Want to hear some GOOD NEWS about the RV industry for a change?
As faithful visitors to The Long Long Honeymoon know, Kristy and I recently appeared on HGTV’s annual RV show. This special series offers an overview of the RV industry. The hour long TV show places a wide selection of RVs on display. From pop-up campers, to Class B motor homes, to fifth wheels, to Class A rigs… if you want to see RVs, this show is a treat.
While “RV 2009″ is a fun show for experienced RV’ers to watch, it’s especially useful for newcomers.
And this is where things get interesting. In the current depressed economy, RV sales have been flagging. There can’t be much interest in an RV show, right? Aren’t RVs yesterday’s news? That’s what the naysayers would have you believe.
Hardly… RV 2009 was a smash hit. In fact, we’ve been told that RV 2009 was the highest rated show on HGTV so far this year!
Still think the American public isn’t interested in RVs?
The high ratings seem to indicate that the American public is fascinated by RVs — perhaps now more than ever. In times of economic duress, RV travel may become more appealing. If the industry can get its credit woes straightened out, a turnaround may be on the horizon.
RV 2009 will air for a second time on Friday, April 3. If you missed the initial airing, be sure to tune in to HGTV at that time. It’s a fun and easy way to support the RV industry and RV programming.
Special thanks to all of our friends and family who watched the show!
Outstanding…. as we said you have the eye now.
Now all you need to do is get AirStream to promote a show … with sponsors.. and invite you all to host it … now that you have seen how its done… and you will be a hit with the AS group too. Next then you would have to get out your Wally hat (krisite would have to make up a Wally-et one)… as they would like you to appear at shows, meetings and caravans… you will be the next sensation and leader of the pack… see what happens when your a hit…
They love ya…go for it… as you show them the adventure they want…
Next stop a star n the walk of fame… hollyweard… grin.. well maybe not quite yet …
Congrats again.. the industry is waiting for you…
GMAs, thanks for your ongoing comments and support.
I agree with you about the show. What I’d really like to do is continue what we’ve been doing… only bigger and better, with more resources. I know we could put together an RV show unlike any other. As you have written, we’ll do like Wally and sell the adventure! That’s the fun part anyway.
I suspect we’ll find ourselves in California later this year. Why? We usually do. We look forward to meeting you someday. Maybe we’ll park our rig in Malibu for a couple of months… 🙂
Only if you stop making these B rated info shows that don’t have any airstreams or others. Indeed go back to making the travel and places’ adventures. I am afraid that you hurt your credit rating with the Airstream group when you did the HG thing. From those we have met now on the road after it was previewed…. not good…
For sure we will have to go back and take up space again at the Malibu beach park.
We like space v5-7 and always try and get one of them their spots. Although Mathew (you know who) likes the spot also. (we actually had to tell him to move one of his friends toys that was parked in our spot… go figure) He was nice about it and the gal moved her M. (but, don’t tell Kristie that we all sat out and watched the sunset ..Little beer, wine and sea food on the bar-bie…gassed and carried on till about midnight… don’t want her to get too excited about going to Calif… grin Oh and I like our older AS better than his… too. ) I won’t mention who else stopped by his trailer… while we were their… and through conversation about RV and travel…said someone else… another heart throb… is also getting a AS… and may be going to AK this summer also…. Even Mat said something about it…and his AS (let you know when we confirm it) again don’t want Kristie to get her BP up…. Hey its SOAP out here in Calif.
Most people come for the winter… and stay for the summer. The view is always good.. wink wink…
It was a nice break from the cold north weather… but, now off to another location for a new prospect on a shoot and background footage.. Do try and stay out of trouble… but, stay in front of the camera…
Alaska is coming up fast… big 50th this year …. lots of shows. Best be making plans with the AS group to tour… as you have yet to cover a WB caravan in one of your adventures. I am sure you could have fun doing that also.
The adventure continues….
I know what you are saying about the HGTV show and lack of Airstreams… But really, is it our fault that AIRSTREAM SENT NO AIRSTREAMS TO THE BIGGEST RV SHOW IN AMERICA? What were we supposed to do? Throw a temper tantrum and storm off the set?
I wish I had been calling the shots at the HGTV show, but as you know … it just doesn’t work that way. I couldn’t control the content of that show any more than a Tonight Show musical guest could rewrite Jay Leno’s monologue. Quite honestly, without our participation there would have been no Airstreams whatsoever in the 60-minute show. At least we managed to get a little screen time for our rig.
Kristy and I camped in Malibu a couple of years ago. MM’s Airstream was there, but it was moved to the side of his sites, in storage. I thought he was settling down and going all domestic on us! It’s good to hear that he’s still enjoying it. It’s in his blood, no doubt.
We liked camping in Malibu (despite a major ant problem, ha ha). I’m sure we’ll go back someday, maybe later this year. I have a couple of videos from California that may not be on our site at the moment. I will see about getting them posted.
Hey, if you see Matthew, please send our regards as fellow Airstreamers. We’d love to video interview him for our blog. That would be an occasion worthy of the Sony cam. 😀
There’s a fellow in Florida who’s a major Airstream enthusiast… Brian Johnson, led singer of AC/DC. He is on our interview “wish list” also…. as are Jesse James & Sandra Bullock. We need a little Hollywood pizazz to jazz up this place.
Now you’ve got me thinking about Alaska. I definitely want to go, it’s just a matter of when. Okay, no excuses… but we’ll see when we can work it all in. We are slated to head up the eastern seaboard in May, and hit a lot of TV talk shows along the way. Our spring will be booked!
Ahhhh… I know .. I know.. I get what ou say all the time from the hollyweards… they just can’t do it… and they try… or cry till they get out of it…too… grin… The best one yet was when the subject was supposed to jump into a stream and save her friend… first we had the complaint.. the water is too cold.. so we actually heated up the water and dumped in hot to blend so it was not so cold.. then it was.. my hair will get wet… oh please… can we get a doubble for the shot… or else it ain’t going to happen folks… after all its only water.. but when they found out fish are in the stream…you would think JAWS was lurking to bite ’em… Ya we get the … fact that you could n’t rewrite the script… but, yes they do have writers on stage with Jay to take care of the problems.. and modify it accordingly… whole ting is not live you know…
As to M’s knowledge… Indeed he does know about you all… we showed him some of the early work and your current … he was very interested … you just might seek his agent to see if you could book a interview with him… (some get paid however for doing them) I am sure if you meet him on the beach… get kristie to go surfing with ’em or jog on the beach… (he is a PE keep in shape kinda guy)
.. and don’t take up too much of his free time.. he just might come down the hill to stay next to ya at his trailer… while he surfs… and does his workouts… just don’t tell anyone what your doing… or with who… or the plague will decend among you…
I would think the next time he does a shoot … and its at a beach… he might book the park again…which then would give you some time between sessions to interview him.. but that is just me.. and you would have to be very flexiable to go at a moments notice… his agent is the key…
Sandra B who?? exactly… I could think of a lot more that we known.. through the years who would be better spices.
The only problem I see is about the same as you did at the HG show… Airstream just isn’t out their pushing …. or offering … to get ahead… they seem to ignore the’re chances to advance in the industry for promo sales. Maybe they have lost the ability, touch or dream like the Old Man did… Sitting and waiting for someone to come to them just doesn’t seem to cut it today… they need to be agressive and out showing… M did it using the trailer he got from ’em and promoted his movie by having it painted… like a moving billboard. In the industry you have to have a HOOK… to get their attention… Airstream seems to be using a fishing line with a safety pin… grin…
Good.. on AK… now go.. go.. go… let the radio stations, TV and others up their know your coming and when your going to be their… if they want to do a interview…of you and RV’n up their for the 50th …. you really need a promo agent… Then you can have fun while getting even more exposure… at the same time…they make it so easy.. you just pick up your schedule daily and wham… all in a days work… hmmmm…
Well were half way to Idaho ..oregon… stopped for the night.. with three other crews in AS’s here now… camping in the good old Airstream by a little river that I was flyfishing in earlier… nice for breakfast… kept the beer cold in the stream… ice cold…to keep them rocky mountain labels blue… just the way I like it… I offered you one.. but you didn’t drink it …so I didn’t want it to go to waist and finished it off for ya… sorry… ya snooze ya lose… letting good beer go to waist is a sin you know…
On the road again… the adventure continues… tomorrow
Okay, if we ever do make a “Long Long Honeymoon” feature film, I know who we’ll try to cast as me in the picture. Unfortunately MM will have to gain some weight for this role. It will take at least 6 months of heavy pizza and beer consumption before he’s ready to go. This will be kind of like what Christian Bale did in “The Machinist” but in reverse… 😉
Or maybe I will get with the PE program myself and start surfing.
We were actually in LA last summer with our Airstream. I regret that we didn’t stay in Malibu! I’m sure we all would’ve crossed paths at some point.
We were staying at the Malibu park in ’07. MM was off shooting some movie, but there was another Airstreamer staying in the park. I was speaking with him one day, and on the spur of the moment the guy gave me a nice new Airstream jacket! He said it didn’t fit, so he thought he would pass it on. It’s the blue jacket I wear in some of our blog videos.
I will see about contacting MM’s agent. We’ve spent the past 2 summers in California, so maybe history will repeat itself this year. Hard to know for sure, especially since our spring travels will take us to the opposite corner of the country.
I agree with you about Airstream. Someday I hope to sit down with those guys and discuss these matters. Airstream is one of those brands with incredible latent, long term power….like a Harley-Davidson or a Porsche. But sometimes it seems like it is a niche, when it could be mainstream.
Anyway, safe travels to Idaho! I like the sound of those river-cooled beverages. I am getting eager to hit the road again myself!
ahhh… so far things have been excellent. If I may brag a little. These AS trailers are great in the snow and bad weather.
Here is how it all started…. We left the campground yesterday morning and it was lightly snowing with slush and rain. Easy 50 miles, just reach down and put the old PU into 4 high. No problem. Then the snow got a little bit deeper. No problem, 15 miles to go…Just reach down and put the old truck into 4 LOW. And we kept going. Now some would say that the AS bottom is on their for to keep the inulation in place, but we can tell you that it also keeps the high snow out from under the trailer… we pass a little car that is now stuck, its too deep for ’em… Indeed I think we drug the Trailer over a couple of snow drifts that now were out on the road… by accident of course. No damage to the lines and all which were on the bottom that I could see…. Just in case we had the maintenance engineer on site…check it out when we got to the location. No problems. Trailer was set up and everyone was rushing around getting equipment set up to get what we came for…. snow shots… and backgrounds. But, the weather cleared for just enough time… to allow the crew to set up. While this was going on I went back to the trailer where it was already warm… ahhh the smell of coffee when its cold is marv… Like on Q it started snowing again. Everything in place everyone rushed out and threw the covers off the equipment… lights , camera , action… and you can’t believe one could have called for a more perfict storm setting. nature was playing her part perfict.
tonight between snow showers … little pearls of snow that fall so gently that you can almost hear them… you will find us camped like the wagon trains of old in a semi-circle. Days job done, now comes miller time… and star watching. The clear air is so perfict. A light puff of a breeze of cold air makes you feel alive… eveywhere its white and still. Total Dark, as the tech truned off the generators… One of the crew made a bon fire.. as you walk from the trailer to where the fire is, the snow below your feet make this crusty sound…Now over by the fire… everyone is sitting around watching the cinders sparkle up into the sky to meet the flickering of the stars. Huddled in warm coats someone got out a couple of musical insturments… and now we hear song, laughter and everyone enjoying the moment. No work tonight… Oh look the cook brought over some somores’… and toasting forks to roast the marshmellows in the fire . This should be interesting….
Ya… and this is work….. right!!!
As the postcard says…. wishing you were here…
I DVR’ed the show and watched it. I liked you guys in it but the show was, well, so-so. The host didn’t really know anything about RVs or the industry. Apparently a minivan can pull a 26′ Travel Trailer! Wow, cool minivan!
It also appears that you guys are going to get a 5er (What did she call it? A fifth wheeler? What the heck?). Kidding, just the way the show plays you guys off. I know better since you are very fascinated by and enjoy the Airstreams.
Keep up the great work! I always enjoy your content.
The wife and I are talking about going part-time-fulltime. What is that? Out a couple of months and then back. Rinse. Repeat. We have a list of places to visit. I mentioned that some time we could perhaps meet up with you two for a beer or something. We’ll see if this even works out.
Have a great one!
–Tom
LOL Tom…
I have probably been a little overly diplomatic towards the show, but you understand my position. (Yes, that’s gotta be one hell of a minivan! And I don’t foresee any “fifth wheelers” in our immediate future.)
“Part-time-fulltime” is what I like to call our Airstream travels….because when we hit the road, we are usually gone for a while. I suspect we’ll be out and about the entire month of May, perhaps longer.
Note that we won’t be burdened by any “greatest job” opportunities Down Under! Struck out on that one…
We’d love to meet you guys for a beer. Someday, if and when we get organized, it would be fun to have some “meet and greet” events in different parts of the country. Unfortunately that would require some planning and forethought on my part, which is not my strength!
Cheers,
Sean
GMAs, I love your description of your current snowy camping experiences…. It’s downright poetic.
I think you have captured the essence of what’s special about camping… simple, elemental pleasures like cold air, hot coffee, a crackling fire….and the camaraderie of fellow campers.
Glad to hear your Airstream is performing well in the snow. You are making me eager to get back out there!
LUNCH!!!
Well… I could have expanded but then I would have missed out on the fun. These were all professional (hollyweard ) people from the industry… Goes to show that they all can have fun tooo… I am sure it takes us all back to the days of being kids with our folks camping… (by the way what is your past memories and experiences of younger years? Kristies?.. more good stuff… ? )
Indeed with the airstream.. Camping can be fun anytime, in any weather. All you need to do is back the tow veh up and lock n load… the adventure then begins… you know it does … because you get that rush feeling that is like no other. I still get it every time too.
That is what is missing from the HG show. (telling it like it is) It only showed the rich tools you can have to work with…. most bound to resort parking… (ya I would like to see them tow a 5th up here) HG left a lot out that really is the excitement and adventure of RV’n today. (then again it was a sales job only.. that the director got paid for… hmmm) When the professional actress was bouncing around I actually felt frustrated… halfway through… about the same as watching the laundry dry in a Laundromat just going round and round… (I like this.. don’t you like this… this is the best… this is what you need…)
Your specialty Sean, is showing the rest of the mass’s the fun and use you have put your aristream tool to work with. IS this the same adventure and fun that MAKES YOU LONG TO GET BACK OUT THEIR… huh…
Indeed you need to get back in the saddle and start producing what you do best.
is all I am saying. Like in the field… if you build it.. they will come…
How do I know this… easy … each time we stop for Gas or rest… the airstream becomes a people magnet. I am sure you get the same… (where ya been, where ya going…wish I had one of them…etc..) It is this interest ….that shows they are looking for an adventure…
Poooo…. just got word on the link that AK may be canceled… seems they have this little mountain zit that keeps popping up their and is putting fear into the hearts of the powers to be. shake and bake… So travel is saying that scheduling may be canceled… darn…
Kristy and I need to get back to doing some REAL camping. The past year or so, it seems like a lot of our camping has been in urban areas. Last summer we saw way too much asphalt.
We need to get back out to the national parks and enjoy the type of experiences you describe. The type of camping I really enjoy … is being “OUT THERE” in the middle of nature. But that may wait until later this year.
This spring we will be camping our way up the east coast. We’ve been asked to become spokespersons for the RVIA, and we’re honored by the opportunity. We’ll be visiting a lot of cities because that’s where the media opportunities lie. I think we’ll be doing many regional (and perhaps some national) talk shows, spreading the word.
With regards to our Long Long Honeymoon footage, one idea that we really should pursue…is to produce a DOCUMENTARY FILM. We’ve shot several dozen hours of footage all over North America, all in HD. I’d love to hand it off to a top notch editing / film transfer firm in Los Angeles and produce a feature film. Financing such a film would actually be one of the best ways the RVIA and Airstream could invest their marketing dollars. Our material is organic, and people can easily smell the real thing.
One change you may see in our video this year is more voice over. I’m taking your suggestion and including more VO in future episodes. Honestly, it’s not only easier than doing “on camera” improv, it’s also more effective. I’m also striving to spend a little more time on the writing side because that kicks up the quality a notch.
Sorry to hear about the AK cancellation. Keep me posted!
Missed it. When will it run again?