Archive for August, 2006

>Two and half years ago, Graham Kerr, The Galloping Gourmet, and his bride of 50 years, Treena, decided to put their $800,000 (all figures U.S.), custom-built home on the market. They wanted to free up their money to help the less fortunate.

New the Kerrs are living in a Fleetwood Discovery 2006, Class A Motorhome. It is their second motorhome, purchased this past January. Unlike many buyers, they bought the 39-foot-long vehicle, with 380-square-feet of space, to downgrade not upgrade.

“We were attracted because there are less bells and whistles on it,” explains Kerr, the former host of The Galloping Gourmet. “We are suspicious of the word upgrade. We think if it works and is comfortable and pleasant, it doesn’t really need to be upgraded any more.

Kerr is currently on a 160,000-kilometre tour that will soon bring the couple and their motorhome to Toronto, where he will display his culinary talents at the Canadian National Exhibition from Aug. 18 to Aug. 20 (http://www.theex.com).

“We were told you should never tour in anything less than 36 feet long and this is three feet longer than that,” he says. “This weighs 30,000 pounds and when you are guiding it down the road at 60 miles per hour, you would think it would be awkward, but it isn’t. You get used to it. I think Treena and I would say we have never been happier in any dwelling place we’ve ever had in our life.” Full Story…

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>Parked in Camper World shopping center with his Bounder Diesel, a large Class A motor home, Tim Mott came to Myrtle Beach from Charleston for minor repairs on his vehicle. Mott uses his traveling home mainly for business, but he still likes to take it on occasional excursions.

But things have changed since gas prices have flared to new highs.

The average price of a gallon of unleaded gasoline in Myrtle Beach Thursday was $2.857 with some stations charging as much as $2.919, according to AAA Carolinas. In Georgetown, the average was $2.805 and the high $2.969. In Brunswick County, N.C., the average was $2.929 and the high $2.999.

“I cut down the [travel] time in half,” said Mott, who also increased the frequency of his trips. “Instead of taking eight- to 10-hour trips, I take three- to four-hour trips.”

Skyrocketing gas prices are having a dampening effect on the motor home industry.

While sales are up overall, it’s being driven by towables – pulled by other vehicles – which are cheaper to run than full-sized motor homes. Motor homes get as little as seven miles per gallon.

RV owners aren’t just switching to less-expensive RVs that get better gas mileage, they are taking shorter trips and staying longer at their destinations. Full Story…

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>With skyrocketing gas prices, the demand for fuel efficient hybrid vehicles is unprecedented. But so, too, is the demand for vehicles that rate among the worst when it comes to miles per gallon.

At the Solano RV Show, which opened Friday, sales manager Art Leclair expects to move at least 65 RVs and travel trailers by the time the show ends August 13. “If people can afford the RV, they usually can afford the gas,” Leclair says. “Sales have never been better.” Full Story…

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