Dust bunnies are evil

The person who coined the term "dust bunnies" must not have owned a computer. Dust bunnies are not cute. They form under beds and other furniture in sticks 'n bricks homes, and in your computer wherever it's located.

I'm in northern California surrounded by the smoke from hundreds of fires. The RV park is in a small valley along the Russian River and less than a half mile from Highway 101. We have been squinting through the smoke and breathing air worse than the smog in Los Angeles (trust me: I lived in southern California and know how bad the air is). It's also warm so we need to leave our windows and vents open. That brings whatever the wind blows into our RVs.

Because it becomes extremely warm (90s and 100s on some days), I have a fan under my laptop to keep it cool. If it gets too hot, it will stop working (unlike humans who will stagger along until they drop from exhaustion). The fan was noisier than usual this morning so I decided to check it out. It was dusty, of course, but I couldn't believe the dust bunnies! I didn't have a can of compressed air so I took a small paintbrush and gently swabbed the coils through the vents. Then I used a hair dryer to blow out the loose dust. If gathered, the dust bunnies that escaped were the size of a golf ball. No wonder the fan was complaining.

So after you read this, check out your computer and be sure you're not harboring that criminal element known as dust bunnies.

The grasshopper and the ant

Perhaps some of you remember Aesop’s Fables. They were written hundreds of years ago and contain timeless stories and parables. There is a moral at the end of each story. I think “The Grasshopper and the Ant” is especially important today.

An industrious ant was toiling all summer gathering food and taking it back to the underground tunnels. He was preparing for the winter when snow would cover the ground and food would be scarce.

The grasshopper reclined under a shady tree and watched the ant working, scurry back and forth with his burdens. He would laugh at the ant and tease him. “Why do you work so hard? Why don’t you sit under this shady tree with me and relax? There is plenty of time before winter.”

The ant would always respond, “I can’t do that. The tunnel needs to be filled so we won’t be hungry.”

“Surely you can stop for a day, can’t you?” asked the grasshopper. “Relax.”

“No! And if I were you, I would be gathering some food and storing it for winter. If you don’t, you’ll starve.”

“There is plenty of time.” The grasshopper just laughed and watched the ant work day after day.

Winter came early that year and the chill winds blew. The grasshopper was cold and started down the path to look for food. He looked on both sides of the path. There was no food, just a couple of leaves that swirled around him much too fast for him to catch. The pond was dry. He was alone. He was afraid and he was hungry.

He went to the ant tunnel and called out to the ant. “Can you help me?”

The ant came to the opening and replied, “What do you want?”

“I’m cold and I’m hungry. Can you spare some food?”

The ant sneered and said, “You had all summer to gather food for yourself. I worked all summer gathering food for my family and me. We have none to spare. Now go away.” The ant rolled a small stone across the opening and left the grasshopper standing outside.

The moral, of course, is don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today or it is better to prepare for the days of necessity.

So what does this have to do with RVing? Well, how many of us put aside extra food, water and money in our RVs to support our RV lifestyle? We all knew the gas prices were rising and showed no signs of decreasing. We all knew the high gas prices would cause a ripple effect in shipping and food prices. How many of us stocked our RVs with supplies and prepared them for an emergency evacuation in case of a disaster?

Economists used to tell us to have six months’ income put aside to cover our expenses in case of job loss. Then it was three months. Now many are one paycheck away from a personal economic crisis.

I’ve spoken with several RVers who are planning to sell their RVs because they can’t afford the gas to drive them. These folks have paid off their RVs and own them free and clear. I argued that they should keep their RVs: in these uncertain economic times, an RV is inflation- and recession-proof. With an RV, you’ll never be homeless. You won’t be hungry or thirsty. You’ll have all the resources you need to live comfortably if you’ve prepared.

It’s not too late to start now. Next time you shop for groceries, put a few extra items with a distant expiration date in your cart for the RV. Fill the fresh water tank. Fill the propane tank. Have your generator serviced if you need to. Bite the bullet and fill the gas tank. It’s not going to get any cheaper if you wait.

It’s summer but winter will be here before you know it. Are you prepared?

Warning: Some Like It Red Hot causes hot flashes of the most pleasant kind

Robin Merrill has a summer afternoon (or winter’s evening) read that’s a page turner as well as a work to savor. Her book is listed as a mystery but it’s cleverly woven through an ageless romance that honors and respects the older and wiser player.

Aimed at women RVers and with an audience of supporting Red Hat Society members (called Red Hots in the novel), every woman who has fought her way up the corporate ladder, loved someone and lost will recognize herself on the pages. Been there, done that; got the t-shirt and the scars. The scenes in Las Vegas casinos refreshed my memories of working as the sole female security officer in Reno and Sparks casinos.

As a solo woman RVer, I could also relate to driving the highways across America in a class A and handling the breakdowns. Our road music is similar. Lotsimina Hannon, the heroine, described in agonizing detail her first attempt riding a motorcycle and made me smile. Yep, me too, with my legs as outriggers so I wouldn’t fall. Meeting a drop-dead gorgeous man with his huge—RV—will keep you intrigued while your coffee cools and your senses warm.

There is murder, mayhem, assault, kidnapping, a car chase or two, lies, deception…and friendship and support as only RVers can offer.

Read it at the beach, in the mountains, in the desert, in your RV or your home. Just read Some Like It Red Hot. You’ll be glad you did.

Balancing the budget

I was making copies of the book I wrote two years ago on how to RV frugally. I have been reading many posts on the RV Travel forum and other forums about handling the high price of gas. Many RVers are blaming the government, the ecologists, the Middle East and other factors. It's perfectly fine to place the blame elsewhere and we have the right to do so. However, I believe some of the blame lies within us. We knew this was coming.

One of the best pieces of advice I received on financial planning came from my parents and grandparents long ago (all of whom went through the Depression). They told me to save for a rainy day. It sounds trite but you've all heard it. So I did.

In the 70s, I read a short book that helped with my financial planning: The Richest Man in Babylon by George Clason. I'm not going to reveal everything (I think you should read it yourself) but the first three principles are as follows:

10% of everything you earn is yours to keep. Pay yourself first.
10% of everything you earn should be saved. There's that rainy day.
10% of everything you earn should be invested so the money will grow.

You live on the rest.

When I bought my RV in September 2001, gas was $1.59 per gallon. I put 50 gallons in the 75-gallon rear tank and 25 gallons in the front tank. I never touched the back tank after that (other than adding Stabil) and when I sold the RV in 2007, the new owners were very pleased.

When I bought my second RV in June 2007, gas was $2.29 a gallon and I filled the single 72-gallon tank. Then I worked on the rig so I could get the best mileage possible.

We all know what the price of gas is now. So where does the extra money come from to purchase the gas? How many of us use the first 10%? How many of us have that first 10%?

My plan included having food for 90 days in the RV. No matter what happened to fuel or shipping costs, I could survive. That plan was done little by little on every payday shopping trip.

My savings plan included purchasing gold Sacajawea dollars every payday and saving them 20 at a time in 35 mm film canisters. You don't spend the money, it's easy to store and save. That became my B of A account: Bank of Adrienne. The economists used to tell us to have three months' salary on hand. I don't have that yet, but I have three tanks of gas. Maybe I should think of the savings as filling my tank.

Some RVers are selling their rigs at a loss because they can't afford the payments or they can't afford to drive them. With the economy in a recession, they're not finding many buyers. That's very sad and they have my sympathy. I truly wish they would find a way to keep their RVs for the peace of mind it will give them.

For me, an RV that's paid for is a great way to survive a recession. It's inflation proof. No matter what, you're never homeless. In case of disaster, you're protected and mobile. The registration and insurance fees decrease with time.

And when you finally think you've lost your mind and decide to escape to Canada or Mexico, you'll have a way to get there.

Yes, I'm trying to get you to smile through this trying time. We're going to make it. So start saving or add to your existing savings. It's raining, but the sun will be out soon.

Having fun while workamping

The best part about workamping is that you can choose a part of the country you'd like to visit, find a job in the vicinity and be paid while you enjoy the area. I was lucky enough to be hired at a Thousand Trails preserve as a floater. That means I work 20 or so hours a week helping with activities and the store.

Here is the list of available activities to choose from or members can stay here and do absolutely nothing:

Daily: self-guided nature hike (less than two miles)
Billiards
Volleyball
Basketball
Horseshoes
Badminton
Tetherball
Board games, cards and dominoes
Tubing/kayaking/swimming/fishing in the Russian River

On Friday and Saturday nights, there is a campfire with s'mores.
On Saturday and Sunday, I teach classes in various topics like how to save space and weight in your RV, basic self-protection or exploring the national parks.
After that is the ice cream social with sundaes and cones.
Also on Saturday and Sunday, there are crafts for all ages, Mexican Train and croquet, along with a guided nature walk.
Saturday night is Bingo night as well.

I'm paid for every hour worked and pay a reduced space rent and electric. So I'm paid to play and occasionally take care of the store.

I hope if you're planning to workamp and need to supplement your fuel purchases (who doesn't?), consider finding a job like mine in a membership park. The members are terrific and the location is gorgeous. And once you're part of the staff, you can move within the system to a non-seasonal park or snowbird location.