Steel Homes, Hookups and Other RV Exercises

I knew I was in trouble the minute my mouse landed on “The Adventures of Big Bartha: The MotorHomepage About Life in an RV.”

About to embark on my first vacation via recreational vehicle, I was already a bit apprehensive about spending four days encased in 29 feet of clattering steel. And here were two full-time RVers warning me that “RV dealers and rental agencies tend to paint a very rosy picture. . . . These topics and questions are about life in the ‘real’ RV world, after the ink has dried on the sales or rental contract and you’re several miles or months down the road.”

Sure enough, their candid appraisals (https://www.onlinefx.com/bigbartha/rvers.htm) sparked a bout of pre-trip angst. “You’ll find that bumps and rough patches of pavement you never noticed in your car are suddenly amplified in an RV,” they cautioned. “As a driver, you’ll tend to be more tense at the wheel.” Arrgghh.

Angst aside, “Big Bartha” turned out to be one of my favorite online resources devoted to the joys--and hassles--of the RV experience. A sampling of other Web sites designed to smooth a journey:

* Download the view from their Friday Harbor, Wash., living room, and you’ll understand why Tom and Stephanie Gonser aren’t full-time RVers. But the Gonsers have driven more than 250,000 miles in the past eight years, and that experience is reflected in their informative, noncommercial RVers Online (https://www.pacificrim.net/~tgonser/RV.html). Aimed at what the Gonsers call a “new breed” of younger, computer-savvy RV aficionados, the site includes a small but growing list of “modem-friendly” RV parks. A similar effort, called “Rving: The Midwest Connection” (https://Walden.MVP.Net/~vdrex/), is run by an Illinois-based couple. It’s loaded with regional advice and a list of links to other RV sites.

* Woodall’s (https://www.woodalls.com) has been a popular source for campers and RVers for more than six decades, peddling everything from campground directories to RV buyers’ guides and cookbooks. The site includes a separate area for kids (online coloring books, anyone?) and an “Expert’s Advice” section that includes a helpful Q&A; on driving an RV in Mexico. You can order their products online, or search for the perfect campground from about 14,000 private and public parks. Alas, of the seven possibilities that came up when I asked for Jackson, Wyo., none listed 1997 rates and only one included a phone number.

* You’d think a site called the Great Outdoor Recreation Pages, plump with advice on such rugged subjects as back-country hikes and kayaking gear, might give short shrift to folks who prefer to do their exploring with microwaves in tow. But GORP’s extensive “scenic driving/RV” section (https://www.gorp.com/gorp/activity/rv.htm) includes such useful information as a guide to U.S. National Forest Service campgrounds, a camping and RV newsgroups’ FAQ (frequently asked questions) and updates on road construction across the United States.

* The world’s largest RV rental organization, Cruise America, runs its own extensive site for RV-wannabes (https://www.cruiseamerica.com). But for more choices (including Cruise America’s choices), check out RV Rent (https://www.rvrent.com), a free referral service that represents about 50 companies and 125 locations in North America.

* My own RV initiation was pleasantly uneventful. I was particularly glad I’d brought along a cassette tape of “RV There Yet? Comic Adventures in a Recreational Vehicle” (https://www.simwell.com/rvfun/). Written and narrated by veteran Hollywood comedy writer Ray Parker, it kept me grinning instead of growling at the inevitable annoyances of RV living.

Bly welcomes reader comments; her e-mail address is Laura.Bly@latimes.com. Electronic Explorer appears monthly.