I've had thought for a while and didn't know if it would be appropriate to suggest it, but thought I'd try anyway. Would it be possible to offer the RV Park Reviews database on CD? Obviously it wouldn't have the forum and you couldn't post new reviews, but it would be very useful as a campground directory. It would be especially useful if you are camping where there is no internet access and you want to plan where to stay the next night or later in your trip. Next question is, is this necessary? are there many places where travelers cannot get internet access, or has the proliferation of wi-fi's smartphones, etc. made coverage extensive? I would pay a nominal fee for something like this, but am I just old fasioned and need to get with the times?
QUOTE(Fitzjohnfan @ Nov 14 2011, 02:36 PM) [snapback]28178[/snapback] it would be very useful as a campground directory. It would be especially useful if you are camping where there is no internet access and you want to plan where to stay the next night or later in your trip. This part of your suggestion is valid. However, I personally think that the main part of this website's appeal is the up-to-date, very current information. Having this database on CD would not allow that, as you have pointed out. In that case, the information would not be any better than the paper directories.
QUOTE Next question is, is this necessary? are there many places where travelers cannot get internet access, or has the proliferation of wi-fi's smartphones, etc. made coverage extensive? While it does not happen often in most parts of the country, there are areas where no data service is available. We were on a trip last summer where we expected no service available for a week or so. In order to have some campground information in this area, we copied some pages from this web site onto an email and sent it to ourselves. We could then open the email as we wanted from the storage on our computer and use the info even with no internet connection.
QUOTE(Texasrvers @ Nov 14 2011, 01:56 PM) [snapback]28180[/snapback] This part of your suggestion is valid. However, I personally think that the main part of this website's appeal is the up-to-date, very current information. Having this database on CD would not allow that, as you have pointed out. In that case, the information would not be any better than the paper directories. I would like to respectfully disagree. I think if you were to freeze this database and not allow any more reviews, I know I would still be using this website a year from now as my primary source for campground information. 1) the reviews are entered by REAL campers with REAL issues and emotions. not reviewed by some paid reviewer(s) with a possible hidden adgenda. 2) I know that there are campgrounds and RV parks entered here, that you would be hard-pressed to find in even the largest paper directory. These reasons make this site more valuable, even if the data was outdated.
QUOTE(Fitzjohnfan @ Nov 15 2011, 02:35 PM) [snapback]28195[/snapback] I would like to respectfully disagree. I think if you were to freeze this database and not allow any more reviews, I know I would still be using this website a year from now as my primary source for campground information. 1) the reviews are entered by REAL campers with REAL issues and emotions. not reviewed by some paid reviewer(s) with a possible hidden adgenda. 2) I know that there are campgrounds and RV parks entered here, that you would be hard-pressed to find in even the largest paper directory. These reasons make this site more valuable, even if the data was outdated. Well thanks. That is a great compliment that you have such confidence in the reviews here. And both of your points are correct. The reviews are by real campers and some (many) parks do not get in the big directories. Those are good selling points for a CD, and in that respect the CD information would be better than the paper directories, but things can turn on a dime in the campground world, so I personally like to read reviews that are no more than 6 months old. Unfortunately that would still be a big deficiency with the CD. But who knows; maybe the webmaster will like your idea and give it a try.
If I am going to new places I will just print the reviews from here in the city or place just before I go so they are up to date.But very few times I have not all ready made reservations some bast on the reviews posted here.
I think this is an excellent idea. We use these reviews as much as possible in selecting campgrounds, but often find ourselves without WiFi as we travel across the country.
In case there is an RVer who DOESN'T know, Trailer Life offers a cd every year of campgrounds around the country. It also has a route planner. If offers essentially the same as this site EXCEPT there are no reviews, which I feel is the most important facet of this site. Between using that cd, this site and Goodle Earth I feel pretty well prepared on starting a trip. Add to that www.findfuelstops.com and I'm rarely surprised at anything on my trip. Oh, I forgot to add that I also use the Mountain Directories and the RVers (Truckers) Friend as well. Did I mention that I'm also anal????
QUOTE(MaineDon @ Nov 16 2011, 10:52 AM) [snapback]28200[/snapback] often find ourselves without WiFi as we travel across the country. With a Smart phone you have access to the internet and these reviews anywhere you have phone service. We have Verizon and on our last trip from Fl to Yellowstone thru the MN North woods, we were rarely without cell service and could check campgrounds and reviews with the added advantage of having it coordinate with GPS and tell you real time distances.
I would like to second this idea. Sure smart phones would help, but we don't have a data plan. I always do research in advance, but sometimes stuff happens. Last year, we were traveling through the bowels of Texas on a road trip and planned to stay at Balmorea State Park that got great reviews, but it was full. We had a cell phone at the time with data, but no service. So, ended up picking the local PA campground "Parkview RV Park" in Fort Stockton... an unfortunate decision. Had we a pdf showing reviews of campgrounds in the area, we'd picked a better place. I don't think a CD is necessary, but being able to download a summary of reviews by city/state would be very useful, and I too would be willing to pay for this.
You may wish to look at the RSS Feed we have on line. Go to home page and drill down to bottom of page and on left side you will see it. This will take some time to download but you will have a copy of all reviews and list is updated as new reviews go on line. This may help and we do not have a lot of people who know about this web feed.
QUOTE(John Blue @ Feb 28 2012, 03:56 PM) [snapback]28891[/snapback] You may wish to look at the RSS Feed we have on line. Go to home page and drill down to bottom of page and on left side you will see it. This will take some time to download but you will have a copy of all reviews and list is updated as new reviews go on line. This may help and we do not have a lot of people who know about this web feed. Thanks, John, but isn't quite what I was looking for. If you do a general search clicking on "region name and enter "Washington" in the search field, you get the first 150 entries by city. If I could get all entries for Washington instead of just 150, this would be really swell.
The search will only go out 100 miles max from a city. That would take a lot of work to pull up all the data. The search engine is set up to find sites near a city or zone only so this would not help that much. A smart phone is a better way to go. Then you can pull up current information. Next problem is dead cell phone zones. We have found Verizon cell service in most all places in the USA so far.
QUOTE(sheltie @ Nov 16 2011, 10:31 AM) [snapback]28201[/snapback] Did I mention that I'm also anal???? Does it qualify if you've ever pulled into a McDonald's to grab their free Wi-Fi signal? I've done it more than once just to check out some reviews. That drive thru lane is a bummer when you're in a 40' MH with toad. Perhaps there's a middle ground on the CD issue. Since the website is partially a database program, is it possible to set something up so that someone could do a search based on a query and filter/sort then download that data to a thumb drive? The query could be something simple like state/city/rating range/cost. Perhaps one or two amenities. A search feature is already in place on the website, but one has to take the time to read it all, whereas if it could be downloaded it could be read later. I was just checking the Most Recent Reviews page before making this post. Looks like everyone is still in snowbird country.
QUOTE(RLM @ Feb 29 2012, 08:49 AM) [snapback]28894[/snapback] Does it qualify if you've ever pulled into a McDonald's to grab their free Wi-Fi signal? I've done it more than once just to check out some reviews. That drive thru lane is a bummer when you're in a 40' MH with toad. Perhaps there's a middle ground on the CD issue. Since the website is partially a database program, is it possible to set something up so that someone could do a search based on a query and filter/sort then download that data to a thumb drive? The query could be something simple like state/city/rating range/cost. Perhaps one or two amenities. A search feature is already in place on the website, but one has to take the time to read it all, whereas if it could be downloaded it could be read later. I was just checking the Most Recent Reviews page before making this post. Looks like everyone is still in snowbird country. RLM, you hit it on the mark - exactly where I was going. Just a summary like the results you get when you do a search, downloadable as a xls file or something.
I've been copying/pasting my searches to a word doc with page headings like >25 Miles from . That way I can print them, or put them on my smart phone, or keep them on my laptop (whichever option works for you) on the road. I've got the name of the CG, the last 10 reviews, and I know they have the ammenities I want because of my search criteria.
