Have a “Spooktacular” October in your RV!

Enjoy pumpkin carving!(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you and your family love pumpkins, trick or treating, the occasional “scare”, and all other things Halloween, then your RV is the place to be!

Over the past several years our area has seen a dramatic increase in the number of fun fall activities. Most farms now have hayrides, pumpkin picking and other events, local wineries have their festivals, and many small towns hold fall festivals and fairs.

Campgrounds are no exception. Many now offer some fantastic Halloween themed weekends for the whole family! Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park in Elmer, NJ, for example, has a whole month full of activities each weekend in October,  including trick or treating, costume contests, DJ’s, pumpkin carving & painting, a corn maze, and more!

Fun trick or treating! (Photo credit: davidpb145)

At Old Cedar Campground in Monroeville, NJ,  running October 11-14,  you’ll find an evening Monster Mash with a campfire, complimentary hot dogs and cider, as well as afternoon trick or treating, and a few other things to keep you and your family busy.

Another example is the full calendar of events at Panther Lake Camping Resort in Andover, NJ. Taking place over Columbus Day weekend, activities include pumpkin painting, trick or treating, a Halloween party, a horseshoe tournament, even a juggling workshop and ceramics!

These are just a few examples we found doing a quick search online.  Be sure to also check with your favorite campground to see what they have planned, and even if the campground itself isn’t hosting an event, your sure to find something local to satisfy your “fall fever”!

If you’re able to get out there in your travel trailer, fifth wheel, or motorhome to enjoy these fall festivities, we would love to hear about it! Please feel free to share them in the comments section below!

Until next time, Happy RVing!

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Would you make a good Workamper?

Many RVers we talk to have the dream of one day being able to leave their jobs, friends, family, and basically the day-to-day life they’ve been living, in order to travel in their RV to destinations unknown. Sure, many folks do wait until retirement and do just that,  staying on the road for months, or even years at a time.

What if you don’t want to wait, but you still need income? Well, some people are turning to Workamping. The short version is that these individuals, couples, and sometimes families travel  from place to place and find work in exchange for a free campsite, utilities, wages  or some combination of all.

They’ll typically find positions at privately owned campgrounds, RV resorts, seasonal work (i.e. Christmas trees, fall hay rides, pumpkins, etc.), state and national parks, and even some retail stores. You’ll usually find that Workampers are couples, including many retirees, but it’s not uncommon to find single individuals as well.

Although there are some year-round Workamping jobs, most are seasonal, which fits in just fine with the folks that fill the jobs since most people enjoy the travel that comes along with Workamping.

If this is sounds like something that might interest you, probably the best place to start is on the Workamper website,  Workamper.com.

Good luck if you decide to look into this.

Until next time… Happy RVing!

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Getting to know Galloway

White Horse RV Center's New Galloway Store

White Horse RV is back on the White Horse Pike!
With the opening of our second location at  309 E. White Horse Pike, we’ve finally returned to the White Horse Pike after a 15+ year hiatus. We’re excited to have a facility that can now conveniently serve our customers and campgrounds along the NJ coast in Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth and Ocean counties, as well as those with easy access to the Garden State Parkway, such as  Middlesex, Union and all the way north to Bergen county!

If you haven’t visited White Horse RV’s new Galloway dealership since it opened back in September of 2011, you wouldn’t recognize the place now!  Our new Galloway team, under the guidance of  General Manager Heather Shannon, has been hard at work getting things up to date in order to meet the high level of service White Horse RV has become renowned for. We thought this would be a good opportunity for you to meet some of the Galloway Team.

Heather Shannon – General Manager

Heather joined her family’s  White Horse RV business back in 1994, working primarily in sales, but filling in occasionally in other areas of the business over the years.  When the time came to name a General Manager for the new Galloway location, the decision was easy.

Heather grew up camping as a young girl, and has helped White Horse RV grow into one of the regions biggest RV dealerships. “Our goal has always been to make sure our customers end up with the right RV for their lifestyle, it’s up to us to ask the right questions and really get to know our customers.”

Heather has received numerous professional certifications and awards including Winnebago Peak Performer Certification in 2007 and 2008, Jayco Masters Achievement in 2000, 2005, 2007, and 2011, Fleetwood Training Achievement in 2005, Newmar Training Achievement in 2004, Holiday Rambler Training Achievement in 2000, and being a Top Sales Winner for Jayco in 1998. She holds a B.A. degree in Journalism from Rider University, and Post-Baccalaureate New Jersey Teacher Dual Certification: Elementary K-8 and Secondary 9-12 from Rowan University, Summa Cum Laude.

Mike Cahill – Sales

Mike joined the Galloway team just recently, but has over 12 years RV dealership experience in both sales and finance. Mike says he likes to sneak away and play some golf when possible, but with a wife and 6 children to consider, it’s hard to believe he gets out much! In the summer you’ll  find Mike, his wife Biz and the kids on the beaches of LBI as much as possible, and enjoying all their kids many activities throughout the rest of the year. Originally from Monmouth County, he now resides in South Jersey, but remains an avid NY Giants and NY Rangers fan.

Billy Ray Owneburg, Jr. – Sales

After a recent hiatus to travel around the country, Billy Ray is back putting his 20+ years RV experience to work with White Horse RV in Galloway. Since the age of 14, when Billy Ray began working in a campground, he’s  been around RVs in some capacity. He even began selling RVs at the young age of 17! With all that experience, not to mention a great rapport with his customers, Billy Ray has been a great addition to the White Horse RV Galloway team! Stop in and say hi!

Rodger Brown – Service

With over 30 years in the RV business, including a background as a dealership owner, shop foreman, and service manager, when it comes to questions about your RV, Rodger would be a great place to start. A former machinist by trade, Rodger has extensive training in the RV industry as well, including RVIA certification, Draw-Tite, Reese, Norcold, Suburban, Atwood, Dometic, and Cummings certification, and many more!  Rodger has lived his whole life in Atlantic County and is an avid camper, with Hatteras being his favorite getaway (he has to get out of Atlantic County sometimes, doesn’t he!).

Joe Kuhn

Joe Kuhn – Parts

Joe is retired from both the  Monroe Township Police Department as the Officer in Charge of the Detective Bureau and the U.S. Army as a Sergeant Major. He is also a certified helicopter mechanic. As you can imagine, based on his careers, Joe likes to keep active. He also loves RVing, so getting into the RV business seemed like it would be a great fit… and it has been. Joe and his wife of almost 40 years own a Jayco Seneca 35HD and have been RVing for almost 10 years. In his spare time, you will find Joe riding and repairing old Harley’s or at the shooting range where he is an expert at repairing all types of firearms.

Now that you’ve met most of the team, we hope you’ll stop in and see us!

Two Great Locations to Serve You
With 60+ RVs in-stock, there’s plenty to choose from at our Galloway location, however if you don’t find what you’re looking for in Galloway,  remember to check out our Williamstown dealership also, located on Route 42 in Williamstown!

Until next time.. Happy RVing!

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We will not be undersold!

When shopping for an RV, we’re sure you’ve run across some dealers boldly stating “WE WILL NOT BE UNDERSOLD!”. Given that there are many, many variables that need to be factored in when pricing a coach, we’ve always found it puzzling when we run across someone making this claim.

First of all, since manufacturers typically have territories assigned to their dealers, in most cases you will have to go outside your market just to shop the same model. Even with that, there are many other intangibles that go into the price of an RV. How much was shipping from the manufacturer; how thoroughly does the dealer prep the RV; how long has a particular unit been on the lot; are there any manufacturer incentives;  plus many more. And that’s not even including trade-ins!

So you see, while some types of retailers can make a claim like that (electronics, mattresses, home supply stores, to name a few) it’s just not that straight-forward in the RV business. At White Horse RV, we’ve been serving customers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York, and throughout the United States for over 38 years. We recommend that you do your research, whether online or in person, and when you come see us, we’ll give you a great deal and fantastic service. In short, the old adage about an informed customer is our best customer applies here.

So how do you feel about “We Will Not Be Undersold”? Take our quick poll and let us know!

Thanks for stopping by and reading our blog. The next time you’re in the market for a new or pre-owned RV, be sure stop by and see us, or check out our extensive inventory online.

Until next time…
Happy RVing!

Catching up with Jayco

So, what’s the story behind “America’s Most Liveable RVs”?

Founded in 1968 by Lloyd and Bertha Bontrager, Jayco was born on a small farm in Middlebury, Indiana, with a vision of building a better RV and creating a company where everyone would be treated as “family”.

Innovation from the very beginning.

Mr. Bontrager’s very first prototype camping trailer included a unique lift system that is patented and still in use today. More than 40 years later,  innovation continues to thrive at Jayco, evidenced by last week’s announcement that they had become the first major RV manufacturer to become 100% green certified.

Jayco in 2010

Today, led by Lloyd Bontrager’s son Derald, Jayco is the largest privately owned RV manufacturer in North America, with almost 2000 employees, and countless Jayco RVs on the road and in campgrounds. Even with all of this success, they’ve  still been able to maintain a very strong family atmosphere. So much so, that as a Jayco dealer, we feel very much part of the Jayco family, and are often contributing ideas to product development based on our own experiences and those shared by our customers.

Come see for yourself.

If you’re ever in the Middlebury, IN area, be sure to stop by the Jayco Visitors Center. Situated in a renovated 1880s barn, the Visitors Center is adjacent to the general Jayco offices and houses Jayco memorabilia and merchandise.

You’ll also have an opporunity to walk through a display of new products, and take a free tour of their towable manufacturing facility. These factory tours are normally conducted Monday through Thursday at 12 p.m.  Tours of the motorized facilities are  by appointment only.  Be sure to call ahead at 574-825-5861 for the most current tour information.

Can’t make it in person?

Don’t worry. Here’s a short video showing how the Jayco RVs are built. Notice that they make just about everything themselves, including the cabinetry and furniture!

And it’s good for you too!

Good old home cookin!

If you’re an RV owner, you know first hand how much fun RV travel can be. Whether it’s the spontaneity of a last-minute trip to a place you just saw on TV, a planned vacation, or escaping to your travel trailer at a nearby campground, owning an RV provides you with a variety of unique experiences and the freedom to hit the road at a moments notice. Did you know, though, that RVing is also good for your health?

Vacations in general are good for you.

Now, it’s not much of a stretch to figure out that getting away from the day-to-day stresses of work and life would have a positive impact on your health. In fact, recent research by the U.S. Travel association shows that there are a number of health benefits associated with vacationing. For example, an annual vacation can cut a person’s risk of heart attack by 50%, more than half of the people surveyed said they felt more connected to their families following a vacation, and it also shows that up to 50% of those returning from vacation experienced an increase in their work productivity.

But RV getaways are even better!

The thing that sets RVing a part from a regular vacation is both the convenience and economy of  taking a vacation. These factors give RV owners opportunities to take more frequent vacations and, therefore,  they’re able to reap the benefits of vacationing on a more regular basis.

It’s not just that though. RVing gives you even more benefits than your typical vacation because of  the lifestyle itself.  Traveling in your RV encourages being outdoors and participating in outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, jogging, and swimming. You’ll also find yourself on a more regular eating schedule and gobbling up healthier food by avoiding the pitfalls that can come with eating out every night. And we can’t mention enough how great RV travel is for family bonding and all the benefits that come along with reconnecting with your family and loved ones.

RV Lifestyle Benefits in the News

Earlier this month RV Industry Association (RVIA) President, Richard Coon responded to a request by a Federal Task Force on Childhood Obesity regarding possible ways to stem this epidemic. Citing a February 2010 study by Harris Interactive of RV owners, Mr. Coon was able to convey that 81% of those surveyed found that their children spent less time on sedentary activities like TV and video games when RVing, while 72% said they made healthier eating choices. In a separate RVIA study from March 2010, 74% of those surveyed found that they were more active on RV vacations than any other type of family vacation. The obvious conclusion here is that RVing is one way to promote better health and healthy habits with our kids.

So, what are you waiting for!! The weather’s turning nice and it’s time to get out there and have some fun!!

Until next time, Happy RVing!

Happy Earthday – Jayco Goes 100% Green!

Today, Jayco announced that all of their products, which includes the Jayco, Starcraft, and Entegra brands, have been “green certified” by TRA Certification Inc.

With this announcement, Jayco, Inc. becomes the first major RV manufacturer to become 100% green certified. Their product lines include some of the most popular RV brands in America today such as the Jayco Jay Flight and Autumn Ridge by Starcraft. TRA Certification Inc. is a third-party, internationally accredited certification organization.

What does “green certified” mean?

TRA has four levels of certification for RV manufacturers:  Bronze, Silver, Gold and Emerald.  Most of the Jayco products received the prestigious Emerald rating in three out of five categories (water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and operation and maintenance) and Gold ratings in the other two categories (resource efficiency and energy efficiency).

And how about that Jayco Skylark!

Emerald Certified Skylark

The Skylark travel trailer was awarded an Emerald Level Performance Rating which is the highest rating available.   So, why is the Skylark considered “greener” than conventionally built travel trailers in its class? This was accomplished by offering standard features aimed at energy efficiency such as LED lighting systems, which consume less than one-fourth the electricity of conventional lighting, and lasts about 10 times as long. That’s much better than even CFL lighting! The Skylark also uses double-paned acrylic tinted windows, Azdel™ Super Lite substrate in all lamination, plus  other “sustainable technology” techniques to help make the Skylark more energy-efficient. The Skylark is also light enough to be towed by most SUVs and minivans.

Inside Jayco – Green Certification

Here is a short video with more information about their green efforts:

According to Jayco, in 2009 alone,  their recycling efforts and conservation programs saved over 28,000 trees and 14,000 cubic yards of landfill space, plus enough energy to power more than 600 family homes for an entire year.

Our take

In this day and age where many companies mislead consumers by calling themselves “green” or “pink” or whatever the cause may be, we love that Jayco did it right by having their products certified by a legitimate, third-party company and not just saying they’re “green”. It’s also worth noting that many of the manufacturing processes that are called “green” today, are processes that Jayco began doing in the late 1980’s. They are truly pioneers in this area.