Farm Camping

Question by sprouse0625: What will happen when my husband goes to boot camp, “A” school, and so on for the Navy?
We have three kids and are in the process of “getting in” to the Navy (we tried Air Force and Marines first, but he was too old for the Air Force and the Marines weren’t so much “family friendly”). Basically he’s been to MEPs twice but both times we have had to go home because they needed something else (medical waiver and now a dependant/financial waiver). So, after we (hopefully) get the dependant/financial waiver he is supposed to be sworn in next week. He wants to go for EOD (he made a total of 80 on the ASVAB). I am CLUELESS when it comes to this whole process and I know only the information I’ve gotten of the internet (which, for the most part, is contradicting) since his recruiter(s) seem just as clueless!

My question is what the heck are we doing?! It has been a dream of his for as long as I’ve known him to join the military so I don’t want to hold him back. But I have no idea what the “timeline” of things is going to look like. I don’t know what to expect. Where will we be (me and the kids) during each stage? How long should we expect to wait for him to get done with training (being separated from him)? Will we be able to pay our bills while he’s gone?

I can handle this. I’m not afraid of being separated from him. I want him to do what makes him happy and that is serving his country. I just need to know what to expect. I’m a planner and I can already see that that is not how things work in the military.

If anyone can give me an idea of what I am to expect while at home with the kids that would be great. The good, the bad, and the ugly is welcomed. I don’t want to go into this naive.

Best answer:

Answer by Ray J
when he leaves for boot camp, he’ll be gone for about three months, and you will still be at home with the children. once he gets through boot, the will go to his A school (for his job). depending on the area around where EOD training is done, they might have base housing, so you will be able to be back with your husband (not totally sure about this one.) the first paycheck may be a little small (while he is in boot camp), but once he gets to the training command, pay will be on a more regular schedule. while he’s at training, you will be the main one caring for the kids.

What do you think? Answer below!

Question by St♥rmy Skye: Aw, Geeze… “Jesus Camp”…?
I just watched this documentary. “Terrorists” are not going to destroy this country, “nuclear weapons” are not going to destroy this country, immigration, legal or non legal is not going to destroy this country. The BORN AGAIN EVANGELICALS ARE going to destroy this country. They are dangerous and the top threat to this country. Bush is part of them. They believe that he has been annointed by “god.” The american government wants creation taught in schools. Kansas is one state that fell for it. 75% of home-schooled are Evangelicals. That is, 80 million kids that are forced into believing that they need to take over the U.S. They have no belief in global warming. They think that “god” is coming soon, so go ahead and tear down trees and forests, pollute.Wreck the earth.They say Harry Potter is an enemy of “god”, and should be put to death. This is a scary thoufgt, what these kids are being forced to do, and what they are going to be. This is a classic case of child abuse.
If we want to save this country, a stop needs to be put to these people, NOW. Israel has a 37 square mile section of land for the Evangelicals to gather. They are in on it, too.
They are for Samuel Alito, also.

Best answer:

Answer by Jenny W
Keep in mind Bush is only going to be in office for one more year. After that he is history.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Will The RV Industry Survive The Economic Crisis?

Unfortunately, the immediate future of the RV Industry is not looking bright. I am afraid there will still be a few more RV Manufacturers going out of business.  Once the dust settles, the RV Industry will start to slowly grow once again and yes, people will start to buy RVs again.

I am going to use the example of the Dot Com Bubble burst of 2000 and 2001 to try to explain what has happened to and what is going to happen to the RV Industry.  You are probably asking yourself “What the heck does the Dot Com Bubble Burst have to do with the RV Industry?” stick with me here it will all make sense at the end (I hope).

In the late 90s more and more people were getting on the internet.  Some retailers and entrepreneurs saw the internet as an opportunity to start selling tons of merchandise.  So they started up a bunch of websites selling everything from pet supplies to music CDs.  The philosophy of some of these dot-coms was “If we build a website people will come and buy all of our stuff”.  So the dot-coms starting borrowing millions of dollars from the banks and went public with their stock so they could build their websites.  The stocks kept soaring and the dot-coms kept borrowing more and more money to add on to their websites and advertise them.  There was only one problem; a lot of these dot-coms were making no money at all.

In fact there became a glut of dot-coms on the internet all spending millions on their websites to sell their stuff.  These dot-coms knew they couldn’t fail, after all it was the internet and everybody was making millions of dollars on the internet weren’t they?

Well, all the sales didn’t come in as expected, in fact some of these dot-coms never made a profit the whole time that they were in business.  Now the banks were getting worried about some of these dot-coms, because loan payments were not being made on a timely basis and some of the banks started to call-in some of the loans.  Now the shareholders were getting worried because of lack of sales and profits, defaulted loans, bad business practices, etc and they started selling off their stock like crazy and stock prices plummeted and lot of the dot-coms went belly up (out of business).

Here are just a few of the dot-coms that went out of business, Beyond.com, Boo.com, Pets.com, KOZMO.com, eToys.com, eXcite.com and so on and so on.  But wait if you search the internet you can still find some of these websites, “What’s up with that?”  Well, some of the other dot-coms that did not go out of business bought their names and are using them.

Now there were some survivors of the Dot-Com Bubble Burst such as eBay.com, Amazon.com, Travelocity.com and Yahoo.com to name a few.  It took these survivors awhile to get back on track, but they are now flourishing.

So what went wrong?  Rather than trying to figure out what the consumer really wanted, the dot-coms adopted the philosophy of “if we build it they will come” and “if they don’t come, we will just borrow more money and make our website bigger and advertise more until they do come”.  It never dawned on the dot-coms that not all of the internet visitors were ready to buy stuff on-line, because they were not sure how secure their transactions would be (there was no consumer confidence). 

These dot-coms also ignored the fact that were lots of other websites that were selling the same stuff they were and that these other websites actually understood what the internet consumer wanted.  These other websites were doing a better job at customer service, etc.  These big dot-coms just ignored the fact that there were too many websites selling the same stuff and ended up going out of business.

Does any of the above sound familiar?  During the 90s and into the 2000s many of the RV manufactures increased production and opened new factories as a result of strong RV Sales.  Of course a lot of the manufacturers had to get loans to continue their expansions.  According to the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association RV sales peaked in 2006 at about 390,000 vehicles.  Some of the RV Manufacturers were caught by surprise when RV sales started to decline in 2007.

Then came the volatile fuel prices which caused a lot of potential RV buyers to steer clear of buying “fuel-guzzling” RVs.  To be honest, there really has not been a major improvement in fuel mileage in the motorized RV category for the past two decades.  Now, if the fuel prices were not enough to hurt the RV Industry, the housing loan debacle sure was.  Lending institutions were being hit hard by subprime loan defaults.  So their reaction was to tighten up the loan market making it harder for someone to buy a “luxury item” such as an RV.

Then to put the final nail in the coffin of the RV Industry the stock market decided to make a “major price correction” in other words the stock market plummeted.  This price correction affected a lot of “baby boomers” financially.  Since baby boomers are the major buyers of RVs it also affected the RV Industry.  Because the RV industry was too slow to react to the economic downturn, they produced too many RVs that were not selling, creating the new RV glut that we have now.  So the RV Industry has gone from “feast to famine” in 2 1/2 years.

So, as you see there are quite a few similarities between the Dot-Com Bubble Burst of 2000 and 2001 and the RV Bubble Burst of 2008 and 2009.  Just like the Dot-Com Bubble Burst there will be survivors of the RV Bubble Burst.  The number of RV Manufacturers that survive is yet to be determined as we are in the middle of the RV Bubble Burst.  But there will be survivors.

What will happen to the RV Industry in the future is going to be in the hands of the surviving RV Manufacturers.  All of the surviving RV Manufacturers by default will have larger market shares of RV sales then they had prior to the bubble burst. Some will come back quicker than others.  Some may even start to look at the future and build some innovative motorized RVs that are far more fuel efficient, while still providing the luxuries that RVers expect.  Hopefully all of them will have learned from this experience; that they need to keep their ears to the ground and have contingency plans in place on how to react quickly to changes in the RV marketplace.

What can RV consumers expect?  Once the glut of RVs is sold off, you can expect fewer RVs to choose from.  You will not have a selection of unlimited floor plans to choose from.  Depending on the type of RV you are looking at you may find that there are only two or three companies making them.  You may also find some very innovative RVs to choose from made by either existing RV Manufacturers or brand new RV Manufacturers who are trying to make a name for themselves.  Either way, the RV Industry will still be around, hopefully a little bit wiser from their experience over the past couple of years.

RVing is not dead; it is just trying to catch its breath.  The long term future of RVing will be bright as long as the same mistakes are not repeated.

Motor Home Enthusiasts Enjoy the Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is an American landmark that everyone has to see at least once in their lives. It is one of the most popular motor home destinations in the United States.

You can see a picture of the canyon and get an idea of how beautiful it is, but it is nothing like actually sitting on the canyon’s edge and looking down.

The Grand Canyon is inspirational. When you look into its depths, the walls of rock chiseled over thousands of years lead you to contemplate how vast nature is. It is truly awe-inspiring.

You can watch the shadows creep along the buttes as the sun moves across the sky. It is a natural light show with changing colors.

The Grand Canyon has a south rim and a north rim. These two areas of the park are very different.

The south rim has more to do. There are lots of overlooks, hiking trails, museums, information centers, and lodging.

The north rim is somewhat more desolate, cooler and at a greater elevation.

Because the south rim is so popular, it is often crowded. During the summer months, you’ll see tourists climbing over each other to get a look at the breathtaking view. If you want to avoid crowds, it’s best to go during the off-season, in the winter or fall. Many prefer the north rim, where there are fewer people and you can enjoy the peace and quiet.

The most popular activity on this kind of trip is backcountry hiking. While you’re hiking, you will see rock formations and views few have seen before. Hikes range from day trips to overnight backpacking adventures. Hiking here is very strenuous so be prepared.

It can also be dangerous. There are temperature extremes similar to the desert: very hot during the daytime and very cold at night. This is desert hiking at its most extreme; bring plenty of water and food. You also have to know when to take a rest. Before setting off on a backcountry hike, make sure that you are fully prepared, and it can be a wonderful adventure.

Getting a spot at one of the popular campsites during the summer tourist season can be a challenge. Wherever you plan to stay, you should make reservations in advance if possible. If space is important, you might try sites a little ways away from the bustle.

North Rim Campground

At the North Rim Campground, you can be right on the north rim, just minutes away from some wonderful hiking. The North Rim Campground has no hookups and very limited services. However, this site is as close as you’re going to get.

The North Rim Campground fills up quickly because of its prime location, so it’s a good idea to book your stay well in advance. They take reservations as early as five months ahead.

Demotte Campground

For a little more luxury, try the Demotte Campground, about 15 miles from the north rim. They allow small RVs, but there are no hookups. There is a convenience store, restaurant and flushing toilets. You can also be close to hiking trails and horseback riding activities.

The Demotte Campground doesn’t take reservations, and it fills up fast. It can be a gamble. But, it’s well worth it because the high elevation of the campground ensures that you’ll have nice cool sleeping weather.

Desert View Campground

Desert View is located on the south rim, and named after one of the south rim’s most famous lookout points. It’s 25 miles from the canyon, and operates from May until October. There are no hookups for your motor home, but the low nightly charge and proximity to the canyon make it well worth it. They don’t take reservations.

The Grand Canyon KOA

If you want to spoil yourself a little, why not try the Grand Canyon KOA? It’s actually a ways away, just north of Williams, Arizona. But it is a comfortable and not that far away, and features fun amenities like barbecues and an indoor pool.

The Grand Canyon is truly one of the wonders of the world, and it makes for a great motor home holiday.

Question by Plume (Pantheist): What are your thoughts on “Jesus Camp”?
This is aimed especially at Christians but others are welcome to answer as well.

“Jesus Camp” is a documentary about a group of Evangelicals who, in a specially designed camp, practically brainwash kids into thinking they can “speak in tongues” and “hear Jesus” and all that. The lady who was in charge with the camp said she wanted to do the same as Islam and create an army for her religion because “it’s the right one”. Of course, the education the kids receive at home is not exactly helping either, as the parents are religious fanatics themselves.

I just watched the documentary and it scarred me. You can watch the whole thing here:

http://www.atheistnation.net/video/?video/00118/atheist/jesus-camp/

Or just the most important segments here:

What are your thoughts on this? On the actions these people are taking and the children’s attitude?

(I’m sorry if this was asked before, but I’ve never seen this film before and it was quite a shocking experience. If you haven’t seen it either I strongly suggest at least viewing the short YouTube clip)

Best answer:

Answer by Londron
I’m unable to watch 2 minutes of it personally without wanne hit something.

If it was my choice these people would be put behind lock and key.

Add your own answer in the comments!

Class C Motor Home Helpful Information

A Class C motor home is recognized as a smaller version of a Class A RV. The Class C motor home is also less pricey than its larger counterpart. The Class C motor home could weight up to 18K lbs, 32 feet long, and 10 feet high. This type of recreational vehicle is built with its body mounted on a conventional chassis and the Class C motor home looks like a van. The Class C motor home often has a living or sleeping space located above the driving department.

The average Class C motor home will accommodate up to four adults and two children, which totals six people depending on individual sizes. When traveling in a Class C motor home, it is important that you stay aware of the weight on board and in storage.

Some dedicated RVers have decided to take their Class C motor home and transform it into a full time motorcoach, living a life on the road full time. Other RVers use their Class C motor home for weekend getaways or summer vacations. The Class C motor home has a living space built for efficiency so that space is maximized when traveling. An example of this efficient way of travel is that the dinette space in the Class C RV may pull out into a bed. When purchasing this type of recreational vehicle, you will find that the bathroom and kitchen spaces are both accommodating. If your budget allows, you can upgrade amenities or even add a slide-out or pop-up for more living space when parked.

There are many different types of Class C recreational vehicles, so if you think that this is the size for you, look at the array of options. You will find new or used Class C RVs that come in a variety of makes and models. Prices will vary.

Price ranges of the Class C RV unit

Some Class C RVs start at ,000, and then can range up to ,000 (or more). The basic version typically offers the following: fresh water tank; sewer tank; power outlets; generator; as well as kitchen, sleeping, and bathing areas. Amenities can be purchased depending on your need. The interior of the RV will typically have paneling or plywood with a real wood feel. While most Class C RVs come with gas engines, you could special order a diesel engine. It could be expensive.

Advantages to buying Class C:

1.    The Class C is not as large as a Class A motorhome, so it often costs less.

2.    It is believe to be easy to maneuver and drive.

3.    It can be parked almost anywhere because of its size.

4.    You can purchase your new or used RV online.

camping

How To Have The Perfect Road Trip

  Road trips are one of the most popular travel options for people today. If you are finding it difficult to manage your bills, budget restraints may be forcing you to reconsider your holiday destination. This does not mean you have to go without a holiday, nor does it mean you have to put up with a short uneventful one.

There are many ways to enjoy a fabulous family holiday on a low budget. Road trips are a great way to spend quality time and have a wonderful holiday together with your family or even on your own. These trips can be more fulfilling than regular package holidays and will leave you with long lasting memories to cherish. There is a great guide that will show you how to achieve the best holiday on a limited budget, it has served me very well over the last year, and can be found here

Some of the benefits of choosing a road trip include:

You do not have to rush to make any departure/arrival times. You can come and go at your own leisure. This will help everyone feel less stressed and more comfortable. If you like a particular area you have visited you can stay there longer and if you didn’t you can leave as soon as you wanted.

You have the freedom to explore an area in depth and can take as long as you like enjoying your holiday. You could even spend months traveling the country.

One of the few necessary expenses while on a road trip is fuel. You cant drive very far on an empty tank. You can avoid wasting gas by planning your route in advance. A well planned trip will keep stress levels low . Another point to bear in mind while planning your road trip is to keep it interesting. Rather than spending hours or days driving on the same stretch of highway, take some detours to break the monotony .. this will keep morals high an d can lead to some interesting results.

While road trips are not free , there are many ways to keep the expenses low but the quality of your trip high. Even if you are on a shoe string budget you can enjoy many attractions, eat well and create many wonderful memories on a minimum spend.

Question by Nels Bels: My mom is trying to find something like a “Doggie Day Camp” in the Twin Cities, MN, USA. Ideas???
She has a black lab that is at home in it’s kennel all day while she works and she would like to find a “Day Camp” type situation for her dog to play.

Best answer:

Answer by Lolly
try sendin d dog 2 a friends house

Give your answer to this question below!

Question by Christine K wants Obama to fail: Why did Chris Matthews calls West Point the “Enemy Camp”?
Also, why did Obama telling the enemy and the people in Afghanistan that he is planning on pulling troops home in 18 months? If you were one of the villagers would you side with Americans if you know they are leaving?

Libs, here is a link just in case you don’t believe what Matthews said. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTbJcixsLq8

Best answer:

Answer by brown9500v15
I guess he is tired of being a news guy.

What do you think? Answer below!

Motor Home through the Australian Outback

Driving cross country in an RV is an old tradition in Australia. With its wide open spaces, vast star-filled skies, and gorgeous natural beauty, Australia is a motor home owner’s dream.

So, why not head down under and rent a motor home for your adventure? Here’s a taste of what Australia has to offer.

- Wide Open Spaces. Try the Outback! There are places where you won’t see another human being, and you can park your motor home anywhere you please.

From Sydney on the east coast, to Perth on the west coast, it’s 2,500 miles. That’s only a few hundred miles less than a trip from New York to Los Angeles! Out in the western part of Australia, there are 100-mile stretches with no services. No wonder it’s such an RV-friendly place!

The weather is mild all year round. On the coasts, the temperatures are moderate, although it heats up once you get into the interior, with temperatures reaching well over 100 degrees in the daytime.

- Natural Beauty. The outback is unlike anything you’ll ever see anywhere else. Australia’s beaches are also world renowned for their pristine beauty.

- RV Services. The land down under is probably the world’s most motor home friendly country. You can rent RVs just about anywhere, and drop them off at a location you didn’t start from.

There are lots of sights to see, and once you’re there you can explore on your own, but here are some of the big ones.

Ayer’s Rock, or Uluru, is one of the natural wonders of the world. It’s just what you might imagine it to be – a giant rock. It is the second largest rock in the world (second only to Australia’s Mt. Augustus) at 1,000 feet high, 5 miles around, and 1.5 miles below the Earth’s surface!

It is also a magnetic rock, which means it has strange effects on electronics. The natives believe that it is a giant generator, with a current of energy flowing out to the entire world. For RVers, it is a great area to camp, in view of the rock where you can see it change colors as the sun moves across the sky.

Ayer’s Rock is located 250 miles southwest of Alice Springs and is part of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

There are some pretty desolate spots on Australia’s west coast, but Shark Bay is not one of them. It is a recognized World Heritage site, full of colorful natural beauty and endangered species. Shark Bay is an interesting place, too, because of the fossils that have been found there, dating from the beginning of life on Earth.

Shark Bay is full of great areas to see, including Hamelin Pool, where the water is so clear you can see all the way to the bottom. There are big sandy beaches, and you can see dolphins at a beach named Monkey Mia.

It may seem vast and empty, but actually the Outback is rich in sights to see. There are national parks and historic sights everywhere.

- Mungo National Park, located in The Willandra Lakes heritage area, has the “Wall of China.” This one isn’t man-made, but made by thousands of years of wind. It is made of clay and sand, and the formations caused by the wind and erosion are fantastic.

- Kinchega National Park is an area where there is water – sometimes! The Darling River winds through this area of red sand dunes and dry lakes. There is an abundance of uniquely Australian wildlife, including exotic birds like emus and others like kangaroos.

- Sturt National Park is an arid land in the Strzelecki desert, where you’ll be surprised to find among the crags and dunes a wetlands area and forest. There are also white sands and red dunes for hiking.

In every part of Australia there are national parks worth seeing, and since motor homes are the most popular way to travel, you’ll find plenty of places to stay. The state of New South Wales alone has more diversity than almost anywhere else, with land features like deserts, swamps, coasts, forests and grasslands.

If you’re an RVer, consider the land down under.

This is not the original title of the video on myspace, but I was making a mini-series and I don’t have the first one downloaded
Video Rating: 4 / 5