We’ve done a fair amount of coast-to-coast traveling for this issue, have tracked down several innovative products for tow vehicles, and learned a great deal about tow rigs—the good and the bad. More on that in a moment. The big news for us is the launch of a digital companion to the print edition—extending our reach so that you can find the entire library of stories anywhere you have Internet access.
Our new website offers everything from road tests and great escapes to forums and how-to stories. Hopefully you’ll bookmark
RVMagOnline.com and visit the site often. The early mockups I saw before the site launched looked promising, and I’ve been told that enhancements will be forthcoming, such as video clips. The website will help fill the void between print issues.
RVMagOnline.com will deliver continuous content and relative news for the RV enthusiast and traveler.
The theme this issue is tow vehicles and the many ways you can make a trip safer and more hassle-free. If you do any towing, check out what we learned about new products ranging from batteries to exhaust brakes.
What’s Ahead?
The technology behind digital content sharing got me thinking that what the RV industry needs is to be less like it was yesterday and more like it will be in 2015. I’m not naïve to think that hybrids and lightweight manufacturing materials are the only answers to the economy and the ecology. After spending 20 years editing automotive magazines, I wouldn’t have suggested such drastic measures just a decade ago. But gas was cheaper, our lives were simpler, and polar bears definitely weren’t drowning in the arctic.
There’s no time to waste. I’m looking for change, and I believe it will come if we are all intent on preserving the principles of RVing and camping for future generations. We can’t continue to be seen as abusers of natural resources any longer. The fact is that in certain states, even water reserves are low.
While I may be newer to the game than you, I’m not blind to the fact that RVs have a reputation for consumption, which is often unfair. By their very nature, RVs are more cost-efficient and leave a lower carbon footprint than aircraft travel, as Mark Polk points out in this issue (“Thinking Green,” page 42). I don’t want to bore you with travel comparisons; you should already know that the results show that RVing is a greener and more affordable way to go. But if you need to see for yourself, go to www.taigmarks.com and take a look at the video TaigMarks created for Coachmen.
See you in cyberspace.