Its winter, let's go camping!

A little winter never stopped a Californian from camping!  We ran across several campgrounds and RV parks at various elevations in the Sierra that stay open throughout the winter in an effort to accomodate cross-country skiers, snowshoers, snowboarders and snowmobile enthusiasts.

Mammoth Mountain RV Park:  Campsites offered include 30a or 50a electrical service and cable TV hookups.  The park also features an indoor swimming pool and spa, showers and a laundry facility.

Cisco Grove Campground and RV Park in Soda Springs: Located near Donner Pass, this park not only stays open through the winter, but rents snowmobiles and grooms 26 miles of snowmobile trails. The park also has a snow play area and snow tubing hill. The park currently has seven RV sites available, three with electricity and water and four with water, power and sewer connections. Additional campsites can be plowed depending on demand. The park also offers six motel rooms.

Coachland RV Park in Truckee: This park provides water, sewer and cable TV service as well as 30 and 50 amp electrical hookups and wireless Internet or Wi-Fi service.

Lake of the Springs RV Resort in Oregon House: This Equity LifeStyle Properties park sits on a 950-acre property in the western foothills of the Sierra.

Pioneer RV Park in Quincy: This 62-site park, which is about 10 miles from a popular snowmobile area, is open throughout the winter.

Snowflower RV in Emigrant Gap: This Equity LifeStyle Properties park is located off I-80 at Exit 160.

Tahoe Valley Campground in South Lake Tahoe: This Equity LifeStyle Properties park has about 40 sites that are kept open during the winter months. Campsite amenities include water, sewer, 30 and 50 amp electrical hookups and wireless Internet or Wi-Fi service.

Yosemite Pines RV Resort & Family Lodging in Groveland: This park, located near one of the western entrances to Yosemite National Park, features park model cabins and yurts in addition to RV sites. “During the holidays we stay fairly busy,” said park manager Mary Betram. She said reservations are recommended for cabins and yurts, but RV sites are often available during the winter months.
 
For more information visit Camp California

This would never happen in an RV...

Budget Travel magazine recently reported the 9 Worst Luggage Incidents of All Time and all we have to say is, there is a much better way to travel!

• 40 suitcases swamped by raw sewage
• United Airlines set a woman's luggage on fire
• Suitcase soaked in jet fuel
• Luggage falls overboard on cruise ship
• Airline loses $50,000 worth of luggage
• Suitcase valuables regularly stolen by airline employees
• Heathrow leaves luggage outside to rot
• Local man routinely steals suitcases off the conveyor belt
• Checked luggage subject to storm

We want to know "How You RV"

Here at Paul Evert's RV Country, we are passionate about RV's. Many of us grew up RVing and still enjoy the many fun and exciting ways there are to do it!
However, what we really want to know is, how do YOU RV? What tips and tricks do you use? Do you travel with pets? What's your favorite place to visit?

Whether it's a quick trip to the beach or you live in it full time, we want to know! If you attend rallies or belong to a travel club, we want to hear about it!

As we approach our 50th year in business, every time we think we've seen it all, we realize we haven't! Customers have come through who travel with everything from GIANT Newfoundland dogs to birds! Families have come from other countries to travel the US and we've shipped motorhomes to Europe and even New Zealand! Have 10 kids? Run a mobile dental office? Enjoy deer hunting? From horse shows to drag racing, we know you're out there!
Each and every one of you has a story to tell and we'd be honored if you'd share yours with us, just DON'T FORGET THE PICTURES!

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Please use the form below to tell us your story and upload a photo of how you RV!

Name E-mail Address: * RV Make/Model/Year: Number of years youve been RVing: A little about you: Do you travel with pets? Tell us about them: Favorite camping spot or travel destination and why: Service Tips, Travel Tricks, or Gadgets you cant RV without: Funny Story: Favorite Recipe: Attach a File: * Required

Western Area Rally

We’re here at the Western Area Rally in Indio, California where we return to the Old west! There are plenty of activities, seminars, crafts and lots of entertainment for all to enjoy! For a schedule, click here.

Drop by and say howdy to me…Steve Nelson, I have a special offer for you! For each person that comes over and says ‘I read your blog!’ I’ll sign you up to receive a FREE 1 year membership to our "Country Club" which entitles you to 10% off purchases in our Parts & Accessories store!

By the way, did you know that Paul Evert’s RV is on Facebook and Twitter? You can now ‘Like’ us and Follow us! We've got lots of tips and fun stuff going on, be sure to check it out. Well, its about time for me to get back to showing RV's. I’m looking forward to seeing all of you real soon!

We're here for you!

In 2009, Robert and Martha Bell purchased a pre-owned diesel motorhome (98 Monaco Signature) from us in Quartzsite, Arizona. For those of you who don't know, when you purchase a vehicle at Paul Evert's RV, we assist in registering and titling the vehicle for you in your home state.

DeeAnn Holtham, a faithful employee for over 7 years, is our DMV/Title clerk. When the Bells visited their home DMV office to get a VIN inspection, they were given incorrect information resulting in an overpayment of $1,550 and a suspension of their registration! DeeAnn discovered this overcharged error, worked with the customer and the DMV office and was able to get the vehicle registered and the $1,550 fee refunded!

We'd like to say everything goes smoothly 100% of the time, but during the times it doesn't, we're here for you in every way we possibly can be!

Paul Evert’s RV "Country Club" Card

Have you purchased your exclusive Paul Evert’s RV Country club card yet? 

Get your new year started off right with discounts on all the necessities (AND FUN STUFF) that will keep your RV lifestyle going smoothly down the road. Our parts club membership is on special right now for only $14.95 -  which is cheaper than a Good Sam or a Camping World membership and you get 10% off all* purchases!

We also have an upgraded membership for $89.95 which gives you access to the Paul Evert's RV Travel Club, 10% off parts & accessories, AND an exclusive 10% off labor in our service department. That can add up to big savings quickly!

For more details and to download your application, please visit:
http://www.rvcountry.com/rv-parts-club-card.aspx


*Discounts apply to all non-advertised parts & accessories only.

Tech Talk: 6v or 12v batteries - which one is right for you?

We've recently seen some debates online about the differences between 6 volt and 12 volt batteries and which option is better.

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Rod Ploeckelmann

Paul Evert's RV is very fortunate to have master technician (since 1995!!), Rod Ploeckelmann on hand, so we quizzed him and found he has a wealth of information on this topic.

PE's: What is the difference between a 6 volt and a 12 volt battery?
Rod: Amp hours, longevity, and weight are probably the main differences.

PE's: And what are amp hours good for?
Rod: The longevity - The 6 volts are designed more for the inverters purpose of charging the battery. Also, should there be an issue, even though it's best to replace all 4, you can replace just 1 - there are a lot of advantages to the 6 volt versus the 12 volt battery.

PE's: You said 6 volts are designed for inverters. Does that mean in a trailer that does not have an inverter, you would have to use a 12 volt battery?
Rod: No, you can use either one, but 12 volts are more customarily used in travel trailers and fifth wheels because they are more compact and lighter weight. However, if you have the room, I would still recommend using two 6 volt batteries.

PE's: Since there would only be one 12 volt battery instead of two to four 6 volts, should the two types be wired differently?
Rod: I'm glad you asked this! Yes, many times I've seen the wiring from the manufacturer be done incorrectly. 6 volt batteries need to have the positive go to one pair and the negative to the other pair so that the inverter sees it as one battery and doesn't have a leader or a follower.

PE's: So if a customer is having trouble with a 6 volt battery holding it's charge or they feel they are going bad too quickly, what should they do?
Rod: The customer should definitely bring their vehicle in! If they just take it anywhere and have new batteries put in, things will seem fine for maybe the first year, but then the same problem will eventually re-develop. However, I always check to make sure the wiring is done correctly before just replacing them - this ensures a full and long battery life.

PE's: It seems the 6 volt is the way to go. Do you know if there is a price difference between the 6v and 12v?
Rod: Yes, the 6 volts are going to be a little bit more expensive, but the customer will be much more satisfied with the longevity of the 6 volt. Also, if the customer has an inverter or demands a lot of usage, they'll be able to cut down on the generator starting because of the 6 volts additional amps. You see, two 6 volts are 105 amp hours each equaling 210 amp hours, whereas one 12 volt is only 80 amps.

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So there you have it folks! Looks like the 6 volt is the way to go.

Pricing from the Paul Evert's RV Parts Department:
6v   - $164.49 + tax & core
12v - $108.24 + tax & core

Click Here for more info on joining our "Country Club" and how you can save 10% on your battery cost and even on labor if you have work done in our service department!

Click Here to make a Service Appointment.