RVtravel.com editor Chuck Woodbury of Edmonds will leave next week in his 24-foot motor home on a two-month tour of the West Coast to gather stories, shoot video and meet with his readers along the way.
“It’s been a couple of years since I was away for more than a month,” said Woodbury, a 16-year resident of Edmonds who has produced his RVtravel.com online newsletter weekly for more than 10 years and has built a loyal audience of 200,000 recreational vehicle enthusiasts. RVtravel.com and its sister site RVbookstore.com are located in the Harbor Square complex by the Edmonds waterfront.
“I think the biggest change for me this trip will be the opportunity to connect with readers along the way using Facebook,” he explained. “I’ve already contacted some of them to help set up impromptu gatherings. The ability to post to Facebook that you will be in a particular place on a particular day and then be able to interact with your readers is something I couldn’t do before social media.”
Besides writing about the people and places along his route, Woodbury will shoot video and post it to his RVtravel.com YouTube channel, which to date has garnered more than 1.3 million views. “You really do not need a TV show on a traditional broadcast or cable channel anymore to reach a substantial niche audience,” said Woodbury who is a pioneer in video self distribution. His early efforts earned him a “Videomaker of the Year” award from Videomaker Magazine.
Woodbury first started traveling by RV in the mid-1980s as a freelance magazine writer. He spent much of the ’90s on the road writing stories for his quarterly newspaper Out West and the New York Times Syndicate.
“How we reach an audience today with our writing, photography and video is dramatically different than when I first went on the road,” he said. “It’s more challenging, exciting and creative than ever, and as technology evolves the ability to reach a larger audience expands.”
Woodbury plans to explore Washington, Oregon, California and Arizona on his upcoming trip but admits he could end up elsewhere. “I’ve been known to stray,” he said.
Hi Chuck,
Your about to set out for an adventure and I’m about to do the same thing just a little different than yours.
I founded my non-profit 8 yrs. ago Emerald City Lights Bike Ride, we produce bike/walk events that raise funds to help feed families in need through out the Puget Sound areas. This is my passion and I also have a dream for many years to cycle across the USA. So at the young age of 69 I’m taking my passion and dream on the road for 3 1/2 months. Leaving April 1st out of Astoria, OR- Yorktown, VA arriving on July 7th my 70th birthday. I’m hoping to raise over $20,000 so we can gift the families here in our own back yards food every week, and maybe every day. The need has increased 36% from 2010 to 2011. 1-5 kids go to bed hungry, parents, grandparents trying to feed there children.
I have for 2 months been searching for a motor home 21-24′ Class C that will be my support vehicle. The vehicle that was lined for over a year fell through in Jan. so I have been calling every dealer, seller, to get a motor home loaned to me…..it can be a tax write off as we are a 501 c(3)…Just thought you might know of someone with a big heart as mine that would loan me there vehicle for the 3 1/2 months.
You can contact me at 253-709-1530 or email info@emeraldcitylightsbikeride.org.
Thanks for your time and wishing you a safe and pleasant trip.
Patricia Hansen
Director/Founder