “exit only” lane.  The Tom Tom GPS voice command would be telling us to keep left, however we found that we had to interpret this as “do not take the next exit”.

Of course you can still get into trouble, I recall being in the 2^nd lane, all of a sudden another freeway merged on the right and we found ourselves in the sixth lane, of course the GPS then told us to take the next exit. Two choices, panic or keep going, best to just ignore the GPS and move over as the traffic allows, take the next safely available exit and then allow the GPS to get you back on track.

We use an international licence and needed to send a certified copy for the insurance, It is important that all probable drivers for the year be listed and a copy of their International Driver’s licence be sent to the insurer when arranging insurance. However if and when asked for my licence on the road, I would offer my Australian Licence and have had no problems.

The roads can be good, to absolutely disgusting, There is a problem called “Perma Frost” where the ground is permanently frozen and the bitumen road can rise and fall and be very scary to drive on at time. Whilst it is very pronounced in some sections of Alaska, we felt that other areas used it as an excuse for the deteriorated roads.  Some of the older freeways are concrete slabs and the continuous “kerchunk, kerchunk, kerchunk  as you cross the slab joins can drive you mad. On the good side where they have used bitumen they can be pretty good. One thing we noticed on some secondary roads, was the absence of a verge on the side of the roads in some states, trees, boulders etc can be right at the edge of the bitumen, tends to push you to the centre of the road and needs to be watched.

Toll Systems

Toll Roads & Bridges

On the West coast we only encountered tolls on the Golden Gate Bridge, however it is only charged on South bound traffic, no charge on North bound.

The East coast is a different matter,

New York has EZPass toll system which appears similar to the Victorian E Tag system. Cost for the EZPass is $25 and the $25 is  posted as a credit to your account.

There are 7 addresses in New York where you can walk in and get a pass. Have your “Good Sam” address and your RV details available when applying.

Florida has the SunPass for the toll roads there, although unless you are in a desperate hurry, there are acceptable alternate routes.  https://www.sunpass.com/index

Illinois, Chicago  has the  I-Pass which can be used on the Chicago Skyway, the Indiana Toll Road and in 14 states where the E-ZPass is accepted

I-Pass can be obtained online at :

 http://www.illinoistollway.com/tolls-and-i-pass/about-i-pass/get-i-pass-and-get-going

or get the locations for pick up from that same web site

E-ZPass can be obtained from : http://www.nh.gov/dot/org/operations/turnpikes/ezpass/index.htm

The following states accept both the E-ZPass or the I-Pass

New York,  Maine, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Illinois,

& New Jersey

Texas has the TxTag system :

http://www.texastollways.com/content/how-to-pay-tolls.php

California has  FasTrak : http://www.bayareafastrak.org/

However in all our travels in California we were never forced to use it, there is always an alternative, except of course for the bridges where you can pay cash anyway.

North Carolina has Quick Pass :  https://www.myncquickpass.com/en/home/index.shtml

Michigan does not have any toll roads

Towing a Car

Towing a small car in US is not a problem a lot do it, we have seen full size Hummers on tow, but not many who are doing a lot of miles,

We tow one in Aus, but found we could work around it in the US by making sure we buy our supplies before setting up camp.

Tow Vehicle

A Tow vehicle can be an automatic, however a special pump arrangement is needed to ensure that the Auto gearbox is being lubricated, the following web site has details of what is needed.

 www.remcotowing.com

 A good option to this is a small 4WD auto, which can be towed using the two gear shifts.  The 2000 Chevy Trakker is a good choice here.  To flat tow it :                                                           Auto lever in Park,  4WD gear shift in Neutral and Ignition turned on   (to negate the steering lock)

Visa & Passports

Visa Waiver Program

Visa Waiver Program:  http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/without/without_1990.html   There are 35 countries where the visa waiver program will provide entry to the USA, the application form can be downloaded from : http://immigration.terra.com/visa_waiver.html    It appears that it must be accompanied by an e-passport, (the newer ones with the micro chip)  The program, once issued is valid for two years and costs around $14.

Be aware that the Visa/Waver program does not extend beyond 90 days and all hell can break loose if you go over.

Extended Visa for USA

There is the availability of an extended visa called the B1/B2 Visa.

The B1/B2 Visa is available for 12 months or 5 years, so it would be wise to apply for the 5 years.  The B-1 is for business visa and the B-2  is for for a tourist visa.  And the initial application can be started on the internet, by downloading the forms at :  https://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/b2-tourist-visa.html

The USA Consulate addresses in Australia are:

Melbourne  : http://melbourne.usconsulate.gov/   Sydney :  http://sydney.usconsulate.gov/

Canberra :  http://canberra.usembassy.gov/visas.html   Perth :  http://perth.usconsulate.gov/

On the website for the USA Consulate in Australia to apply for a B1/B2 Visa.  The on line website asks a lot of questions and tells you what to take to the Consulate when you go in person to make the application. An appointment is made on line and a date and time allocated to you.

You arrive at the Consulate at the appointed time, there are probably a heap of others there who have the same appointment time, however they process the applications pretty quickly.

The documents that you will take with you provide proof to them that: you can support yourself, will not be looking to work in the USA and that you have sufficient need to return to Australia, eg Bank accounts, proof of home ownership, assets, family, etc, etc.

Be aware that whilst it might be a 5 year visa, it still only allows you to be in the USA for a maximum of 6 months at a time. So you can come and go for 6 month blocks throughout the five years.  If you are wishing to stay for longer than 6 months it would be well to arrange your trip that you will be in Canada or Mexico for a period, before the 6 months is up. It would also be a good idea to check with the consulate, as to how long you need to be out of the US, before re-entering

Passports

Apart from the obvious need to have a passport to enter the country, they do need to be kept handy, as they can be called on at all times, as we have travelled through Texas, close to the Mexican Border we have had to produce our passports at checkpoints within the USA  2 or 3 times a day.

There are no problems going between states, usually just a state line as in Australia, no check points or staff, and probably just a different price for petrol.  Canada is a different story, there is a Customs office on each border crossing, no great hassles, need to show passport and have it stamped as you enter the country. And again when re-entering the US through the customs check point.

Mexico seems to be another story, unless you are planning to stay and tour in Mexico, you would be wise to leave the RV in USA and walk over, In Tijuana there is at least a 2-3 hour wait to get the vehicle back into the US.

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance

Most of the high end Credit Cards have complimentary travel insurance.  ANZ has an 80year age limit on theirs.

Westpac Visa Gold has no age limit, nearly all are covered by Zurich Insurance, and a written response from Zurich was given confirming the no age limit. However pre existing medical conditions are not covered unless it is requested and approved.  The only criteria is that the full return fare is paid on the credit card and it should be noted that for coverage to be included on any side trips, such as a City Tour with a tour company, then the payment for that tour must also have been paid for on the card.

This same medical exclusion and condition applied to all other travel insurance policies that I checked, as well as having an age supplement on their premium which after 72years almost doubles the premium.

In Australia, for those not game to risk the complimentary insurance offers, then try :

World Care Insurance,        Travel Insurance Direct,          My Cover Insurance

Be aware that the cost of hospitalisation and medical treatment in the US is astronomical.

On a recent trip, a fall during skiing caused a $1500 bill, which was for an x-ray and one doctor’s visit.   Fortunately travel insurance covered the bill. 

Another, with a tummy upset, drew a $450 doctor’s fee for one visit

Money & Cards

 Travelling expenses and purchases

We find the Travel Card works well for us, we use the ANZ Travel card loaded with US$ before we leave Australia, There are no extra fees charged for conversion on each purchase, we have accepted the exchange rate that we are happy with when we loaded the card. We will also use the travel card to draw cash from an ATM usually $300 each time to have some cash available, we often make those withdrawals from inside a WalMart.

An alterative Travel Card is the Ozforex which is put out by the Macquarie Bank, it appears cheaper than the others, by not have a reload fee, (the ANZ card has a 1.1% reload fee.)

You can load up to AU$25,000 on to the card over several currencies.  You can also apply online :  http://www.ozforex.com.au/our-services/travel-card

Another suggestion that apparently works well, is to keep an eye on the exchange rate, when it is up, buy Walmart Gift Cards, that way you save 5% on the money and a further 3 cents on fuel.

Normal Credit Cards Mastercard and Visa do not present a problem, however American Express and Diners often attract an additional charge. The issue you have to deal with there is all the conversion cost entries on your statement.

One other problem we have found with credit cards, including the Travel Card, in USA is when trying to use them in an automatic vending machine, for petrol etc, the machine requests a zip code for the particular card before it will process the sale, as an Australian zip will not suffice, the sale is aborted and you need to go into the store and deal with the cashier. The same problem arose when trying to make a purchase over the phone, to a store where I had already made two purchases using the same card, but as I was not there in person with the card the phone system required a 5 digit zip code.  Buying a SunPass for the Florida toll system on line and I was confronted with the same zip code issue. In that case I put on 00000 and it went through. Interestingly an add for the Sunpass was promoting it’s ease of use for visitors.

Bank Account

We tried the bank for an account, it was hassle because you are not local and require a national ID card. However another couple were successful, This was their experience:-

would advise anybody to get the US address set up first before attempting anything else-- Here`s the problem.Good Sam would not provide an address until we were in the U.S.However, American Home Base who actually operate the Good Sam service were happy to oblige with the address through them direct and we completed the paperwork for the PO box after we arrived. This meant that we were able to open a bank account with Bank Of America as soon as we arrived. The bank was happy with our Aust. Tax file No instead of the ubiquitious social security No. We generally operate on our Aust NAB  bank card however as the fees are minimal and have had no problems at all with it or our Aust drivers licenses.

Bank of America is one of the largest in the USA, some banks are small, some confined to a state or an area.  It has since be checked out with Bank of America, who confirmed that a Driving Licence and Passport would be sufficient to open an account (although it might be safer to have a document with your Tax File Number as back up). A debit card would be immediately available on opening the account. This would save a lot of hassles at the petrol pump

Paying for the Purchase of an RV

When paying for the purchase of an RV, the safest way is to have your home bank pre- warned and prepared to transfer the funds to the nominated seller of the RV. Whether it be to an individual or a RV dealer it shouldn’t matter, so long as you have the funds available and the bank has agreed to the request.

In considering how others have transferred the funds for their RV, I was given the following responses:

1. We paid for the RV using our credit card.  We put enough money on it to cover the purchase and they just did a normal Visa transaction.  This meant there was a fee for international use etc but it was the easiest way for us.

2.  My method was simple, however, I was in Australia to look after the initial bank   arrangements, not the U.S.
I paid the deposit with a telegraphic transfer through my bank. Then as the amount to be paid was over $25,000 my bank opened an account in U.S. dollars. When the time came to pay the balance I was in America, however, because I had already signed all the necessary paperwork before I left Australia, my wife simply handed that paperwork to the bank for the final transfer. I had the account details of the seller obviously.
Quite easy really, but you'll need a sympathetic bank and a bit of push from yourself, as they do this for importing businesses but not generally for single private transactions.

Another possibility is to use PayPal.  (This system is used for most purchases on Ebay and is very reliable)  Both the buyer and the seller need to have a PayPal account.   You would need to have on your PayPal account, both a credit card and a bank account details.   The system works this way:

You want to buy for $25,000   It would require two transactions as there is a $12500 limit per transaction, both can be done on the same day.  You would have to go on to the internet open you account with PayPal and direct the funds to come from your bank account option,  the transfer is very quick, (Note, if, when the bank goes to pay the bill if there are insufficient funds it reverts to your credit card, that’s PayPals backup)  If you only have a bank account registered with PayPal then it will take 3 -5 days to clear the funds, If you only have a credit card with them the card would need to have a facility for a $25000 withdrawal.  The fees associated with PayPal are 2.9%  so you could expect the seller to add $625 to the price of the RV as he is the one who cops that fee.

Ozforex also arranges international money transfers for amounts over $2000, and their fee structure looks quite favourable.  http://www.ozforex.com.au/

If you are be able to arrange a bank transfer from your home bank to a US bank,  your bank will hit you with fees and so will the US bank. Whatever way you chose the process will probably take a few days and there are fees, no matter which option you take.

Cash is the other option but that’s a lot to be carrying and you would need to declare it when travelling.

 Another point to be aware of, I am told is that it is almost impossible to cash a cheque in USA unless you have a bank account and it is almost impossible to open one of them without a social security card.  The only other option could be a store that advertises “Checks Cashed”  and they would take a large chunk for themselves.

Phones & Internet

Mobile phones   The best coverage seems to be with Verison, however that is a CDMA system and those phones do not have a sim card, we spoke to a Verison salesman in one of the shopping malls and there seemed to be a way of getting a good deal, particularly if you are going to use it with frequent trips, certainly worth a check there seemed to be a way of buying a phone and arranging that you can retain the same number each time you return. However I did not take note of the procedures required and would suggest if that is your preferred way, then front up to a Verison store and ask the question.

When we were not getting reception in the North Dakota/Montana area, we noted others were chatting away on their phones, I could not contain myself and would ask who their carrier was, invariably it was Verison.  Ours was with AT&T which seems to be the next best.  I made a point of checking  out with the users, to find that Verison was their carrier.

I found my AT&T mobile when out of range, would show “Emergency Only” reception, now I do not know what that would do, or who you could call on it and whether a flat tyre would be classed as “Emergency” in their eyes.  Most Mobile phones are tuned to have 112, 911 & 999 pre-programmed as emergency numbers and they will scour all phone carriers to find a connection.    The phone companies operating in Alaska are 1. Alaska Communications, 2. AT&T,  3 GCI Wireless &  4. Verison (who uses Alaska Communications network).   I am told that Verison works well in Alaska, 

For a sim card phone AT&T are the only company to go with, We use our own phone, with a sim card bought from an AT&T store, we have a 10c per min plan with no contract. You can buy $100 credit and it will last 12 months, or lesser amounts for lesser periods.

Another couples recent experiences are worthy of note :-                                                                The telephone story is unbelievable! We eventually settled on a prepaid one with Verizon for $1.98 per day, when used, and also a prepaid Verizon Wi Fi  at $50 per month for 1 gig. Not cheap but we like to stay in touch with the family and the coverage has been very good.

Broadband, we found it too expensive to get a plan for ourselves, but it was easily worked around as most RV parks have Wi Fi available, most are free, others a small fee.  If you are predominantly free camping you might look at the Verizon example above. There are a lot of mobile broadband systems advertised in the USA, but they seem to be more expensive than in Australia. Wi-Fi Hotspots are often found at, McDonalds, Starbucks, Safeways & Applebees . If you can park close enough in the car park, you can often get reception in the RV, otherwise take the computer inside. Another favourite try is at an off ramp where there are a group of hotels, often in the carpark you will pick up an available signal.                     The following link will show hot spots in any area requested  http://hotspotr.com/wifi

Skype is of course the cheapest way to communicate with home; we keep a laptop in the RV.             Wi-Fi phones can also be used in a hot spot using Skype, without going through the computer.

Shopping & Loyalty Cards

Loyalty Cards

Shopping in USA is much the same as in Australia, only I would say that a tad more friendly.

Loyalty Cards are offered by most food retail chains and they certainly do save money on the checkout bill.  The difficulty in travelling around is that some chains are restricted to a state or an area, rather than national.  We have several cards but find that we are more likely to come across a Safeways store, plus they have an automated petrol discount system which is applied to your card with every purchase. The checkout girl often will ask and allow you to sign up there and then.  Best to be prepared and have your “Good Sam” Florida address available to use, if you have arranged one.

On our last trip across the South we did not find any Woolworths stores East of Arizona, We resorted to Wal-Mart and find their produce very good.

Another suggestion that apparently works well, is to buy Walmart Gift Cards, that way you save 5% on the money and a further 3 cents on fuel.

Publix stores seem to be popular in south eastern areas where we have been, and they are a good option to the Safeways supermarkets.

Wal-Mart stores are huge and have a full range of everything from groceries, meat & deli, alcohol, clothing, household supplies, electronics to auto accessories etc.  They have a policy of allowing free camping for RVs at a lot of their stores, knowing that it will attract some business, and that is fair enough, we do support them because of it. 

Walmart issue a large format roadmap book which also serves as a Store Directory, listing the addresses of all their thousands of stores, handy to have and not expensive.

Home Depot  and  Lowes  are two huge hardware chains that vie for that area of business,  Home Depot is probably the larger, with it’s stores being half as big again as our Bunnings Warehouses

Best Buy is a large electronics chain and has all the gear.

Cracker Barrel is a family style restaurant with outlets all over the country, a good meal, well priced.  A bonus is their free location map which can serve as a map to plot your trips.