Get SMART about Camp Hosting--not STUNG

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 WorkampingReviews.com Provides a Needed Resource for the Workamping Community

A Voice for the Thousands of U.S. Workampers

On the road, Wyoming – September 18, 2014

A new website has been launched giving workampers and traveling volunteers a voice. WorkampingReviews.com is an easy-to-use free website that allows workampers to share their experiences.  Users will help their fellows to avoid possible bad situations, and encourage the organizations that provide positive employment and service opportunities.  This website equips workampers and volunteers with information so they can determine which opportunities are best for them.

Each year, thousands of workampers and volunteers cris-cross the country filling vital roles in short term and seasonal positions. By all accounts, full-time RVing and workamping is a growing lifestyle.  “A website like this has been needed for sometime,” said Christian Dunn of WorkampingReviews.com. Who, along with his wife, is a full-time RVer and workamper.  “Most workamping and volunteer experiences are positive, but when a situation is bad, it can be a tremendous drain on time, money and emotions,” said Dunn.  “Prior to developing this website I had often wished there was such a resource.  A situation this past year prompted me and my wife to do it ourselves, in the spirit of community.”

The website relies on users to review and share their experiences.  “We wanted the website to be free, easy to use and allow users to post reviews anonymously.  Hopefully, people will come to the website regularly, and share honestly without concern of employer blow-back,” said Alayne Dunn of WorkampingReviews.com.  “So far there is not much in between, people either really enjoy their experiences or not,” said Dunn.  WorkampingReviews.com is the only website of its kind and is solely dedicated to the workamper with no other interests.  It is free, requires no registration, and users can begin posting and searching immediately.   

Christian & Alayne Dunn, also known as the TheRVNomads.com, are non-retired aged full-time RVers that have been traveling around the US with their two cats since March 2013. 

Contact:

Alayne Dunn

TheRVNomads@gmail.com

TheRVNomads.com

443 794 4596

Caverns of Sonora Job Offer

We were on our way to our new job at Colossal Cave Mountain Park when we got a call from the Caverns of Sonora.  It was Bill Sawyer on the phone, a life-long aficionado of caves.  I had sent out a flurry of applications just before our trip to Mexico.  I'd worked hard on them, and Bill said they were ready to hire us.  We couldn't believe we were almost to the cave when the offer came in.  We said we'd be right there.  In the above photo is a sample site in their hookup section of the cave campground.  We'd stayed here before, loved it, and did not want to leave...unless it was to get family to come see this special spot.
This was a paid position...besides being camp hosts, we'd get to give cave tours!  We soaked up information in their well-endowed "visitor's center", which had a massive collection of minerals, fossils, historical memorabilia and antiques.  Bill's photo albums of stunning cave speleothems at this site were unbelievable.  Nothing that fanciful could be real.  But we were soon in the warm and humid and living cave.  We found a meeting room.  You could be married or meet with the spirits or have a family reunion here....or maybe take a nap??








We found detectives were needed.  There's a $20,000 reward for the return of the signature feature of the cave...a gorgeous, but very fragile, "butterfly" (a bladed helictite).  Read this compelling article about the theft.  Bill told us they now know who did it and they intend to sue him for millions, but he has not been located.  He must be on the run, like the many wild-west robbers who used caves as their hideouts from the law.

We were distracted from our robber story by the deepening beauty as we descended with 4 other guests, who were true cave lovers.  Since the group was small, Bill said he'd take us to a wondrous part of the cave...that was even more delicate and beautiful, with a natural tunnel that hummed to a certain pitch and glorious white celestial rooms.  I was in helictite heaven, as I had done college papers on these gravity defying structures.  

Nothing prepared me for the Celestial Room...all decorated in White.

There was no end to the beauty!

I took my own movie and also bought one at the gift shop...but nothing captured the exquisite delicateness and perfection of God's own creativity with ordinary calcium carbonate.  This you have to experience yourself...on the small-group tour.

We were wishing we'd never heard of Colossal Cave, but we had made a commitment to be there and we had been told work had gone into preparing us a site with full hookups.  But we knew we'd found something so much better!!

 

We met with Gerry Ingham, a co-owner, and her daughter, along with Bill and learned even more of their passion for preserving and enhancing this invaluable geologic gem.  We wanted to be a part of this.  They'd even pay us more than the usual minimum wage, which was remarkable in this market with floods of hosting applicants.  The staff were all wonderful, and we knew we'd love working with them.  During our meeting an exasperated worker came in and said the plumbing was backed up in the restrooms.  We went out to the RV to talk this out.  We'd be working with wonderful people in a top-notch attraction...something you could dedicate yourself to.  There'd be a lot of interaction with eager-to-learn school children.  The job would be demanding...probably more than full time in a month or so.  But the big factor had to be we already had said "Yes" to what we thought must be a super job at a cave resort.

We decided to say Bye-Bye to the BEST job offer we've had so far...and farewell to the "singing cave".  (Play the above film clip to hear the cave humming...a natural feature that we'd never imagined even existed.)  Please visit this cave and see its wonders for yourself.  Anything on the internet does not let you experience what comes very near to being divine.

Getting a Job at a County Park Campground

We re-visited E. G. Simmons County Park...where we had lived with our 6 children when we first came to Florida in 1984.  We had a tiny old trailer then that had only one small bed, one canvas tent and no money, but it was the happiest time of our lives.  I had just finished painting our 100-year-old home in Pennsylvania inside/outside (after burning off all of the paint and almost burning the house down).  I crocheted curtains (including the two below) refinished all of the honey-colored interior oak trim and mantle, and stripped the ancient archival layers of wall paper (the toughest job of all).  We were forced to sell this architectural wonder due to no income and no way to heat the enormous 3-story structure....other than gathering sticks in the street (for real).   The kids had croup, so we just drove south and found refuge in Florida parks.  

I tried to take a photo of each of the places where our children played long ago...as I could still seem to hear their giggles in the breeze.  I was clicking away when I was surprised by a flock of "pterodactyls" flying overhead.  Memory jog!  Our son, Nathan, had hit the ground as soon as he first left the safety of our old station wagon upon our arrival in 1984.  Why?  Bob had yelled "Pterodactyls!" as a flock of giant blue herons flew closely overhead!  Below is the much-changed 2011 beach and playground, but the picnic pavilion where our youngest was "married" (at age 3) to another young camper is much the same.

 The sites look the same as back then (new RV, excepted) and we still get around by bike, and coon tracks are everywhere, and the rangers are still extra friendly. 

E.G. Simmons Park Marina

We found out that Volunteer camphosting in county RV parks is an excellent way to live in some of the most beautiful places in the United States with a free site and utilities in exchange for a few hours of work.   Not only are you providing a valuable community service, you benefit financially as well.  The rangers treat the hosts like "they walk on water"...and their only duty is usually just to clean their assigned restroom.  At E.G. Simmons there were 5 hosting couples.  As always, the best way to find a job is to actually camp where you'd like to work, talk with the hosts and the volunteer coordinator to see if you like what you hear about the job, and then if you are interested....ask if they need help.  If they are "full up" then still leave a card or an application in case something comes open...and it often does.  Hosts usually commit so far in advance to a job, that there is enough time for life circumstances to change their ability to host at an agreed on time.

So what are the general requirements for county camp hosts?  Hosts need to be outgoing and love meeting new people..... able to deal positively with different kinds of people and understand the limits of their authority and responsibility. (You are only supposed to inform the public, not enforce rules.)  They should have strong camping experience, familiarity with the county parks and a knowledge of the area surrounding the campgrounds (or are willing to do what it takes to gain such knowledge).  Hosts provide their own camping unit, which can even be a tent...if you are that tough.    Go for it!

Mechanics Reveal ALL - Which RV is the Most Reliable?

I had to know which RV was best.  We talked with the closest expert available, who happened to be the person in charge of pulling out our slide and doing a 2-day repair-- Carlos Armando Alonso.  Carlos is the son of the owners of America Choice RV (repair) Armando and Miram Alonso.  They'd been in business since 1979, and Carlos has 18 years of working experience.  He summarized everything he'd learned after seeing and working on thousands of RVs over the years.  I was an eager listener, since all of my brain-files were empty on the subject.  (It had just never been a matter of interest since I'd never wanted to give up working...and certainly never wanted to live in an RV.)  Carlos explained that the answer to my question was online...for anyone to see.  You just type in the name of the model or manufacturer you are interested in and read as much as you want to, including reviews. I told him I'd seen more Winnebago products than any other type in his shop.  I had two hypotheses:  I figured they weren't as reliable as they used to be, or they were so popular that they make up a large percentage of units in use.  Carlos said it was the latter, that there are more faithful owners of Winnies than any other make.  

We had a sad-bad room during the repair

Carlos said there really isn't a problem in the industry with any company producing lemons.  "They are all moving houses with lots of mechanical parts, and they all need repair at some point."  He said the big mistake owners make is they tend to park them and forget them....not knowing that they are nullifying their warranty.  I knew that all Four Winds have a warning in the owner's manual that you have to do a maintenance check at least once every 6 months.   Carlos said if you don't go around your RV and check the seals and roof and the integrity of all of the parts, your warranty will not go beyond one year...even if it is a 6-year warranty (which is what we have): no maintenance = no guarantees.  I think he could see I was a bit upset.  I mentioned the fact that the back corner must have separated along the roof line of our RV because I could see light from the outside when I looked up to the roof from inside my clothes closet.  Ouch!  I wanted to know what kind of sealant to use, but instead of telling me, he said when we came back from our (wretched) motel stay (necessary since our RV was going to be on the rack for 2 days), that he'd walk around the 31K with me and give me maintenance suggestions.  Whew.  That did put me at ease....somewhat. 

Rv Earthquake Mess

Why does a brand-new RV need maintenance?  The major reason is each time you drive your home down the road it experiences at least a magnitude 5 earthquake.  I know if you lie down on our bed in the back while traveling, your tailbone is going to slam (hard) into the wooden bed platform.  Ouch!  And we all know how cans love to fall out of cupboards.  Bob is fearless when it comes to the type of roads we travel, so we've experienced some news-worthy earthquakes in our time.  Once he went straight up a dirt road that went over a mountain divide.  It was on an impulse, as we had no idea where it went.  The road had no switchbacks.  It just angled up into the sky!  Within minutes my bike had bounced up and off of the rack and was drug along until the tread was ground off of its tires.  I became a witch about "no more dirt roads"...and our manual for our new RV actually states:  "no unpaved roads".  So there's multiple ways you can void your warranty.  One way, that I'm still amazed at, was demonstrated by an owner of a nice RV who backed down a boat ramp, right into the water, over his tail pipe...just to get his boat in the water.      Crazy....          Crazy about fishing, that it.

Sunliner's Provincial

I still thought there was one RV manufacturer that was the best.  Carlos liked Thor and said he'd never seen the problems our own Four Winds was having... but then he took some time to sift through all of his experiences and admitted that the BEST manufacturer (of all time) had to be Sunliner.  He said he had looked and looked but had never found any weaknesses in it.  He raved about its reliability to the point that I had to ask another mechanic if he felt the same way, and he said Sunliner was the best.  All of the mechanics I've talked with say there is no perfect RV...but Sunliner comes close.  If you go to their site, they definitely have a different approach and novel construction techniques.  Leave it to the Aussies, but Carlos said they went out of business.  Quality perhaps hurts the bottom line too much.....???

I asked a mechanic if my conclusion might be correct:  "If all RVs were made by Sunliner, then repair garages would be out of business."  He didn't hesitate to say, "That would be true."

#3 Visit to the RV Repair Station

We cut our trip short--to only a few hours--at Juniper Springs.  Larry called to say the part was in and we needed to return to Ocala.  No!  How could we interrupt our celebration of nature's best!?  I didn't want to believe it was true, but there we were turning our 31K over to the mechanics...again.  Was this coach put together by an imposter...an amateur?...or worse, someone who could care less?  I looked around to see if perchance a Winnebago might be in the garage.

The first RV I spotted was...yep, a Winnebago.  Sad.  Lined up beside this ailing RV was a Class-A Itasca Ellipse (a Winnebago product), a Fleetwood Prowler with its innards showing, a 5th wheel Mobile Suites (advertised as having "the best bang for the buck") and one wounded Dutchmen RV.

 Below is a closeup of that Fleetwood Prowler with its forward slide pulled out.

A quick walk just around the corner revealed another surprise:  a Winnebago product, a new looking Cambria.  Oh, no...what could be wrong with it?

By now I was rubbing my eyes, because in the very next bay was another Mobile Suites ....

It was like there was a race on to be "popular" in the garage, as I found yet another Winnebago, a Four Winds (not ours) and this shiny Windsport (shown below).  

Next I found a Georgie Boy Landau Motorhome, a Safari Zanzibar (shown below in the rain) next to a Crescendo by Gulf Stream....an Itaska Sunrise (Winnebago product) an Infinity coach, and an Independence,

 TWO Hurricanes by Thor, and one brown-striped Dolphin by National (a bankrupt company)...  All were being worked on today. 

The next day I found two more Mobile Suites trailers had moved in for repair.

Winnebago products are still in the lead, however.

A Bighorn by Heartland had joined the ranks, looking a bit small next to the Fleetwood Excursion.

I know the Bounder is a very popular RV, so I had to find out why it came in today.  Ahhh...nothing mechanical, it just needs a little body work (although I couldn't tell where).

So...now I'm going to ask the mechanics which type of RV they see most often. 

I've got to know!  When it comes to anything RV, I'm pretty much ignorant.

What's the BEST RV ??

Are you planning to buy a new or used RV?   Would you like to know which RV Manufacturers rate best?  What are the most popular selling models?   How much can you negotiate off MSRP with an RV dealer? 

It is essential to do some research before you buy. You can search the Internet for answers but many sites only provide basic specs about particular models and many are associated with an RV company or dealer and their ratings are biased in some way.

Our Beloved Mini Wini

Mike fixing the 31K's Slide

So let's look at some actual experiences, keeping in mind how you plan to use your RV.  Our first RV, a Class C Winnebago, was purchased just for travel, so we looked at mileage and the mechanical condition.  The owner had kept it garaged, so it looked great, and it only had 36,000 miles on it.  A common mistake with most new RV buyers is that the floor plan is the most important aspect in their RV purchase. It is estimated that over 90% of new RV buyers focus more on floor plans than anything else.   In contrast, most experienced or educated RV buyers focus on the chassis or frame, drive train, engine, suspension and exterior construction when selecting a particular RV model.  We confess, because we were going to live in our second (brand-new) RV, the floor plan was a major criteria.  We didn't look at the mechanics of this RV but just purchased a 6-year warranty program.  Mistake.  During our first months of ownership the slide kept breaking (always far-far from a dealership) and we noticed the coach wasn't put together well, moldings and trim weren't well attached, and because it wasn't built to the square, the table wouldn't change into a "safe" bed.  (You'd end up falling on the floor repeatedly through the night...quite a startling surprise!) 



Our 31K waiting its turn in The Shop



Bottom line - What’s underneath your motorhome, trailer or fifth wheel is the most important aspect and should take top priority in your decision process. Focusing on these important features will ultimately determine how satisfied you are with your purchase.

While we were in the shop on our son's birthday, 11/9/11, I spotted a Winnebago on the rack.  I told a mechanic I thought a Wini never failed.  He informed me, "All of the rigs end up on the rack at some time."  I couldn't accept that and asked around.  Know what?  All mechanics agree.  I had to accept that there is no perfect RV. 

I just noticed our new RV has an interesting statement I hadn't noticed, right outside the door: "Thor...America's Best RV Value"  Now I'm pumped to find out if our experiences with this coach are an exception to the rule.   What is the BEST RV?

My research led to the following list, in alphabetical order, of 10 RVs which received good reviews, based on consumer surveys at RV-Coach Online.

Airstream

Airstream, Inc. manufactures travel trailers that are easily recognized by their rounded aluminum exterior.  Airstream started building high-end, comfortable and luxurious travel trailers nearly 80 years ago, and they remain popular today.  When I was a kid my Dad loved to take us out on Sunday afternoons to lovingly look at Airstream models.  We never did more than admire them.  With 5 kids in the family the most we could afford was a Sunday treat of an ice cream cone on the way home.

Arctic Fox by Northwood Manufacturing

This company gets good marks at RV-Coaches.com in nearly every category listed on the survey, from interior and exterior design to handling on the road to overall value.  The company makes travel trailers, fifth wheels and cab-over campers that fit in a pickup bed.

Cardinal by Forest River

RVers appreciate the comfort and stylish interior of Cardinal travel trailers and fifth wheels, manufactured by Forest River, a Berkshire Hathaway company.  The units are available with two, three or four slide-outs.  The bunkhouse model includes a separate rear bedroom with twin bunk beds.

Fleetwood

Fleetwood RV builds motorhomes, including the familiar, mid-range diesel Bounder and top-of-the-line gas engine Pace Arrow, as well as the smaller, Class C Tioga.  While they don't get rave reviews, they do earn a pretty steady four stars on a scale of one to five (five being best) for comfort, appearance and quality at RV-Coach.com 

Newell Coach

Newell Coach gets very high marks for comfort and overall quality. Owners pay a premium price, in some cases, over $1 million, for the custom design and luxury built into each coach. Each numbered coach reflects the tastes and preferences of its owner. From the optional Murphy bed to the Sub-Zero refrigerator, RVing doesn't get any more elegant than this.

Newmar

Newmar Corporation builds a variety of fifth wheel coaches and toy haulers, as well as motorhomes. Models and prices range from the affordable Cypress fifth wheel to the Class A, diesel King Aire motorhome. Owners at RV-Coach.com like the comfort and appearance, inside and out (although they suggest there is a cost to maintain the units). The company is proud of their Amish craftsmanship and updated floor plans.

Nu Wa

Nu Wa Industries manufactures the very popular, four-season Hitchhiker fifth wheel coaches. In 2010, the company put in place a new marketing and sales model designed to take the stress and uncertainty out of the purchase process. Customers are invited to buy factory-direct, and owners applaud the manufacturer and dealer support they receive.

Tiffin Motorhomes

Tiffin Motorhomes is a family-run business that manufactures the popular Class A Allegro, mid-range Phaeton and high-end Zephyr motorhome models. Owners who completed the survey at RV-Coach.com say their coaches perform well on the road and deliver good overall quality.

Winnebago

Winnebago Industries sold its first motorhome in 1966 and they continue to produce Winnebago and Itasca models today. Owners at RV-Coach.com rate the coaches' overall quality and value as above average, although they do report challenges with reliability.
  

There are far more RV manufacturers than car manufacturers; use this competition to your advantage.  If you can't find the style and options you want at a price that you think is reasonable, keep looking.

Getting a job at a KOA or RV Resort

Playa Del Rio RV Resort & Yacht Club

 There are many places on the internet that list jobs...but avoid the "farms" where old listings are posted just so you'll fall into "fields" of ads and offers.  I like this list of jobs because it has the date it was posted.  We are currently testing some of the ads to see if there's still a job attached to them...i.e., Playa Del Rio on the Gulf Coast. 

Another add we're responding to:  "Wow" will be the first thing you'll say after one look at this amazing, amenities-packed KOA in the heart of Central Florida. Splash in one of the region's largest pools after a game of sand volleyball. Pull your rig into an RV site complete with digital cable TV and a brick fireplace on the patio.  Work out in the exercise room.... then relax in the gentle breezes and shade of oaks and palms.  Jump on KOA's Shuttle to Disney, Universal, SeaWorld or Wet 'N' Wild and enjoy it all.   [OK!  We were sold...and they were advertising online for help.  We were gung-ho to apply because Craig & Tanya live close by and the LDS Church is "just across the street".] 

The first thing to do is call to see if the job is still available.  It turned out the ad we read online was not fresh.  But we sent our application in anyway, in case someone had to bail and an opening came up.  The owners sent us an email encouraging us to keep them in mind for next season.  That's just it.  The jobs fill up fast, before the season starts.  So the second thing to do is your research.  Make sure you are applying for a job that you will enjoy...for the entire commitment.  Go online and search the name of the resort or KOA with the key words "worked", "job", or something like that because people love to blog about their camp hosting jobs....and you'll usually get very frank opinions about how it was.

The reason you need to narrow down your options to the area you'd most like to live in and the work you'd most like to do, is there's an overwhelming number of camping locations. 

The third thing to do is to put together an informal resume that pinpoints the skills and experience you have that match the job.  You'll need a current picture of yourself and your rig.  It's best to email your application, and then follow up with a hard copy in the mail (if you are really interested in the position.) Then the final thing to do is an evaluation:  Focus on what you want and do your homework so you don't get stuck in a bad situation.

For instance... I found a compelling RV Adventure site, called Traveling on the Outskirts with the true stories of a young couple dedicated to living on the road.   Last year they were desperate (bad condition) for a workamping position and watched the postings religiously on workamping.com .  One came up at Sun N Fun RV Resort in Sarasota, Florida. This is a huge place with 1,515 sites and activities galore.  Our young adventurers called, sent a flaming resume with superior references, and then aced the phone interview to land the job.  The only problem was they didn't get the details on how they were to be paid and how much their spot would cost them...or even what the spot was like.  It turned out to be $450 a month for a little strip with no privacy whatsoever and a wage $3 less than anyone else was getting and no possibility of making a living...as they were working for tips outside in Florida's coldest winter anyone could remember.  You can read their almost tragic story at: The Real Deal   (A Reality check for campworkers.)

List of Jobs Currently Available

Ready to go to work?  Here's a list of jobs put out by "Work for RVers and Campers".
We responded to the following ad from this list....with enthusiasm....but received no reply whatsoever.  We couldn't get even an acknowledgement that our application was received:
FL: Winter Position on Citrus Ranch Near Disney World
Work campers needed. Work on a 2500-acre ranch close to Disney World. Job runs November through April. We have a U-pick citrus grove, old time country store, eco tours, and a camp ground. Please see our website showcaseofcitrus.com for more info about us.  Call Julie at 352-267-9903, if you are interested.

I like this list because it gives a posting date...so you have an idea if the job might already be filled...or so undesirable that no one has responded and the listing is still active. 

There's a free list by Cool Works of jobs you may have never considered...but could have a riot with.

There ARE many, many camp hosting positions that are paid (in real money).  One of the must varied lists of camp host jobs is found at http://www.simplyhired.com/ .  You can get your free spot without even being in a campground.  Another surprising site is jobsonline.net  with an easy search gadget.  You could be involved with anything from camp counseling to RV sales.

Then we checked the list of jobs posted by Happy Vagabonds.  Why not?  You have nothing to lose by applying.  We sent emails and made phone calls (no answers) and we left messages (with no replies).  We'll let you know if these are valuable lists or not....shortly.   [They are...but apply early and expect quite a bit of competition for the job.]

Here's a sample of a job posting that is supposedly available right now:
Workamper Needed at Fishermans Cove Resort
Needed immediately workamper 20 hrs a week in exchange for site and utilities. Duties are cleaning/general maintenance, friendly, relaxed atmosphere, ideal for retired couple, Come and experience our little fishing / resort. Contact Brenda at (941) 729-3685.

Bob called and left messages several times, and I wrote excited emails, because we used to live close to this resort and know (and love) a lot of people in the area.  After two weeks we gave up, as there was no acknowledgment whatsoever of the communications, resume and pictures we'd sent.  The "paradise" the owner of Fisherman's Cove described went up in vapors for us.  [Note:  We did follow up personally on this job lead, and it had been filled as we had supposed.]