RV show gives travelers vacation options

Small is big at the Atlanta Camping and RV Show this week, as dealers showcase downsized models to fit a downsized economy, including mini-campers you can tow with a midsize sedan.

Show spokesman Bobby Smith stresses that an RV family vacation has always been a cheaper alternative, even factoring in the cost of the vehicle and gasoline.

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Courtesy Atlanta Camping and RV Show

The R Pod is an emblem of downsized luxury: It sleeps three, but is light enough to pull with a midsize sedan. Made by Forest River, it costs about $13,000.

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“RV vacations offer the best value for the money,” he said.

They also offer a new language. Here are some terms you will encounter at the Atlanta Exposition Center, where the show runs Thursday through Sunday:

Slideout: Expandable sections of a travel trailer that provide more living space.

Slide-in: A camper that “slides in” to the bed of a pickup truck.)

Fifth wheel: A type of camper towed by a pickup truck with a hitch mounted directly over the rear axle.

Dinghy: A small car hitched behind a motor home. The dinghy allows RVers to take side trips without breaking camp. Also called a “toad” because it is “towed.”

RV basement: Yes, motor homes can have basements — the area between the chassis and the living area floor, accessible from the outside.

Boondocking: Camping outside a campground, usually for free.

Gaucho: The built-in couch in an RV that converts into a bed.

Hula skirt: A skirt placed on the back bumper of a motor home; it keeps debris thrown up by the rear wheels from damaging vehicles behind it.

Pusher: A motor home with a rear-mounted engine.

Reefer (or Refer): A refrigerator on an RV.

Snowbird: An RVer who follows the warm weather south in winter months.

Toy hauler: An RV with interior cargo space for bicycles and other “toys.”

If you go: Atlanta Camping and RV Show, Jan. 22-25, Atlanta Exposition Center, 3650 Jonesboro Rd. (off I-285 east of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport); tickets: $10, seniors $9, children $5, under 6 free. Information: 770-447-3334. www.atlantarvshow.com/