Do you travel with a pet? We’d love to introduce your pet(s) to fellow readers. Here’s what we need: a photo or two of Fido or Boots (or you with your pet) and a 150-200 word description of your furry friend(s) — name, breed, age, how long you have traveled together, what makes them special? Go ahead and brag about them if you wish! Do you have any tips for other RVing pet lovers about traveling with pets that you’ve learned along the way? Don’t forget to give us your name(s) and hometown. Send to Diane(at)RVtravel.com .
Issue 25; Posted May 21, 2016
From Tim Slack, Karen Gunderman and Zöe,full-timers from Bloomington, Indiana
Meet Zöe! She chose us when we visited a cat-only shelter in Greenfield, Indiana.
Three years old when she got us, Zöe’s four now and loves her full-time life in our 32-foot Tiffin Allegro Open Road. She travels in her own apartment under the sofa, but pops out to investigate her new surroundings as soon as we stop.
For her enjoyment (as well as safety) we use an outdoor enclosure occasionally, which prompted a visit from a curious rattlesnake recently when we were in Arizona. But all was well and the snake left after a while.
Mice beware! Zöe is both a deterrent as well as an effective hunter of any rodents foolish enough to enter, and we avoid smelly repellents and traps. She keeps her skills and her claws sharp on one of her toys.
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From Silvia and Garry Steinhilber, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Our Buddy was found abandoned during winter on the outskirts of a small town. We adopted him six years ago and he’s enjoyed traveling with us in our motorhome ever since.
Buddy sleeps while we’re driving on the highway, watches intently while we’re driving through towns to make sure we don’t take a wrong turn, and lays on the dash watching campground activities when we’re parked.
Other campers have told us they thought he was a toy dog because they never saw him move or heard him make a sound. He is smart, funny and loves all other animals (including cats ) and every person he’s ever met. He’s also thoroughly spoiled now!
The South Bend Tribune reported last week that 44 percent of the 1.2 million households in North America that started camping last year were millennials ages 19 to 35, according to the 2016 North American Camping Report, an annual independent study sponsored by Kampgrounds of America.
And of that pool of new campers, the study found 18 percent were African-American, 11 percent Hispanic and 10 percent Asian. Millennials of those races outnumbered all other generations in each group.
The RV industry should keep a close eye on this growing pool of young and diverse campers, Toby O’Rourke, chief of franchise operations for Kampgrounds of America (KOA) told the Tribune. Compared with older generations, she said, millennials place more emphasis on defect-free RVs that feature the latest wireless technology.
“Traditionally, camping has predominantly been done by older white people. But this research is showing that it’s shifting into millennials and a more diverse camper base,” she said.
At the South Bend/Elkhart KOA Campground in Granger, Ind., co-owner Patricia Schenk said she’s noticed a sharp increase in young, diverse campers during the past five years. “The older generation of campers is white, but with millennials there is more diversity,” she said. “Hispanics and African-Americans are coming out to camp.”
Schenk added that millennials are mainly using tents at the campground, and not many have RVs. She attributed the trend to affordability.
“Tent camping has come back heavily, and it’s cheap. But we are seeing more lightweight and smaller trailers,” she said.
Doug Gaeddert, general manager of Elkhart-based Forest River Inc., said Baby Boomers are expected to continue driving the industry’s success for the next decade, but Gen-Xers and millennials will continue playing a more important role. The average age of RV buyers has dropped during the past decade, a trend that is expected to continue.
Chris Dougherty is a certified RV technician. Here is a letter he received from an RV Travel reader.
Dear Chris, I just watched your video on the Rayzar antenna. I have a Roadtrek (camper van) which does not have a Winegard antenna on the roof. Would you have suggestions for an HDTV antenna for this type of RV. —Dave
Dear Dave, There are a couple of things to consider when deciding on an antenna for a Class B motorhome.
First, how much roof space do you have? Is there an adequate space for a crank up style antenna to lie down? Second, is there a spot for the actuator to be installed through the roof into the living space where it will be accessible and a good spot for the antenna on the roof?
If you can do a fold down type antenna, the Rayzar Air and the older style Sensar are fine choices. If there isn’t enough room for a fold down antenna, but you can still place the antenna in a good spot for the actuator to come through the roof, then the King Jack antenna is a great choice. The downside is that its always in the ‘raised’ position above the roofline, but that added height isn’t usually a concern for a Class B. Lastly, if you can’t do any of the others, then Winegard makes the RoadStar and RS-3000 series omni-directional antennas which have no moving parts and sit directly on the roof of the coach. I’m not a huge fan of omni-directional antennas, but they’ll work okay if that’s all you can do.
One additional option is to install a Rayzar on one of the windows of the coach. Unlike the Rayzar Air, the Rayzar is a glass mount antenna which is basically the same element as the Air has inside it. Again, not as good as having an aimable antenna above the roof of the coach, but it is an excellent antenna element and will pick up some good channels for you.
Before driving off on their adventures this summer, RVers can help avoid problems on the road by properly servicing and maintaining their recreational vehicles’ refrigerators.
An expert at Norcold, a leading manufacturer of RV gas-absorption refrigerators, advises an annual checkup at a local dealer or service center to optimize refrigerator performance and help prevent problems on the road.
“RV refrigerators have very different maintenance requirements than their home-use counterparts,” said Raphael Hernandez, Norcold’s technical support manager. “Unlike at home, for example, 90 percent of RV refrigerator failures are caused by dirty burners.
“Annual cleaning and inspection, performed by a qualified service technician to avoid propane leaks, should be standard procedure to prevent problems and also helps RVers maintain their refrigerators’ warranties.”
Day-To-Day Procedures In addition to annual service, Hernandez said there are many day-to-day procedures that RVers can perform to assure proper functioning.
Periodically, especially after long periods of storage, RVers should inspect vents, the ventilation pathway and refrigerator flue to assess that they are clear of debris or other obstructions caused by animals or insects.
To ensure a RV refrigerator reaches the proper internal operating temperature, Hernandez said, a large model should be pre-cooled for at least eight hours before it’s ready to store food.
There are many tips for storing food properly and avoiding spoilage, he said. For example, pre-cool food in a home refrigerator before placing it inside a unit. Also, he noted, inserting warm food in a warm RV refrigerator can “double its cool-down time.”
Most gas-absorption refrigerators don’t have internal fans, so their cooling efficiency depends on air circulation inside the unit. For best results, pack food loosely and don’t line shelves with paper.
Hernandez said frost build-up on cooling fins inside the refrigerator isn’t a problem unless it becomes so excessive that it affects cooling performance. To reduce frost, limit the time that refrigerator doors are open and avoid storing fresh or warm foods – they release water vapor – in open containers.
Defrosting Tips To defrost a gas-absorption refrigerator, Hernandez recommends that owners:
•Remove all food and turn off the unit. •Place a pan or tray of warm water in the fresh food and freezer compartments to speedup the defrosting process. •Use at least a half-gallon container to capture water exiting the drain hose at the rear of the refrigerator. •Use dry towels to soak up water from melting frost. •Do not defrost with hot water, fire, knives or hair dryers — they can damage the unit.
Lastly, Hernandez strongly recommends always parking a RV on a fairly level surface. Because gas-absorption units use a gravity-flow system, being on an angle of more than three degrees for extended periods of time stops the refrigeration process.
Consumers only need to utilize these few simple and effective do-it-yourself tips to properly maintain their RV refrigerators.
Dear RV Shrink: I know you are not a mechanic, but we have a mechanical and mental problem combined. Our motorhome is only two years old and already we are noticing a repetitive problem with our hydraulic leveling jacks. They take forever to retract right when we are ready to leave camp.
It seems one goes out every season. It doesn’t fail completely, it’s just slow to respond. We end up having a whole pot of coffee while we wait for a single jack to retract. My husband makes a joke and says we should have the service center put coffee in the hydraulic line. I am more serious about the issue and think it is annoying, expensive and possibly a ripoff.
The service center is now a regular stop every season to have a unit replaced. Is this normal? Is a slow retracting jack a way of RV life? I want to let one go until it actually fails, but my husband insists on having it repaired each time.
Please shed some light on our annual pilgrimage to the land of levelers. —Tilted in Trenton
Dear Tilted:
I don’t want to sound like a medical doctor because we all know I am just a guy pretending to be a shrink, which pretty much makes me a quack. That said, I think your problem could be much like a person that goes to the doctor with a difficult issue to diagnose. The doctor is going to do something while you’re there so that you feel satisfied and he gets paid.
If you show up regularly at the leveler repairman shop, they will probably do the same. I have no idea what system you have, but I can tell you from experience that most need constant exercise and maintenance. Same as your body.
We experience the same issue with our system, which is hydraulic with spring assist. If your system is similar I would suggest experimenting a bit. It could save you some time and money.
Make sure your leveler shafts are kept as clean as possible. Dirt and debris can cause enough resistance to slow jack retraction. Another less expensive fix might be new springs. I usually buy a set (2) each year and replace just one at each of the two slowest acting jacks. Springs fatigue with constant stretching.
I have also designed a simple bar I carry to apply pressure to a slowpoke jack on a cold morning when I don’t have time to drink coffee while it slowly decides to put itself away.
You want to speak softly to your jacks, but carry a big stick. —Keep Smilin’, RV Shrink
Completely portable, this lightweight propane-powered fogger is the most economical way to kill mosquitoes, biting flies, and flying insects. The secret is in the microscopic particles it produces – up to 7 times finer than mist! The fog floats and penetrates deep into landscaped and brushy areas where mosquitoes hide – killing mosquitoes on contact and creating a ‘mosquito-free’ zone for up to 6 hours.
Burgess Insect Fogger
In about 5 minutes, the fog is gone so you can start enjoying the outdoors again. Takes an average of 10 minutes to treat a 5,000 square foot area keeping your campsite free of those nasty biters. This is the same effective system used by professionals to kill mosquitoes that may carry the Zika virus or West Nile virus.
The Burgess 1443 Propane Fogger features a 40 oz. reservoir and requires a standard propane cylinder (not included). Also has a trigger lock that prevents accidental dispensing of insecticide. For outdoor use only.
Features:
1 quart of product will treat 1/2 acre
Ready to use – no mixing necessary
No offensive odor
Dissipates in about 5 minutes
Out of more than 700 reviews of the fogger on Amazon 85% were given 4 and 5 star ratings.
Remember the days when you hit the supermarket checkout and the question was, “Paper or plastic?” Today the question for RVers seems to be, “Plastic – or china?” Yep, what you keep in your bathroom seems to make a big difference for some.
When on-board RV toilets first came into vogue there was no choice. Plastic toilets were the order of the day. Now there’s a huge influx of porcelain thrones. While many RVs typically come with a plastic toilet, they’re often a manufacturer option, and certainly for those looking to replace an existing toilet, china or plastic is the choice we face.
So what’s the difference? One “toilet propaganda” advertisement photo compared “typical RV toilets” to potty chairs. In terms of operation, both china and plastic toilets do the same job, and typically in the same fashion. Just how you feel while seated on the throne, for the most part, is a function of the height of the toilet and the construction of the seat. However, one –shall we say, “stout” – RVer did comment that he found that many porcelain RV toilets did not have as large a surface area where touching the floor as did plastic ones, and as a result, he felt a bit “tippy” sitting on a china toilet.
There are those who say that a porcelain toilet is easier to clean that a plastic cousin. It would seem you have a wider range of permissible cleaning agents to use on porcelain, and it does seem to have less of a tendency to stain. If you travel in areas of hard water, you may notice the difference, in which case china may be a better choice.
In terms of price, nowadays the comparison is so close as to be nearly negligible. You can purchase a Thetford Aqua Magic V plastic toilet (one of their best sellers) for $112. The same Internet retailer sells a Dometic 310 “China Toilet” for $115. You’ll pay a few dollars more for the shipping charges on the latter, porcelain being a bit heftier.
Which takes us to the other question, weight. If you are watching your RV weight carefully, then take into account the added weight of a porcelain pot.
So weigh your options and needs. It shouldn’t take much of a whiz kid to figure out what’s best in your RV bathroom.
Aerial view of Shore Acres State Park. (Oregon State Parks)
Shore Acres State Park is a jewel in the crown of the Oregon State Park system. Each year more than a quarter-million visitors drive 13 miles southwest of Coos Bay to visit the former palatial estate of timber baron Louis J. Simpson.
The 745-acre park features five acres of formal gardens (pictured above) including a rose-testing plot, and Japanese Lily Pond (pictured below … click on images to enlarge).
“During autumn, winter and spring, visitors gather on the tall sandstone cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean for storm watching and observation of the gray whale migration,” say park officials. Shore Acres is also an amazing place for kids because it includes a small beach on a secluded cove where they can watch elephant seals haul out to molt.
Louis J. Simpson, a Coos County timber tycoon was the son of shipping magnate Asa Meade Simpson. According to park reports, after “fire and financial losses devastated his estate holdings, Simpson sold the land to the State of Oregon for use as a park in 1942. The gardens Simpson developed, as well as one building, the gardener’s cottage, remain as important features in the park.”
Annual Holiday Lights
If you are traveling anywhere along the Oregon Coast between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, plan to spend an evening wandering through the gaily lit grounds. (Check out a post on RV Wheel Life about camping at nearby Sunset Bay State Park.)
Back in 1987 the Friends of Shore Acres decided to “string a few lights” to help celebrate the holidays. That first season, 6,000 miniature lights, one large Christmas tree, and the decorated Garden House drew 9,000 visitors, states the web site. This year there is expected to be at least 325,000 lights, 30 Christmas trees, dozens of lighted sculptures, and a performance pavilion. The festive open house will attract between 40,000 to 50,000 visitors.
Address: Shore Acres State Park, 89039 Cape Arago Hwy., Coos Bay, Oregon.
13 miles southwest of Coos Bay/North Bend and U.S. Highway 101. Phone: (541) 888-3732 Park hours: Daily from 8 a.m. to dusk. (Check posted times at park entrance for exact closing times.) Cost: Day use fee per vehicle: $5. Ample parking for recreation vehicles, however, if you have a large rig, suggest using your tow car because much of the Cape Arago Highway from Coos Bay to the park is a narrow two-lane road.
June 3 — State Park Day – Free Parking
June 18, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. — Rose Sunday – Father’s Day
August 19 — Bonsai Day
Sept. 23 — Dahlia Day
Thanksgiving-New Year’s Day, 4-9:30 p.m. — Annual Holiday Lights
How retro it seems now when I used to carry a pail of kitty litter in my motorhome. Especially when you consider that I don’t own a cat. But it was what I used to clean up spills from changing my oil, from spilled engine coolant, or any other difficult to clean up spill.
Then the SpillFix people asked me to try out their SpillFix Organic Absorbent that they had just made available in consumer sized packaging of 3.3 quarts rather than the 20-pound bag used by mechanic shops and industrial plants. The beauty of the new, smaller consumer packaging is that it will take up less space in your locker.
SpillFix absorbs much more than an equal amount of kitty litter, commonly used by RVers for cleaning up spills, and cleans right down to the floor leaving a dry, non-slippery surface. It can be reused until it turns black, and since it is non-hazardous, can be disposed of in the trash – and is good for Mother Earth also.
I purposely spilled some coolant in my driveway (I know, asking for trouble) but the SpillFix did the job – because I followed the directions. I swept it up and went to find the spot of the spill a couple days later and it was indistinguishable from the rest of the driveway. (Whew! I didn’t have to explain a new stain to my wife.)
Learn about RV camping, RV travel, RV news and much more. This newsletter, now in its 15th year of continuous publication, is funded primarily through advertising and voluntary subscription contributions from our readers. Thank you!
Issue 742 • Week of May 14-20, 2016
Editor’s corner
With Chuck Woodbury Chuck (at) RVtravel.com
I was away last week so did not have time to write an essay. Here is one from a few years ago that I liked. I hope you do, too.
My name is Charles but I go by Chuck. I took the name Chuck when I was a teenager. I thought it was better than Charles, which sounded too formal. For the last few decades I have questioned my decision. For example, I can’t think of any famous literary figures named Chuck. I wonder if we would be watching the movie “A Christmas Carol” every holiday season if the novel were written by Chuck Dickens and not Charles Dickens.
The name Chuck is the most common name found on bowling alley score cards. I have a newspaper cartoon that shows a sign at a butcher shop: “Chuck Steak: $1.49 a pound. Charles Steak, $5.49 a pound.”
My name is vaulted to its highest level of esteem when used in the term “Up Chuck.”
Still, I could have a name I liked less. Here are a few I found in a book called “Remarkable Names of Real People.” And no kidding, these are absolutely real.
Dr. Zoltan Ovary (a noted gynecologist)
A. Moron (Commissioner of Education, Virgin Islands)
Sir Basil Smallpiece
Mrs. Belcher Wack Wack (she married Mr. Wack and then his brother)
Cardinal Sin (Archbishop of Manila)
Reverend Christian Church
Baroness Gaby von Bagge of Boo
Gaston J Feeblebunny
I.C. Shivers (iceman)
Ima and Ura Hogg
Katz Meow
Preserved Fish, Jr.
In my own family, one name always gets a chuckle: my great aunt Fanny Butts.
How to play our Spin and Win game Watch this short video. (in standard definition so it uses little bandwidth)
See this little icon near the top right of this page?
Click it and you will be taken to a random article on this website. Click again and you’ll go to another. It’s fun. It’s random. It’s cool. It’s educational. It’s simply. . . wonderful!
Happy Birthday! Happy Anniversary!
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See this week’s greetings near the bottom of this newsletter.
Dish TV Discount Program for Military and Veterans
DISHForMyRV.com is your partner for getting DISH HDTV in your RV. We offer the hardware solutions including a wide variety of portable satellite antenna solutions. Our specialized agents are experienced with RV setups and equipment and are knowledgeable in the DISH Pay As You Go programming options. This month we are honoring our Military Active Duty and Veterans with our new Military Discount program. Learn more.
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RVs & Electric Bikes – the perfect match! An Electric Bike is the perfect, simplest and most affordable way of sorting all the ‘challenges’ of RV’ing. Get around camp effortlessly, visit the sites or town nearby without unhooking or simply enjoy a fun ride with fellow campers! Click here to discover our electric bikesand get $100 off, free shipping & returns, and 0% financing on any new EVELO using the code RVTRAVEL during checkout!
Could it happen? “Viagra” Old Faithful? An $11 billion maintenance backlog has National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis proposing “an unprecedented level of corporate donations” to the national parks, according to the Washington Post. In return for their money, companies would get an unprecedented amount of exposure in those parks. So does this mean that you could soon visit Coors Rocky Mountain National Park? Read more.
What RV do you drive or tow?
Please send us a photo of your RV with a 150-200 word description of where and how you travel with it, and what you like (or don’t like) about it. (If you want, just send us your notes and we’ll put your story together for you.) If you have a photo of it in a scenic setting, that’s great. Be sure to include your name(s) and your hometown (unless you’re a full-timer). We’ll post them to RVtravel.com. Send to assistant editor Diane McGovern at Diane(at)RVtravel.com . Click here to see this week’s RV Travel Reader RVs.
This Week’s Spin and Win Contest
It’s time for another edition of Spin and Win — the only game show for RVers! It’s short, just two minutes. You don’t need to answer at a specific time of day. Answer anytime, and then again once a day through Tuesday if you want to increase your chances of winning. GREAT PRIZES!
This week’s show is sponsored byEvelo Electric Bicycles. Visit its website and save $100 on a purchase.
LAST WEEK’S WINNER, David Grall of Folsom, Calif., who won the book, the 2016 Next Exit.
Prognosticators with the U.S. Department of Energy foresee RVing fuel to remain at reasonable prices this year. Expect diesel to average $2.27 per gallon and gasoline at $2.21 through the summer. Next year? Diesel at $2.64 and gas up to $2.24.
Auction values for used RVs are hitting their seasonal plateau, reports Black Book. April motorhome prices inched up $44 to an average sale price of $35,168. Towable units were up $17 to $11,965. For both, this was a 0.1 percent increase from prices booked in March. Black Book attributes the flat prices to RV dealers having completed their seasonal stock-up of units for sale.
About a third of the 161 campsites at New York State’s Caroga Lake Campground will be closed for at least a portion of the summer season. Workers readying the campground for a scheduled May 20 opening found serious issues with the sewage system, and sites 87 through 129 won’t be available. Refunds will go out to those who reserved those sites.
Scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash., may have discovered the RV boondocker’s dream battery. For roughly the same cost as a common lead-acid battery, the team successfully resolved problems with batteries based on zinc and manganese, which have limited charge cycles. Researchers have seemingly overcome the issue, developing a test battery that lasted 5,000 discharge/recharge cycles, while still maintaining 92 percent of its original capacity. Compared to a few hundred cycles for common lead-acid batteries, the difference is outrageous. No word on when – or if – commercial production of such a super-battery could take place.
Depending on your point of view, Minnesota has pulled the rug out from under spontaneous camping. Until this year, a quarter or more of campsites in the state parks were available on a first-come, first-served basis. Now all campsites in the system are on a reservation basis. State officials say too many “walk up” sites were left empty.
White River National Forest officials may shut down two popular campgrounds in Colorado. Avalanche and Elk Wallow campgrounds are high on the list of sites with deferred maintenance, and while the number of visitors to that national forest is up more than 40 percent since 2010, at the same time the federal budget for the area is down 60 percent since 2010.
When 88,000 residents of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada, were chased out of their city by a huge wildfire, there were plenty of RVers among them. Now many are receiving help from the RV industry. Some campgrounds are offering discounts to these refugees, and others are simply allowing them to stay for free. The Canadian RV Dealers Association has donated $5,000 to help; some RV dealers are providing dry camping to those in need. RVers themselves have been helping – many taking their rigs up the highway toward Fort McMurray and passing out refreshments to those fleeing the area.
Last week we reported on a contentious meeting in Mesquite, Utah, where citizens universally gave a thumbs-down to a proposed RV park on the town’s West Pioneer Boulevard. Two Utah developers were seeking a zoning change that would have allowed them to build a 116-site park on 14 acres of land. After the negative reception, the developers have withdrawn their plans. A local real estate agent who was working with the developers now requests, “Please ask people to quit sending me and others hate mail.”
Last August, a Perry Park, Colo., family was ordered by their homeowners’ association to get their motorhome out of their driveway – it violated covenants. But William Loftland’s parents, the rig’s owners, appealed, saying that their son, who is autistic, needed to have the RV close at hand as they used it to calm him. They provided the association with documentation from William’s doctors asking for a medical accommodation, to no avail. No problem now – a federal decree has ordered the HOA to back off, and to pay the family for attorney fees.
America’s Largest RV Show coming Sept. 14–18, 2016 See, compare and shop over 1300 new RVs from virtually every major manufacturer! Visit hundreds of vendors including campgrounds, accessories and services. Attend seminars covering subjects for the beginner to the seasoned RV enthusiast. Location is Hershey, PA. For more information, click here.
More News
We reported earlier that two Illinois state parks, Horseshoe Lake and Ramsey Lake, were being shut down for lack of electric service. Turns out the state hadn’t paid the bills due to a “budget impasse.” Now a candidate for the state legislature, Bob Romanik, has stepped forward and paid the bills so the parks can reopen. Was it an act of public shaming? It’s not clear, but whatever the reason, at least camping has been restored. It would be interesting to see how deep Romanik’s pockets are – a government spokesman says other state parks are also overdue on utility bills but so far haven’t had to be closed.
Photo: Pupfish; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Three “idiots running amok” have a $15,000 price on their heads after they broke into an environmentally sensitive area of Death Valley National Park (Nevada), littered the site with vomit, shotgun shells, beer cans, and underwear – and may have killed an extremely rare fish. Video recorded the illegal entry at Devils Hole, the home of about 100 Devils Hole Pupfish. One was found dead, and authorities are investigating to determine if the three men, believed to have been intoxicated, were responsible for the death.
Last February, RVer Daryl Tuttle of Veronia, Ore., climbed into his motorhome for a night’s rest, and never woke up again. A medical examiner determined Tuttle was felled by carbon monoxide gas. One of Daryl’s friends was so moved by the tragedy, that friend began a program that provides free carbon monoxide detectors to locals. Do you have a detector in your rig? Remember, these detectors have a limited life – check the “expiry” date on yours today.
Photo: tm-tm on flickr.com
A New Zealand RV rental company, Wicked Campers, is facing the wrath of a government entity that says the company’s rental rigs aren’t welcome in its campgrounds because they frequently bear “offensive slogans.” The Tasman District Council had considered banning Wicked’s rigs altogether, but now the Council says it may require any “lewd or sexist signage” be covered up or face a turn-away. The photo shows a “tame” example of a Wicked Campers slogan.
Tuscumbia, Ala., city councilors are thinking about getting into the RV park business. A proposal to float a bond measure to finance a 67-site RV park to the tune of $869,000 is being examined. Number-crunchers say if the park had a 30 percent occupancy rate, the city could expect to take in $211,000 a year; at 90 percent the take could be as high as $633,000, all based on a $30-per-night charge per site.
Timber Creek Campground in Idaho’s Lemhi County has been closed as an official search takes place and may reopen by Memorial Day. Authorities say they want to look the area over again for clues as to the disappearance of then-2-year-old DeOrr Kunz, Jr. The child vanished on a camping trip with his parents and a grandparent in July 2015. At the time, police felt relatives were not responsible for DeOrr’s disappearance but now say they suspect the family knows more than they’re telling.
Photo: SWNS
We’ve often warned RVers to know the height of their rigs to avoid difficult situations. Add to list: Know thy width. A holiday-goer in the village of St Ives in Cornwall County in the south of England learned this when he rented a small motorhome. Not small enough, evidently, when he tried to negotiate a narrow street in St Ives – made that much narrower by a scaffolding set up in the street. Stuck fast, the rig could only be extricated after the scaffolding was dismantled. Minor damage to rig; major damage to driver ego.
Keep up with RV Industry news throughout the week at RVbusiness.com.
Sink cover in the way? Try this
Plastic RV sink covers are great for more working surface, but lousy when you need to access the sink itself. Consider whacking one or both of the sink covers in half to allow you some more real estate, but with “waterfront” access!
Keep the little-but-essential pieces of paper in one place
Papers, receipts, business cards swimming around in your rig? Find yourself a manila envelope, put the little bits inside, then stand the envelope up on end at the end of a handy cabinet.
Have an extra water heater drain plug on hand — just in case
Water heater got a plastic drain plug? For some strange reason, plastic and heat don’t always get along. Keeping a spare drain plug in your parts kit may save you a lot of frustration.
Which brand tire is best?
Roger Marble, RV tire expert, reports that many RVers on various forums wonder which brand tire is best, but he has never seen a response supported by any data based on direct apples-to-apples comparison of two brands of tires. However, he has contacts in the tire industry and could have an independent testing company run a comparison. All he needs is people to send him contributions — to the tune of $35,000 to get started! Learn more.
Do you vacuum your RV? Here’s an inexpensive and better way!
Every once in a long while, Rich “The Wanderman” finds something that makes cleaning easier in the RV. He used to lug a 120V electric upright vacuum into the RV and clean the carpets, but it didn’t do a thorough job and it was a pain. But then he found a micro 12V canister wet/dry vacuum! It’s really handy, especially to vacuum the carpet on his RV’s ceiling and walls(!). Read more.
It’s time to clean your fresh water tank
If your RV has been sitting “in mothballs” all winter and you’re readying it for travel season, don’t neglect the fresh water tank. It only takes about one mouthful of “yecchh!” water to convince you that water can go stale. What’s to do? Well, this is the same trick we recommend when you buy an RV prior to using it. Learn more.
How to save LP gas while dry camping
Dry-camping RVers tend to get paranoid about LP gas usage, so being efficient is important. The Truma AquaGo® instant water heater provides such efficiency. With it, a 20 lb. LP bottle can provide 20-minute showers for 30 days, so dry campers need not worry about using hot water when they need it. Learn more here.
Trailer hitching: Keep your rig where it belongs For a “heart sinking into your stomach” experience, there’s nothing like looking in the rearview mirror and finding your travel trailer isn’t there. Every year innocent folks are killed by runaway trailers. How can you ensure your travel trailer trip comes off without a hitch? Start with safety at the hitch. Learn more.
How to watch YouTube videos using little bandwidth For RVers on the road, getting online can be challenging, often a choice between finding a Wi-Fi hot spot or using their phone as a mobile hot spot — which can get costly watching data-hogging videos. In this short video, RVtravel.com editor Chuck Woodbury shows you how to watch YouTube videos without exhausting your data plan. Read more and watch the video.
Reminder: Tighten your (hidden) air conditioner bolts As Federal Highway Administration funds get even tighter, the condition of America’s roads reflects this budgetary bulimia: Potholes and rough roads abound, and you and your RV are the recipients. Those washboard workouts are not only hard on your dentures, but your RV gets thoroughly rattled as well. One area not often thought about is the RV air conditioner, and the bolts that hold it in place can get shaken loose. Learn what to do with them.
This week in history Week of May 14-20 Compiled by Dell Bert
1873 Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis receive patent for blue jeans.
1965 FBI Laboratory weighs in on the “dirty” lyrics of “Louie Louie.”
1973 Skylab launched.
1980 Mount St. Helens erupts.
1998 Frank Sinatra dies.
2012 Facebook raises $16 billion in largest tech IPO in U.S. history.
Reduce air drag and boost fuel efficiency — Airtab® your RV! Just peel and stick Airtabs™ to the rear sides and the rear roof of your RV coach or trailer to create swirls of air that reduce aerodynamic drag, save fuel and improve stability. Airtabs™ dramatically reduce trailer ‘fish tailing’ and crosswinds pressure to RVs from passing trucks, while improving fuel efficiency 2% – 5%! Click on the video.
RV Clubs Here are a couple of RV clubs from our extensive directory which you may be interested in:
Beaver Ambassador Club
“The Beaver Ambassador Club (BAC), a chapter of the Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA), is an international motor home organization, located throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico, for owners of Beaver and other qualifying coaches.” Includes rallies, a forum with technical support, and more.
National Square Dance Campers Association Inc
The National Square Dance Campers Association is the oldest, non-profit, square dance camping association, with chapters throughout the U.S. and Canada.
“RV Armor took care of our problems and did our roof replacement while we stayed in our RV. Their service gave us great value savings and came with a lifetime, unconditional, parts and labor warranty, which is also transferable.” —Happy customer Don Fredericks. Financing available! RV Armor: The Ultimate RV Roof.
Bumper sticker of the week
Seen on the back of a Jeep: “My Jeep won a war; your Honda mows my lawn!” Thanks to Robert Spencer!
Funny/clever business slogan
Ad for a plumbing business: “Let’s get this potty started” Thanks to Charlie Cowles!
Have you seen a funny bumper sticker or business slogan? Send it to Diane(at)RVtravel.com
Clean your RV… with beastly-good results! Your RV’s not your car, it’s your “beast.”
Your RV’s large surface area makes it a beast that collects more bugs, grit, grime, soot and industrial pollution than your car does. And it may have different surfaces of paint, fiberglass, vinyl and aluminum. Click on the video to watch Wade clean everything with Beast Wash as it cuts through slime and grime. You’ll see the difference. SALE! 5% off – Use code:RVTravel16when ordering.
Secret phrase
for Spin and Win contest:
Doug drove Dot’s dirty Dodge Dart downtown.
Upcoming RV Shows
See the recently updated list of upcoming RV shows for 2016.
Websites of the Week
We like these websites. Check ’em out. More next week.
The New TireTraker™ TT-500 with a Lifetime Warranty The new TireTraker™ TT-500 is the most innovative & user friendly TPMS on the market with an unprecedented “Lifetime Warranty”, the only TPMS company in the industry to do so. The TT-500 features a larger, easier to read display, continuous pressure & temperature monitoring, automatic update, & monitoring up to 22 tires on your motorhome, trailer & tow vehicle from 0-232 psi! Seven day per week sales & technical support & over 12 years of experience. List price (4 tires) $389. Our price only $289. SAVE $100! (Additional Sensors $35 each). Learn more or order. Read testimonials.
Good reading from RV123.com
• Bogue Chitto State Park, LA
• Featured App: Heads Up!
• Cowhorn Biscuits
No more sewer smell in your RV New roof siphon cap improves on old Shark Fin roof vents! No moving parts!
Are you fed up with smelling sewer odors in your RV? If so, the 360 Siphon is for you. Odors can only go one way with this new product — up and out of your RV, not inside the living area. If RV manufacturers really cared about their customers they’d install these instead of cheap vents that simply cover your sewer vent, allowing odors to stink up your rig. Click the video to see how this works. Easy installation. Fits all RVs. Learn more or order.
Ask the RV Shrink What can we do about vandalized public property?
Dear RV Shrink:
One of the comments someone made under last week’s column caught my attention. We have not spent much time in campgrounds during the past 30 years. Now that we have retired, that has all changed. One thing we notice constantly is the disrespect to public property. We do not remember so much blatant graffiti, vandalism, defacing and littering. It is sad to think that so many people find pleasure in degrading infrastructure for no apparent reason. —Bewildered in Butte
RV Parts and Accessories
Give Dyers a try on your next purchase of RV parts or accessories. Large selection, great service, low prices and fast shipping. Visit our website.
RV Tech Tips from Mark Polk Keep your RV locks working smoothly Twice a year take a can of graphite spray, insert the small tubing into the lock, and spray every lock on the RV. This should prevent any problems with the locks.
Mark Polk is the owner of RV Education 101, the premiere source of educational DVDs about buying, maintaining and using an RV. Learn more.
Visit our YouTube Channel. More than 500 great videos about RVing!
Latest fuel prices
Here are the latest U.S. average prices per gallon of gasoline and diesel fuel: Regular unleaded gasoline: $2.22 (on May 9) Change from week before: Down 2 cents; Change from year before: Down 47 cents Diesel: $2.27 (on May 9) Change from week before: No change; Change from year before: Down 61 cents
Improve performance of your diesel engine Diesel Kleen + Cetane Boost is a highly rated, technologically advanced, diesel engine performance improver that cleans injectors, boosts cetane and lubricates fuel injection components. The maximum horsepower formula restores lost power, smooths rough-running engines and improves fuel economy up to 8 percent. Learn more or order.
RV Travel Reader Pets
Do you travel with a pet? We’d love to introduce your pet(s) to fellow readers. Here’s what we need: a photo or two of Fido or Boots (or you with your pet) and a 150-200 word description of your furry friend(s) — name, breed, age, how long you have traveled together, what makes them special? Go ahead and brag about them if you wish! Do you have any tips for other RVing pet lovers about traveling with pets that you’ve learned along the way? Don’t forget to give us your name(s) and hometown. Send to Diane(at)RVtravel.com .
Click here to see last week’s issue of RV Travel Reader Pets.
Split your 12-volt plug . . . and get two USB chargers! This incredibly handy device is specially made for power-hungry devices. Convert and increase your car cigarette lighter or RV 12 volt plug from 1 to 2 sockets plus get 2 USB ports, too! Wow, will this ever come in handy! Learn more or order at a discount.
The RV Kitchen with Janet Groene
Mexicali Quiche Parlez-vous Tex-Mex?
This is a melting pot nation, so we celebrate Italian food with a Mexican twist, Chinese stir-fry made with American garden vegetables, Japanese tempura in batter made with German beer, and Brazilian coffee with a shot of Irish whiskey. The basic idea of an eggy French quiche goes just right with the heat of Tex-Mex. Get the recipe.
Get relief from the heat with a cooling towel Summer heat is on the way. A Frogg Toggs Chilly Pad Evaporative Cooling Towel will cool you for hours. It can absorb 8 times its weight in water to provide longer evaporation times than regular towels. An internal polyester mesh reinforcing material allows it to dry you off while it cools you down. Simply moisten the towel, wring out excess, wrap it around your neck & it starts working. Available in multiple colors. Learn more or order.
Turning back the clock
RV television commercials from years past!
Take a trip back in time with this TV commercial from years ago — when shag carpet was the big deal, when the word slideout meant something you did getting out of the dinette and when a 30-amp hookup was science fiction. In this 30-second commercial two circus clowns follow a cyclone created by Ajax cleaner to its source in a Winnebago and its happy (motor)homemaker. Click the video to play it.
Clean your sewer hose without the mess! Sure, you can just fidget around with a garden hose, pushing it into your sewer hose and wiggling it around to clean it out. But with this Sewer Hose Rinser w/Shut-Off Valve from Camco it’s easier, simpler, and you won’t spray water or ??? all over yourself. Hey, you don’t want to leave “stuff” in your hose during storage, do you? Learn more or order from Amazon.com.
App of the Week
Travel Drive for phones and tablets By Chris Guld, GeeksOnTour.com
You probably know about travel drives for storing computer data files, photos, videos, music, etc. We call them by various names: thumb drives, flash drives, USB drives, and more. But we’ve always needed a computer with a USB port in order to use them. Now you can get a wireless drive that will work with your smartphone or tablet, Android or iOS! You can have all the power and all the storage capacity of a laptop computer, without the laptop!
LEARN ABOUT SMARTPHONES AND TABLETS
… every Sunday on a live webcast from Geeks On Tour. This week learn about location services on your smartphone: how to turn the feature on and what it does for you. And they will discuss an App of the Week. Watch live or archives of past programs.
The special offer for RV Travel readers is back! Become a member of Geeks on Tour and get a 20% discount. Click here.
Locate services at Interstate exits The 2016 Next Exit is the most complete USA Interstate highway exit directory ever published for every exit of major and most minor routes. Find what’s located at upcoming exits on your route — gas, food, lodging, camping, shopping, hospitals, Wal-Marts and much more. A best-seller year after year. Learn more or order.
Ask the RV Doctor The RV Doctor, Gary Bunzer, answers your questions
What to do about a very loud water pump We have a new 27-foot travel trailer RV. The first time we used it the water pump was very loud. What can we do to quiet it down? —Kim H., Cheyenne, Wyo.
Temperature gun is ‘essential equipment’ for many RVers! Just aim this non-contact IR temperature gun to measure the temperature of your refrigerator, tires, A/C output, or, heck, even your oven (and the list goes on). It turns on and begins reading the temperature in Celsius or Fahrenheit with one press of the trigger. A laser light aids in aiming, and can be turned on or off. Many RVers consider this essential equipment. Learn more or order at a huge discount.
Boondocking tips with Bob Difley
Pick up trash and feel good
If it irritates you when you find a nice wooded boondocking campsite littered with trash, grit your teeth and walk the site to pick up all the plastic bags and soda cans before you set up camp. You will feel better and enjoy the site more. When you leave, the last thing to do is walk the site again and pick up what escaped you (I know you wouldn’t leave trash intentionally). Don’t forget to clean out unburnables from the fire pit. Maybe the next boondocker will appreciate finding a clean campsite and take the hint.
Easy way to level your RV! The RVtravel.com motorhome packs along two of these and, boy, are they handy! Camco’s RV Yellow Tri-Levelers are designed to raise the RV up to 3-7/8″ on any tire for a more level position. The lightweight levelers are durable and have a resin non-slip surface with a load capacity of 3,500 pounds. Learn more or order for a great price!
Gadgets and Gizmos
Shurhold system enables high-quality DIY RV detailing RV owners tired of paying $5–$7 a foot to have their rigs professionally cleaned can instead detail with quality DIY tools and products. They make the job fast and easy, while being significantly less expensive. Learn more.
Macerator pump makes RV dumping easier
Our best guess — and this is just a stab in the dark — is that there aren’t too many RVers that look forward to their visits to the dump station. There is a way, however, to ease the pain of dumpstationitis. FloJet’s portable RV Waste Pump System enables emptying your waste tanks with minimal hands-on (the ugly part) requirements. Read more.
Liquefy solid wastes in sewer holding tanks Happy Campers Treatment liquefies solid waste and household tissue. It’s a natural formula that’s environmentally friendly and biodegradable, with no formaldehyde or harsh chemicals. Basically, the good bacteria overtakes the bad bacteria to eliminate odor and accelerate the natural decomposition of waste. Because it is totally organic and odor free, you won’t be embarrassed by bad odors inside or when you dump. Learn more or order at Amazon.com.
Joke of the week A few days after her husband’s death, a grieving widow accidentally received an email from a man waiting for his wife in Miami. The email read: “Just got checked in. Everything prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Sure is hot down here.”
Keep your food cool with this RV fridge fan Every RV refrigerator should have one of these! This small refrigerator fan from Valterra Products will help keep the food in your RV fridge cool and from spoiling. It cuts down initial cool-down time by 50 percent. Runs for more than 30 days on 2 D batteries. Don’t leave home without this! Learn more or order from Amazon.com.
Random RV Thought
If your RV neighbor is having a roaring campfire, it’s a good idea to pull in your awning. A hot ember could land on it and burn a hole. That’s no fun. No fun at all!
See this little icon near the top right of this page?
Click it and you will be taken to a random article on this website. Click again and you’ll go to another. It’s fun. It’s random. It’s cool. It’s educational. It’s simply. . . wonderful!
Trivia
William Faulkner once refused a dinner invitation from President Kennedy’s White House. “Why, that’s a hundred miles away,” Faulkner explained. “That’s a long way to go just to eat.”
Easily brew a single cup of coffee This is great for RVers! Brew a single cup of coffee without the high cost of an expensive coffee maker with the MyJo Single Cup Coffee Maker! Just fill reservoir with hot water from tea kettle, or heat water in a microwave. Assemble, place K-Cup pack in base, attach the water reservoir and pump. Watch the video for a short demonstration or learn more or order at a big discount.
Worth Pondering
“A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it.” — John Steinbeck
Battery Organizer Never find yourself digging through drawers again when you need a new battery with the Battery Organizer. With specially designed slots, it keeps batteries organized and easy to find. Holds 12 AAA, 12 AA, 6 C and 4 D batteries — each size has its own slot making it easy to find the right size. Great for the RV, kitchen or garage. Holds up to 34 batteries. Learn more or order.
Readers’ Birthday and Anniversary Greetings
Happy Birthday! •May 15: To Kathy from Norm. Happy Birthday to my dear wife. I’ve celebrated 53 birthdays with you and hope for many more. I love you!
•May 18: To Betsy (Babe) from Your hubby. Have a great day, my love. I love you to the moon & back. Many more Happy Birthdays.
•May 19: To Judy from Larry. Happy birthday to a very special lady. Thanks for being my best friend and wife for 50 years, Love you always.
Happy (belated) Birthday
•May 1: To Patti from Bill Stitt. Happy birthday to my beautiful wife and fellow road warrior. Love you!
•May 4: To Barefootlady from pterodactyl. Happy Birthday to my wife. She is the greatest especially in our RV world. Now, most might think that she’s a great cook, and she is but I’m more apt to say, “Can she ever drive”.
•May 8: To Otto from Sandy. Happy Birthday Honey! I had a great 4 months of RVing with you.
Happy Anniversary! •May 17: To Carol from Bob. Happy Anniversary to the Love of my life!
RV Travel staff Editor and Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Assistant editor: Diane McGovern. Contributing editor: Russ De Maris. Contributing writers: Greg Illes, Bob Difley, Richard Miller, Richard Mallery, Janet Groene, Roger Marble and Julianne Crane. Office manager: Jody Allcott.
ADVERTISE on RVtravel.com and/or in this newsletter. Contact Chuck Woodbury at Chuck(at)RVtravel.com.
About the RVtravel.com editor Chuck Woodbury has explored America by RV for nearly three decades. In the ’90s he published the quirky travel newspaper Out West, and was an “on the road” writer for the New York Times Syndicate. His book, “The Best from Out West” is available at Amazon.com. Woodbury’s RVing adventures have been profiled on ABC News, CNN, NBC’s Today Show, and in People Magazine, USA Today and in hundreds of newspapers. Nowadays, he lives near Seattle, where he drinks massive amounts of coffee and travels often in his motorhome and sometimes by plane when vast expanses of saltwater would turn his RV into a leaky submarine. He is the host of the Better Business Bureau DVD “Buying a Recreational Vehicle,” the definitive guide to purchasing an RV the right way (available in many public libraries).
Everything in this newsletter is true to the best of our knowledge. But we occasionally get something wrong. We’re just human! So don’t go spending $10,000 on something we said was good simply because we said so, or fixing something according to what we suggested (check with your own technician first). Maybe we made a mistake.
Tips and/or comments in this newsletter are those of the authors and may not reflect the views of RVtravel.com or this newsletter.
Our offices are located at 610 5th Ave. S, Suite F, Edmonds, WA 98020.
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Send a photo of your RV and a 150 to 200 word description of it, how and where you use it, and what you like or don’t like about it, to Diane(at)RVtravel.com. Be sure to include your name(s) and hometown, or if you’re a full-timer. (These are posted in the order received.)
The RVs of RVtravel.com readers and how they use them
Issue 54; Posted May 14, 2016
From Peter and Sandy Schroll, Orlando, Florida
We are a semi-retired couple, born in Connecticut, 20-year residents of Miami, Florida, and a brief (four-year) time in Asheville, North Carolina.
We drive a 2008 Four Winds, Windsport, 36F. It has two large slides and plenty of room for our two Labrador retrievers. It has more than enough room for full-timing. We really enjoy the fact that it has three distinct living areas: a living room that is slightly separated from the kitchen/dining area and, of course, the bedroom. If we could change anything it would be the carpeted living room area — and we probably will change it sometime in the future.
Just before we retired we bought our first motorhome. Although we have been camping since 1971, it had always been in travel trailers. We are really enjoying the driving comfort and easy living of our motorhome.
After retiring in Miami we sold the house, and almost everything else, and full-timed for over two years — traveling from one coast to another on as many back roads as possible. We spent a lot of time in our National Parks in Utah, the Dakotas and California. We really enjoyed driving the California coast, Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Washington, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We decided to settle down in Orlando because our children and, more importantly, our grandchildren had moved there.
Happiness is the friendships you make along the way.
From Debi and Paul Pitzer, Rendon, Texas
This is our 2008 Tiffin Phaeton 36-foot “home away from home.”
We are retired and I’m wanting to take my “dream” trip to Alaska soon. We’ve had a 5’er for years and traded her in for the motorhome two years ago. I love it!
We’ve been to a few rallies and I hope to be able to talk hubby into full-timing.
Not all who wander are lost.
From Roger and Sue Kresge, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
We have just upgraded from a much smaller travel trailer to this 2016 Jayco Jay Feather 23RLSW, along with our 2010 F150 tow vehicle.
Last year we got back into camping after nearly 20 years away from it, and we’re enjoying the heck out of it. I just retired in September, so we’re able to do a lot more. This year’s travels will include four or five week-long local and regional outings, plus a 10-day trip to Maine in June.
We love the fact that our new TT has actual living space and a real bed. The pictures show our rig parking and then set up for Mother’s Day weekend at our local Thousand Trails campground.
An $11 billion maintenance backlog has National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis proposing “an unprecedented level of corporate donations” to the national parks, according to the Washington Post. In return for their money, companies would get an unprecedented amount of exposure in those parks.
So does this mean that you could soon visit Coors Rocky Mountain National Park?
No. Under the current proposal, corporate logos and naming rights would be limited to park facilities like visitor centers and to things like educational and youth programs.
An auditorium at Yosemite National Park, for example, could be named after Coke. Naming rights to roads are not up for grabs, but visitors could tour Bryce Canyon in a bus wrapped in the Michelin Man.
Critics are not happy.
“You could use Old Faithful to pitch Viagra,” Jeff Ruch, executive director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, a group opposed to the change, told the Post. “Or the Lincoln Memorial to plug hemorrhoid cream. Or Victoria’s Secret to plug the Statue of Liberty. … Every developed area in a park could become a venue for product placement.”
No word on a date when such corporate sponsors may be available. We’ll keep you posted.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. By continuing to use our site, you consent to accepting cookies. We NEVER have or will sell reader's data. For more info, please see our privacy policy page.
Three years old when she got us, Zöe’s four now and loves her full-time life in our 32-foot Tiffin Allegro Open Road. She travels in her own apartment under the sofa, but pops out to investigate her new surroundings as soon as we stop.
For her enjoyment (as well as safety) we use an outdoor enclosure occasionally, which prompted a visit from a curious rattlesnake recently when we were in Arizona. But all was well and the snake left after a while.
Our Buddy was found abandoned during winter on the outskirts of a small town. We adopted him six years ago and he’s enjoyed traveling with us in our motorhome ever since.
Buddy sleeps while we’re driving on the highway, watches intently while we’re driving through towns to make sure we don’t take a wrong turn, and lays on the dash watching campground activities when we’re parked.
And of that pool of new campers, the study found 18 percent were African-American, 11 percent Hispanic and 10 percent Asian. Millennials of those races outnumbered all other generations in each group.
I just watched your video on the Rayzar antenna. I have a Roadtrek (camper van) which does not have a Winegard antenna on the roof. Would you have suggestions for an HDTV antenna for this type of RV. —Dave
An expert at Norcold, a leading manufacturer of RV gas-absorption refrigerators, advises an annual checkup at a local dealer or service center to optimize refrigerator performance and help prevent problems on the road.
I know you are not a mechanic, but we have a mechanical and mental problem combined. Our motorhome is only two years old and already we are noticing a repetitive problem with our hydraulic leveling jacks. They take forever to retract right when we are ready to leave camp.
When on-board RV toilets first came into vogue there was no choice. Plastic toilets were the order of the day. Now there’s a huge influx of porcelain thrones. While many RVs typically come with a plastic toilet, they’re often a manufacturer option, and certainly for those looking to replace an existing toilet, china or plastic is the choice we face.
My name is Charles but I go by Chuck. I took the name Chuck when I was a teenager. I thought it was better than Charles, which sounded too formal. For the last few decades I have questioned my decision. For example, I can’t think of any famous literary figures named Chuck. I wonder if we would be watching the movie “A Christmas Carol” every holiday season if the novel were written by Chuck Dickens and not Charles Dickens.
How to play our Spin and Win game
Featured categories
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Our staff works hard to bring you an entertaining and informative newsletter every Saturday. The readers of the newsletter help make it possible with their voluntary subscriptions. Even a pledge of $5 a year would be appreciated — that’s 
An Electric Bike is the perfect, simplest and most affordable way of sorting all the ‘challenges’ of RV’ing. Get around camp effortlessly, visit the sites or town nearby without unhooking or simply enjoy a fun ride with fellow campers! 
An $11 billion maintenance backlog has National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis proposing “an unprecedented level of corporate donations” to the national parks, according to the Washington Post. In return for their money, companies would get an unprecedented amount of exposure in those parks. So does this mean that you could soon visit Coors Rocky Mountain National Park? 
What RV do you drive or tow?
This Week’s Spin and Win Contest
America’s Largest RV Show coming Sept. 14–18, 2016
Keep up with RV Industry news
How to save LP gas while dry camping
For RVers on the road, getting online can be challenging, often a choice between finding a Wi-Fi hot spot or using their phone as a mobile hot spot — which can get costly watching data-hogging videos. In this short video, RVtravel.com editor Chuck Woodbury shows you how to watch YouTube videos without exhausting your data plan. 
Secret phrase
The new TireTraker™ TT-500 is the most innovative & user friendly TPMS on the market with an unprecedented “Lifetime Warranty”, the only TPMS company in the industry to do so. The TT-500 features a larger, easier to read display, continuous pressure & temperature monitoring, automatic update, & monitoring up to 22 tires on your motorhome, trailer & tow vehicle from 0-232 psi! Seven day per week sales & technical support & over 12 years of experience. List price (4 tires) $389. Our price only $289. 
Improve performance
Split your 12-volt plug
Clean your sewer hose
Temperature gun is ‘essential equipment’ for many RVers!
Easy way to level your RV!
Liquefy solid wastes in sewer holding tanks
Keep your food cool
Battery Organizer
We are a semi-retired couple, born in Connecticut, 20-year residents of Miami, Florida, and a brief (four-year) time in Asheville, North Carolina.
We have just upgraded from a much smaller travel trailer to this 2016 Jayco Jay Feather 23RLSW, along with our 2010 F150 tow vehicle.
year’s travels will include four or five week-long local and regional outings, plus a 10-day trip to Maine in June.