RV Lifestyle
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The following was written for us by a citizen of Australia who is presently spending extended visits in the USA, travelling in his RV which they purchased here and have registered in Texas. He was kind enough to write this in an effort to assist anyone who may be considering making such a trip. The advice is from one who has done all of the things that he suggests.
We’re Bruce and Pam, our home is in Australia. We started our travels in June 1996 and are still enjoying the RV life-style. We return home often and our rig is stored in Texas when not touring the USA. We also have a motorhome in Australia which gives us a good basis on which to compare the two countries. We currently own a 40ft Country Coach Intrigue DP and tow a Chevy HHR. (Our first motorhome was a 35ft Holiday Rambler gas/petrol motorhome. We towed a Pontiac Grand Am). There are many issues you need to consider before beginning your adventure in the USA. The following is a summary of some of the issues we faced and maybe be of benefit to those who wish to follow. Although we are Aussies, many aspects will be similar for other non-US travellers. They are listed in no particular order of importance. Please remember that circumstances and events may change some of the following procedures and as a result they must be used as a guide only. It worked for us but we may have been lucky or unlucky at the time. Depending on the outcome. VISAs. For a visit to the USA of more than 3 months, a B1 / B2 business/visitor visa is necessary. The American Embassy in your home country issues these. A charge is made for the issue of the Visa. A VISA DOES NOT GIVE PERMISSION TO ENTER OR STAY IN THE USA. (A Visa may be issued for ten (10) years but this doesn’t mean you can stay for ten (10) years). Allow plenty of time for the Visa to be issued. On entering the US an I-94 card (application to enter the USA) has to be completed. (This will be handed to you on the plane to be filled out by you and any other family members). At the border/Airport an immigration official will decide whether you may enter the country. If permission is granted, the I-94 card will be stamped with the date of expiry and the bottom part stapled in your passport. Usually the maximum time of six months is granted. We have been able to stay longer than six months by presenting ourselves to an Immigration Office and giving evidence of our current status. It is our understanding that Immigrations main concern is your work status. We have presented evidence that we had sufficient funds to continue our travels. We also presented evidence of our past funds withdrawals to support our lifestyle. It is always up to the good will of the Immigrations Officer as to whether they grant an extension. Don’t try to quote the law to them or make any demands. It is our experience that being polite is critical to your results. (Immigration Offices can be very busy places. Make an appointment and be prepared for a long wait). We have also crossed into both Mexico and Canada and started another ‘visa period’. This is not always successful so be wary of relying on this tactic. It would be an offence to stay beyond the expiry date of the I-94 without permission. Once in the USA you can apply for an extension of your stay. Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Non-immigrant Status is available online or by post from US Citizenship and Immigration Services www.uscis.gov. A fee is applicable. A detailed submission must be made explaining the circumstances for requesting an extension. BANKING. Australian issued credit/debit cards work fine in the US. Credit Card companies may make additional charges for foreign transactions. We've used National Bank Master Card credit cards and have found the service reliable. Remember banks may/will make a percentage charge on all transactions and the prevailing exchange rate will apply. (If you use an Australian issued card be sure it is Cirrus or Plus compatible. This is a worldwide standard/system that most banks recognise and will allow you to access your money back in Australia via an ATM). A US checking account can be valuable when buying goods or services online because a US billing address is usually required. We use Bank of America as they have branches all over the country and will issue you a Debit card for use in theirs and most ATM’s. Unlike Australia with it large nationwide banks the USA has many small local banks. Try to avoid these and look for a bank which has branches all over the country. Remember that without a SSN, (Social Security Number), you will not be able to earn interest on your bank funds. (It is possible but more trouble than it’s worth and may/will affect your tax situation back in Australia). To open an account all you need is ID and a valid US address. PHONES. Mobile phones, (Cell phones), are just as popular in the US as they are in Australia. Prepay phones can be bought cheaply and easily from retail outlets. Unlike in Australia, ‘air-time’ is charged both for incoming and outgoing calls. To keep the service active, and credit rolled-over month to month, regular payments have to be made (typically every 1, 2 or 3 months). Contract phones may be harder to come by without a SSN. The lack of a SSN (and US credit rating) prevented us entering a contract with Verizon for example. A 'call-card' may be economical for ringing home. We use campground Wifi internet and Skype to talk to our family back home at a much cheaper rate. (Free). Like the banking system there are few national phone providers. Phone use is not ‘seamless’ as it is in Australia. As a result a ‘roaming fee’ is required between the many other phone companies. These ‘other’ companies will charge you for using their service. So be careful of ‘roaming’ charges on your account. These can quickly add up as ‘roaming’ charges can be more expensive than the phone call itself. Be wary of any Australian company that tells you your phone will work in the USA. It may in some places and it may not. Some US phone companies will think they have hit pay dirt if you ‘roam’ to Australia! Leave your Aussie phone at home and pickup a prepaid phone in the USA. US ADDRESS. A legal address is required for registering, titling and insuring a vehicle. Certain states recognize PMBs (Private Mail Boxes) as legal addresses. Texas, South Dakota and Florida may be good choices for foreigners. We chose Texas, using the Mail Service address of the Escapees RV Club in Livingston. This mail service provides addresses for many RVers. MAIL. As indicated above, Escapees RV Club has a receipt and forwarding service. Other mail handling and forwarding services are available. DRIVING LICENCE. Australian driving licences are accepted. We have never been asked to show an International Driving Permit (this is NOT a driving license) but it may be useful in some States and maybe asked for by your insurance company. An Australian licence may attract loading of insurance premiums. For extended stays it is worth considering taking a US driving test. The driving test in Texas is far easier than an Australia driving test. A 'Driver Handbook' may be obtained from libraries or DMVs. The theory test has multiple choice questions, computer-based. Driving test centres can be very busy. BUYING AN RV. Just as in Australia, or anywhere else for that matter, caveat emptor . Research, research, research…visit lots of dealers…try to avoid getting stuck with a sales person too soon. This can be hard but despite their reputation sales people are almost human – you CAN get a lot of help from a good one! Some dealers have overseas customers and are familiar with the various requirements for foreigners. We would suggest using one of these dealers. Using a good dealer may cost a bit more but it will save you valuable time and frustration. We had good experiences with a Texas dealer who was familiar with our requirements. Your money will go a lot further in the USA than in Australia when buying an RV. Take your time. There are literally thousands of them to choose from. Decide what sort of camping/touring you wish to do before looking at RV’s. It is far too easy to fall in love with a glamorous RV that won’t suit your travel plans. (A 40ft motorhome is not going to fit into most National Park campgrounds. So if your preference is for National Parks look at smaller units). I would even suggest deciding on the ‘type’ of rig you want before leaving home. Then stick to your plans. It can get confusing and a good sales man will/may convince you that the one he just happens to have on special is the one for you! Be wary of ‘cheap’ rigs. The RV industry, like most industries, has a huge range of varying quality products. Remember the old saying, “something good for nothing is usually something good for nothing”. More dollars spent on a quality RV will add quality time to your touring. DOCUMENTATION. Buying, registering, titling and insurance should be straightforward provided you have a legally recognized address. Titling and Registering in Texas (Polk County) is straightforward. The folks in Polk County handle many many RV’s and are familiar with most requirements. They often process RV’s for foreigners and can help with most requirements. The cost of registration and titling varies from State to State. Online renewal is easy, even from Australia. INSURANCE. Unlike Australia, registration does not include compulsory third party insurance. You will need insurance BEFORE you register a vehicle. Insurance will include the legally required components for the state you are registering in. Insurance ‘terminology’ is different. Familiarise yourself with it. Insurance varies considerably from State to State and may be more expensive if using an Australian licence. Holding a US licence could make a big difference. Texas can be an expensive state for insurance. Some insurers do not write policies for Texas. We chose Progressive Insurance as they were happy to accept our foreign driving licenses and insured us in Texas. All arrangements were made by telephone, Internet and Fax. Be aware that you may not have any coverage when you leave your unit to return home - check policy conditions. As with ALL insurance policies, read the fine print. Due to Visa requirements and limits on your length of stay be wary of buying Full Timers coverage. REGISTRATION. Registration and Insurance go hand in hand in the USA. Again using a dealer will make this much easier. Keep in mind, that for US citizens, there can be many advantages registering and buying in a particular state that do not apply to foreigners. (Income Tax can be both a Federal and State issue in some states. Sales Tax may be non existing in some states, for state residents, and quite expensive in other states. Voting and residency laws also complicate the issue for US citizens plus other considerations). Be careful not to fall into the trap of trying to save money and as a result making your adventure more difficult than it should be. In many cases what you can save in one area you may lose in another area. You may buy in one state at a lower Sales Tax rate only to be asked for the difference when registering your RV in another state. We find that Texas offers by far the best compromise between costs, ease and convenience for foreigners. CLUBS. The Escapees RV Club recommended and almost a must. The club also has a number of good campgrounds. Good Sam is useful for members 10% discount on daily rate at many parks and its additional-cost RV breakdown service. FMCA may be of interest for those with motorhomes. INFORMATION. Trailer Life (trailers) or FMCA (motorhomes - both subscription) magazines. Escapees magazine can be useful. Big Rig Guide (purchase online and in some campgrounds) recommended if you have a large rig. Mountain Directory (buy online or at Camping World, east and west separately) is very helpful – there are a lot of big hills in the US! We use a Wal-Mart Rand MacNally Atlas - not brilliant but cheap and as good as the rest. Get State tourism maps from Information Centres or AAA. SatNav / GPS systems seem to have become almost the norm – not vital but probably very helpful and easy. We don't have one - yet!! PARK PASSES. Interagency Pass (National Parks Pass) is good value. The initial cost is quickly covered after a few visits. The annual pass can be purchased at information centres or at park entry booths on the first visit. Gives entry to all US National Parks and Monuments. States parks may not accept the National Pass. TAXES. Sales Tax is between 5 and 10 percent. Some States may have lower rates and Oregon, for example, has no sales tax BUT check whether you’d be able to register and title a vehicle. Oregon allows only genuine residents to buy and register there. Buying in one State and then registering in another may attract additional tax. INTERNET. We use places like libraries, restaurants, book stores and campground Wi-Fi to access the Internet for email etc Satellite broadband can be good but is VERY expensive. Wireless Internet is gradually becoming more widely available but campgrounds are still not well served (August 2008). Where it is available, daily rates range from free to $10. Often there is no additional charge but we've found that reception at campgrounds can be patchy, with variable signal strength and flaky systems. If you take a laptop with you make sure that it is capable of picking up the correct signals in the USA. For instance we have found that a laptop configured for wireless Big Pond would not work in the USA. Like everything else in the USA new laptops are cheap. I would recommend purchasing a new one in the USA and leave it stored with your RV. It will be all setup for the USA systems. Email your files home or burn CD’s.
CAMPGROUNDS. Unlike Australia, where most of the campgrounds are commercial ventures, the campgrounds in the USA are a mix of both commercial/private and governments owned facilities. Commercial/private campgrounds range from five star luxury establishments, with all the amenities, to sad dirty campgrounds that offer little more than refuge to the unemployed and poor. The public campground range from nothing more than a cleared piece of land in the wilderness to beautiful, full facility, parks. Almost all parks will offer the basics of water and dump points for black and grey water. Most will have some electricity. Unlike Australia the majority of parks cater for large rigs. Most parks, apart from some government run National and State parks, can accommodate 40 foot rigs. We thoroughly recommend purchasing one of the comprehensive Campground books. (The size of a city phone book).These large books list the vast majority of the parks and give good descriptions of the parks facilities including driving directions to the park. Trailer Life and Woodalls are two of the most popular editions. There are many place such as truck stops, rest areas and shopping outlets that will let you stay overnight. WHY THE USA? We have been asked this many times. There is no single answer that we can give to satisfy all those who asked us. A mix of extreme capitalism and wilderness. Crowded cities and vast forest areas. Harsh deserts and snowy mountains. Lakes and rivers that can be found even in the driest of deserts. The USA is certainly value for money. The cost of RVing in the USA is far cheaper than it is in Europe for instance. The people you meet along the way are friendly and helpful. Food is plentiful and cheap. And above all the RV gives you the ability to travel at your own pace with the knowledge that your bed, bathroom and refrigerator are just a few short steps away. There is far more to the USA than that which is portrayed by Hollywood.
Be warned. The USA has so much to offer that only the foolish would expect to see it all in a single life time.
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I first subscribed to this magazine more than a year before we left the house to begin our adventure. I did so in order to gain some feeling of how difficult or how easy it might be to find locations for volunteer positions, as well as a means of learning about the paid positions available also, just in case we should need to increase our income. It proved to have been very helpful and we continue to be subscribers to this day.
The magazine is published on each odd month of the year and is mostly filled with advertising by organizations that wish to attract RVers to fill positions. The majority of such positions are paid, seasonal employment but there are many agencies and charitable organizations who also use this service. While there are internet sites for many of those who seek volunteers, many of the most unique such positions are with organizations who have no other way for potential volunteers to find them. Most issues also have some adds for positions of longer periods with some permanent, long term. The advertisements which are placed in the magazine are listed by state to aid in locating a position in the area of interest. In addition, subscribers may also advertise for positions and singles can also place an ad for someone to share RV expenses. They also have a place for subscribers to post a resume which many employers look through when seeking to fill positions. This feature is used mostly by employers with paid positions.
Each issue of the magazine also has stories about featured job positions or types of position and articles to help new work-campers in finding a good position, writing resumes, and related subjects. They also hold annual contests for employer and workamper of the year.
The magazine has both a paper version which is mailed to each subscriber and also an electronic version which the subscriber can either read on-line or down-load to his computer in .pdf format and then read at your leisure. A major advantage to the electronic subscription is the fact that those subscribers also receive postings of new positions on an electronic "hot line," nearly every day. These "hot line" ads are sent out each work day of the year, except in the case when there are no newly posted positions. The hotline positions are ones that are looking to fill the positions very quickly and are usually immediate.
The cost of this service is very reasonable, but I suggest that you check for yourself, as the price does change at times. In the nearly fifteen years that I have been a subscriber, the price has only risen from $25/year to a current cost of $33/year for the basic magazine, with the Plus edition that includes the hotline now at $48/year. The plus edition was not available when I first joined.
Info about Workamper
The best way to really understand what the magazine really is and how the hotline works is to see one issue of each. You can open this Preview issue of Workamper News magazine provided by permission from Workamper News, Inc.” and see exactly what you receive each month. For an example of what you receive in a "hotline" by email from the plus subscriptions, check out this sample. If you have any questions at all about the subscription or the services which Workamper News has provided to us in the past, feel free to contact by by email.There is a special page for starting a subscription. (This will open a new window.) When you get to the form you will need to supply my Concierge number which is: wood0679.
While I strongly endorse and recommend this publication,it is only fair to let you know that I do receive a referral fee for anyone who subscribes with a paid subscription.
How to Find a Place to Volunteer.....
The subject of ways to locate a place to spend time as a volunteer, while receiving an RV site with utilities as well as perhaps other amenities is one that comes up very frequently. At first, I thought that I should try to make this listing random, but then I realized that it probably is not possible so rather than that, I will list the places that I suggest in the order which we have found our preference to be. I will start with those which we have actually used, then list a few that we have heard good reports about. Each section of this article will contain a link which will take you to the website for the subject organization. In addition, feel free to contact me for more information about any of the locations or sources that I write about.
Workamper News magazine
There is a great source for leads to find volunteer locations which not only will sometimes lead you to one of the agencies listed, but that will often lead to positions that you would never find any other way and that is the magazine Workapmer News. It was this magazine that lead me to find places like the airfield, tree farm or county parks. There are many other unique opportunities published in the magazine, as well as many pages of paid positions. I have a page with more details and a free issue.
National Wildlife Refuges
Our favorite agency is the US Fish & Wildlife Service, managers of our national wildlife system. The national wildlife refuges are not a group of individual refuges, but a system of refuges who's primary focus is on migratory birds. The majority of them also provide habitat for may other animals and some have a specific animal as the main objective, but because birds are the only wildlife form which still migrate over long distances in the USA, they are also the most dependent upon a system of refuges. There are more than 550 refuges and presently more than 300 of them have places for RV volunteers, with at least one location in each state, most with several. Volunteering for this agency can mean working with the public totally, or not at all, just depending upon what refuge you choose and what you wish to do. They are a very dedicated group who place a very high value on the service of their volunteers. The required minimum number of hours for a site varies from as little as 24 hours total, to as much as 32 hours each, with 24 hours each person seeming to be the most common. I know of no refuge location where the volunteer serves as a campground host, as few refuges have campgrounds. While these locations usually request more hours than do campground host positions, when you are off duty, you are never bothered by a visitor or the staff. Host positions tend to be on call to the visitors any time they are at the RV. While visiting the USFWS, do not overlook the national fish hatcheries. because most of them also have spots for volunteers.
National Parks and Monuments
The National Park Service has been expanding their use of volunteers since the recent budget stress. For we who volunteer this has been a very good thing. There are very few campground host positions left in our parks and monuments, but there are a few. While we have not yet done a great deal of volunteering for the Park Service, we have had a very good experience with those we have been to. At Joshua Tree, we were primarily campground hosts, but we did have other duties. While at SA Missions, we were doing most of the same duties as the interpretive park rangers did, rotating positions in the same schedule as a ranger, but with fewer hours. We have also visited with volunteers at several other parks and in most cases, the volunteer is in that type of position and is treated as an equal. In several national parks where there are no campgrounds, volunteers are provided an RV site in a local commercial RV park. Some of the more popular national parks can be difficult to get a position in, but check with them just the same.
Texas State Parks
Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. is one of the premier state agencies to volunteer with. Nearly all Texas parks and historic sites have at least one RV site and many have several. Texas parks use volunteers for campground hosts, tour guides, maintenance and just about anything that may need to be done. The only job that I know of which I have not heard of a volunteer having been asked to do is cleaning. With more than 120 state parks and historic sites, there should easily be a spot that you will enjoy.
Oregon State Parks
Oregon Parks & Recreation Dept. must be the very best organized state agency when it comes to use of volunteers.They depend more upon volunteers than any other state that I am aware of and they treat the volunteers as though they depend on you. We have only volunteered once in an Oregon park, but we know many others who have done so and all have had good experiences. Oregon even publishes an electronic catalog of volunteer positions.
US Army Corps of Engineers Parks
The USACEis charged with managing our nation's waterways and flood control lake system. On most of the lakes and some other water features they operate and maintain parks and campgrounds for public use. We have had two experiences with this agency and both have been very good. Realize that the Corps also uses paid gate attendants who bid for the positions, but that is an entirely separate program from the volunteer program and one which we yave very little knowledge of.The Corps is fairly new to volunteer use in most areas but they are rapidly expanding their programs and adding many more in the future. Some of these positions are campground host jobs, but many are maintenance and office assistance. There are even a few positions which the volunteers lead tours of hydroelectric projects or museums.
Idaho Parks & Recreation
Idaho does not have a large number of parks, but what they have do use resident volunteers and Idaho is one of the states that also provide volunteers with an annual pass to all of their parks in return for one month of service, and they also will provide two nights of free camping in route to and from your work site. It is a beautiful state with a park staff that treats their volunteers very well.
Arizona State Parks
We have only done one stay with the Arizona State Parks but we did visit several others and they seem to have a pretty well managed volunteer program. I would suggest that if you wish to winter in Arizona parks, apply early because many of their parks can be difficult to get a position in due to popularity.
Bureau of Land Managenent
Another federal agency that has volunteer positions is the Bureau of Land Management. We have met a number of satisfied volunteers and have seen several locations that use volunteers. They could be worth consideration. Many federal agencies also use the common site of VOL.GOV to post their openings. If you have no particular agency in mind, this can be a very good resource. We do not generally use it because we have been on the road long enough now that we usually have a particular location in mind and for that reason we prefer to contact the volunteercoordinator at the location we seek, directly. For that purpose, it is usually more effective to go through the agency's one site, directly.
In addition, nearly all state parks use volunteers in some capacity.If you have a state in mind, but you do not know what they have to offer, just type the name of the state into Google or your favorite search engine, followed by the words "state parks" and you can easily find a link to the parks desired. Also, a pretty fair number of state game & fish departments also use volunteers at game refuges and fish hatcheries.Another place for members of Good Sam is through the program which they operate to match members with campground host positions. They only help with host positions so are pretty limited in assistance. While I have signed up with their program several times, I have never found a location through them. I no longer bother to be a part of that program.
Why carry guns?
This is a fairly common question to be discussed on the various RV forums. Unfortunately, most times when it comes up it soon gets very heated since there are many different reasons for owning guns and very strong feelings about each. Some of the reasons for wanting to carry a gun are for sporting purposes, for personal safety and for heirloom value. If you are a fulltimer and have no other home it is often a problem to find a place to safely keep firearms that may have sentimental or antique value, as well as the fact that most guns of any quality have become quite expensive. So if you own a gun, there is a good chance that you will want to keep it in your RV, at least on some occasions.
Where to carry them?
The reason a person carries a gun plays a major part in where they will probably wish to store them. The carriage of long guns when they are not loaded, and kept in a locked case is usually not a legal problem. If they are then locked in a compartment, not accessible from the passenger area of the vehicle when traveling, there are only a few states and cities where they would violate any local laws. But there are places such as Washington DC that there is no legal way to pass through with a firearm. Guns kept for personal protection would usually be kept in an easily accessible location, at least for occupants when stopped for the night. An empty gun that is locked away and far from it's ammunition is not of much help for security. The better the access to your gun, the more likely that you will be violating local laws.
What should we do?
If you happen to be a person who does not own, or desire to own a gun, the issue is very simple. Don't start. There is no easy answer to this for people who wish to keep a gun. The best way for gun owners to deal with legal issues is to first be well informed about the laws in the areas you plan to visit, or pass through. The best book that I have found, by far is "Traveler's Guide to the Firearm Laws of the Fifty States." It was written by J. Scott Kappas, an attorney from Kentucky who is both a practicing attorney and the owner of a gun store. It can be easily found on the internet. If you are considering this choice, the book is very inexpensive and easy to understand. Good choices start with understanding what is at risk.
Should I buy a gun, for safety?
My personal opinion is that for anyone who is not already experienced with firearms, this is a very foolish action. Guns require constant practice to be helpful in an emergency, particularly if you choose to buy a hand gun. It is also important to remember that the value of a gun for safety only comes when the owner is willing to kill someone with it. It is very risky to show a weapon if you are not willing to use it, and if you plan to use it, you should plan to kill someone. The idea of just winging the offender is one from movies and is totally impractical in an emergency. Those who have experience with weapons, such as retired police officers and similar professionals are qualified for this. Many others who have extensive experience could use a gun safely and gain security from it, but to buy your first gun just to carry for protection in your RV is not a wise idea, in my view.
What to do?
If you feel the need to own a gun for safety reasons, the very best choice of weapon is a shotgun. There are several reasons. A shotgun requires very little practice to remain proficient with at close range, which self protection will be. Shotgun pellets will not pass through a neighboring RV and harm an occupant, while large bore handgun bullets would. There is nothing more threatening to an intruder than the business end of a shotgun. The noise that it makes, should you fire it will frighten most people into making a very hasty retreat. After many years of experience with guns, I believe that a small, 410 or 20 ga. shotgun, loaded with #4 or larger buckshot is the most effective weapon in the hands of most people. As with any gun you need to practice frequently.
Make a choice and then........
Give this question serious thought well before the time should arise and choose carefully. In more than thirty years of RV travels, I remember only two times that I ever felt any need of a gun for security. Looking back, the wise choice then would have been to have left the area, but I was much younger and more inclined to stand my ground. In neither case did anything happen, so the history would be the same even if I had not been armed, which I usually was back when we lived in Wyoming. I believe the best course of action today is to make your own choice, based upon your experience, and after learning about the legal issues that could arise in the event that you choose to travel with a gun. Once you make that choice, do whatever your choice is, quietly. There is no reason for anyone to know if you keep a weapon or not. You are least likely to have a problem in traveling with a gun, if no one outside knows that you have it. And should you come into contact with law enforcement authorities, decline if the officer should request to search your RV. In most cases there will be no negative effect from such a denial. Use good judgment about where you will keep a gun, to prevent any child or inexperienced adult from harm.And understand exactly what it's use means and what you will do with it, before the day comes to make that choice.
Real RV Security:
The best way to be secure in your RV, with or without a weapon is in your choice of where to stay. If you spend nights in parking lots as you travel, always pick those which are well lighted and where there are other travelers around. Consider the look and feel of the community and don't stay in a bad part of town. If something should make you uncomfortable, pack up and leave. Better to move on needlessly than to have a sleepless night, fearing trouble. Even if I happen to have a gun in my RV, I would never spend a night in a location where I thought there was significant chance that I would ever have to use it. In more than nine years of RV life there has not been one occasion when I would have even thought about a need for a gun. Even when in remote areas, it would be very unusual to need a gun, even for a wild animal.
International Borders
Another thing to keep in mind about carrying of guns is that Mexico forbids the crossing of their borders with any form of firearm or ammunition, of any kind. They are very hard on those who they catch violating their laws on weapons. For Canada, no pistols of any kind are permitted and for long guns you need to get permits for them before you go. I suggest that you contact Canadian customs well before you plan to travel there and make sure that you know the current regulations on this issue. It seems to us that Canadians believe that nearly all Americans carry a gun so searches of RVs is quite common.
What does the author do about guns?
We do just as I advise. Since I do own guns and always have, I read abut the laws and keep a current copy of the suggested book. As to what I carry with me at any given time, only Pam & I know for sure.