Rochester's Dome Arena RV SuperShow brings a hint of Spring to the Camping World - Free Admission!

by Jim Bessey, editor

PRESS RELEASE: 15th Annual Dome RV SuperShow runs Saturday, Jan 21 to Sun, Jan 30 -- two full weekends of camping fun!

15th Annual Dome RV Show

Some say that Spring is just around the corner, and the show to prove it is just down the road in Henrietta, NY. The Outdoor Store by Camping World hosts the big event, held in the renovated Dome Arena. Admission and parking are both free. There are plenty of restaurants, coffee shops, and accommodations nearby for those who want to make it an all-day event.

About 200 new and used RVs will be on display, and available with deep pre-season discounts. Several area dealers will be represented. Low-rate financing is featured, and dealers claim they'll take "almost anything" in trade -- motorcycles, boats, cars, even used RVs! When we visited on Saturday, we saw quite a few deals in progress; always a good sign.

You'll see the complete range of campers, from Class-A motorhomes and fifth-wheels in the big dome to the newest innovations in pop-up and trailer technology in Minett Hall. Starcraft is promoting a couple-sized travel trailer for under $10K, or less than $90 a month (long-term financing). You can also register to win this model. The Thor brand shows a 23' 2011 Class-C Four Winds camper for about $50K, an often-difficult price-point to find in new RVs of that type. Outside in the cold, rows and rows of used rigs of all types await you.

Come for a leisurely stroll, or an intensive buying excursion. Bring your camera and/or your checkbook. The RV industry is cautiously recovering from the disastrous Great Recession (it ain't over yet), and there will be big bargains. Haggling welcomed, even encouraged. Refreshments available on-site.

For directions and lists of nearby accommodations, see the Dome's website.  Hours are Mon-Sat 10 am to 8 pm, Sunday 10 to 5 pm. On-site parking is much improved from previous years, and there's a nifty new Wegman's supermarket right next door, too.

  THE DOME CENTER 
  2695 E. Henrietta Road
  Henrietta, NY  14467
      888-873-4418

Hope to see you there!
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We stopped over midday Saturday, and took some pictures to share later. The Dome's just down the road from home, and is also the site for WBEE's twice-yearly Guitars and Stars Shows, which we love. We aren't in the market this year, but we sure do love to look at all the shiny new RVs. Nice that admission is free, too. It's cold and snowy here in Rochester, but nice and toasty inside the Dome. Great show!

Better Camping requests for 2011: 10 improvements campers need for the New Year

by Jim Bessey, editor

Good thing this air mattress is...   from keith011764

Raymond Alexander Kukkee and I agree -- "we like camping better." But camping isn't perfect; some things could be better. The New Year is here, it's 2011; time to consider improvements we'd like to see for a better camping experience.

Big Stuff:

1. Low-price Late Check-out fees ~ Why should your final day at a campground be spent frantically packing? For weekend campers, this means Sunday morning is not for relaxing, but for breaking camp. If there isn't anyone coming in to take your site that day, why not a simple $5 late check-out fee? Hell, even $10 would be fine. Just let us relax a little before we head home.
2. Kinder, gentler pool-use policies ~ Yeah, yeah; we know it's all about the Insurance Companies. We get it. But "Two adults must be present, not IN the pool, for any swimming"? When my son and I camped during the week last year, this meant that we had to FIND HELP in order for either one of us to take a dip. There has to be a better way.
3. Much better use of photography for campgrounds ~ Let's face it: most campground websites' photo galleries just plain stink. Why don't you guys take some new pictures? Why aren't there decent aerial views of most campgrounds? What happened to the promise of hi-tech "virtual tours" for travel destinations? Maybe some of the big-budget RV parks are doing it, but I haven't seen any progress here in upstate NY yet. We want to know what we're getting into before we get there, okay?
4. Better miniature golf course maintenance ~ Our gang always plays mini-golf when we go camping. It's one of our things. Even at the nicest campgrounds, those little golf courses are generally crummy. Why? They made the space, put some money into it in the beginning, and then walked away? I know they aren't huge money-makers for campgrounds, but it matters to us. If the windmill is supposed to turn, it should, dammit! And how about some fresh "turf" every few years? Is that too much to ask?
5. More patio pull-thru sites for big rigs ~ What a great idea: Add a simple concrete or paver pad next to the pull-thru driveway for Class-A motorhomes. Maybe a nice picnic grill, too. I've seen this here and there. Most places insist on "no carpets" and fight with campers about infractions all the time. This nice, thoughtful improvement makes the campground look good and solves the dead-grass issue perfectly.

Little stuff:

1. Reasonable prices for firewood on-site ~ We're a captive audience, and most parks have those annoying signs urging us not to bring in "contaminated" firewood from outside the area. They don't want us to burn construction debris, either (not that I pay any attention -- I save all sorts of lovely hardwood and softwood cut-offs all year long for burning). So, if they want us to buy their firewood, keep the price down. They'll sell more firewood, and their customers will appreciate the courtesy.
2. Dependable Wi-Fi ~ How many times have you lost the signal when you access the Web while camping? If a campground is going to offer internet service, then make it good. Buy a decent router and install a strong repeater system. Campers will talk about the great signal strength among their friends. It's just plain good for business.
3. Good, hot, drinkable coffee at camp stores ~ Why is campground coffee so bad? Is there a secret rule somewhere? Clean the pot. Buy some decent coffee. Use a coffee service, even. We campers love our coffee, and we don't suffer bad coffee quietly. Pretty please?
4. Simple, easy, quiet air mattress inflation ~ There must be a way. I'm serious. Are you listening out there, Inventive Geniuses? Those annoying, whiny, slooow DC-powered mattress pumps are so old-tech. There must be something out there similar to the way a life-raft inflates, something affordable that would fill up a queen-size bed in 20 seconds. I'd buy it!
5. Improved tent-flap zippers ~ Needs no explanation. We've all been there.

So that's my list, large and small. Some pet peeves, and some wishful thinking. I'm not asking for cleaner restrooms, or actual hot water in the showers, or big discounts for repeat customers. Just some give and take to make our collective camping experience better for 2011. I don't think I'm being unreasonable, do you?
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What are your ideas for Better Camping? What drives you crazy when you're camping? What nifty invention would make your next camp outing cooler? If you're a campground owner, I'd especially love to hear from you. Happy New Year!

25 Last Minute Gift Ideas for your Camping Friends

by Jim Bessey editor

What do you get for the camper who has everything?  

Here's the truth: We NEVER have everything! Campers lose things, and wear them out, and love having extras. We're not terribly picky. We're practical, too. Here are some last-minute gifts you can grab for the camping enthusiasts in your life.

Stocking Stuffers: $1 to $15

• Non-perishable snacks, like M&Ms or goodies in tins (my favorite)
• A nice, basic "Swiss Army"-style multi-purpose knife. Everybody loves those!
• Fancy tins of matches or a cool butane lighter (why not both?)
• Mini-flashlites, or inexpensive regular flashlights (you never have enough)
• Batteries! (see above)

Small stuff, but nice: $10 to $25

• Nifty, fancy flashlight, batteries included
• Grill Charms™ for the gourmet chef (the coolest!)
• Bin Buddies®, or any kind of cool organizer-type bins for storage
• Games of all kinds -- it rains sometimes, you know! (Consider dominoes)
• Camp chairs. Yes, really. These wear out and we always need more.
• Books or bookstore gift cards, if your camping friend is anything like me.

Cool gifts for close friends: $20 to $50

• Any decent-quality AM-FM radio and/or CD player, dual-power source
• Lighting: string lights, a rugged Coleman™ lantern, or a good outdoor table lamp
• Teenagers? Try to find the new KanJam! flying disc game (regional suppliers)
• Family gift? Consider a good-quality croquet set (sporting goods stores)
• Better-quality camp chairs -- see note, earlier

Splurge a little, big-budget: $50 to $150

•  Stand-up sport-style gas grill.  (Only if they don't have one) Check available accessories, too.
• Cool, hi-tech portable radios. ("Walkie-Talkies" -- great for keeping track of teenagers)
• A ridiculously-rugged and cool waterproof outdoor radio (you might want to keep it for yourself!)
• Outdoor shade and shelter: new designs from EZ-Up and others are much improved. These bag-up small enough to fit under the Christmas tree!
• Or maybe a modern straight-sided screen house (not the old slanty-sided kind!)
• A gift card for Dick's or Gander Mountain or some other awesome outdoor store (can't go wrong!)

See? We camping nuts aren't hard to please. Big budget or small, there are lots of good gift choices for campers. Sometimes low-tech is best. If you're unsure of the appropriateness of any of these suggestions, just ask subtly before you buy. Or save the receipt.

Please note: Amazon links are provided so you can see pictures and prices -- it's WAY too late to order anything for delivery in time for Christmas!
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OK, what have I forgotten? If you have more (or better!) ideas, leave them in the Comments please. Keep in mind that ANY of these gifts would be fine with me. Just sayin'...

If you had to, could you live in your camper? Think about it...

by Jim Bessey

It's when you're safe at home that you wish you were having an adventure. When you're having an adventure you wish you were safe at home. ~Thornton Wilder

Camping pool-side at Holiday Hill

What if you lost your house? Could you move into your camper as a fall-back? As we enter Year Two of The Great Recession, this isn't just an idle, round-the-campfire question. When my wife was laid-off last Christmas, we wondered how we would ever pay our $1,000+ monthly mortgage. After all, we'd been spending both of our incomes; how would we get by without her half? What if we had to move out of our home?

Were we only joking when we said, "well, we can always live in our camper"?

First, let me be clear -- this ain't no Class A Motorhome. We have a 30-year-old Shasta trailer, bought used for less than a grand and lovingly restored by all four of us. It's about 19 feet long -- counting the hitch!. Compared to our 2,000 square-foot house, it's a closet. When we're camping, it's quite comfy; but could we live in it full-time?

We do, however, have a kitchen, dining area, living room/pull-out bedroom, and a teeny tiny bathroom with a "bathtub." 

Let's talk about space.

As modern camping trailers go, ours is at the "cramped quarters" end of the spectrum. The actual floor space measures 15' by 7 1/2' for a total of just over 100 square feet. For comparison, our one-car garage is three times that size. (The trailers that FEMA supplies to disaster victims are about twice as big as ours.) We do, however, have a kitchen, dining area, living room/pull-out bedroom, and a teeny tiny bathroom with a "bathtub." We have a lot of cabinet space, considering, but only one closet. My wife would have to "adjust" to that one!

We're talking a distinct lack of amenities here.

We don't have any air-conditioning, though we do have a toasty gas furnace. We boast neither built-in radio nor flat-screen TV; we don't subscribe to Satellite TV. Our only counter space is created by covering the 4-burner stove with a Formica slab. While we do have a booth and a couch, we have no chairs inside at all. Our chairs fold up and slide into canvas bags. When we hang out, it's generally under out camper's roll-out awning, or by the campfire.

No way we could stay here in upstate NY over the winter...

And there are some serious practical considerations, too.

We can't park our rig just anywhere. We replaced our original dual-power fridge (DOA) with an electric one from Home Depot. We've never used our holding-tank water supply. We need hook-ups! That leaves out Free Parking at Wal-Mart. If we wanted to bum around, camping in our friends' or relatives' driveways, most places prohibit that, except for a weekend stay. So much for that idea.

fall evening by the campfire, at KOA

We could have a lovely summer staying at our favorite campground, for about $1,200 (seasonal rate). But that only covers about one third of the year. No way we could stay here in upstate NY over the winter, heater or not. We'd have to move South. As long as at least one of us has a job, that would make getting to work a tad inconvenient.

So what's the real answer?

We'd wake up with the sun, and go to bed earlier.

I think we could do it, for a few months -- and not in winter. We'd save a ton of money, and just have to put up with the tight quarters and lack of luxuries. As long as the weather was decent, we'd spend most of our free time outdoors. We'd have campfires all the time! (Would I get tired of them? Hope not.)

We would spend more time talking to each other, listening to the radio, and reading books. Unless, of course, we decided to spring for a dish. Most campgrounds we like have Wi-Fi, so we could stay in touch with our online friends. We'd wake up with the sun, and go to bed earlier.

I know, I know...sounds sort of idyllic, doesn't it? I'm sure we'd get on each others' nerves long about Week 2. It'd probably rain even more than it usually does. But we'd have a roof over our heads.   There's no place like home...
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 Have you ever tried living in your camper? I'm sure some of you big-rig owners do it for a few months out of the year. Anybody else? Could you, if you had to?

Happy Camping Thanksgiving: 9 things I am thankful for

by Jim Bessey, editor

The boys relax at our final fall campsite at KOA Canandaigua

 Sometimes, amid the rush to get the trailer hooked up and hit the road, I forget how lucky we are to be able to take off and enjoy the great outdoors and the company of family and friends. I spent a few minutes today reflecting on our good fortune.

• I'm thankful my wife is willing to go camping with me, and that she inspired the search for our little Shasta camper.
• I'm thankful that my youngest son has been willing to sleep in the "loft" these past few years, with only a minor complaint now and then. What a trooper!
• I'm thankful that my oldest is the greatest high-design campfire builder in the Northeast. His fires are works of art -- and hot, too!
• I'm thankful that God invented all sorts of wonderful trees, so that our campfires might burn with a myriad of delightful colors and scents. I like cherry best.
• I'm thankful that we have friends who like camping just as much as we do.
• I'm thankful that we can still afford the gas to haul our trailer to the campground, even at $3 per gallon. Good thing there are nice camping resorts close to home.
• I'm thankful that some campgrounds have Wi-Fi -- and that some don't.
• I'm grateful to whomever invented the roll-out awning. Shade and shelter in two minutes -- what a concept.
• And finally, I'm thankful to all the wonderful people who spend their summers running campgrounds -- so we have really nice places to go, with clean restrooms and cool game rooms and mini-golf and stuff.

Happy Thanksgiving to all our camping friends and campground hosts. Thank you all!
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  What have I forgotten? I'd be grateful for your thoughts on Thanksgiving and camping. Anybody having turkey dinner at the table in a motorhome this year?