Odor Control in Your RV - Part 2 - Additives
February 29, 2008 by Gary Bunzer · 11 Comments
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Last week I discussed in part 1 of this series on odor control in your RV how venting can alleviate some issues.
This week I am tackling additives.
One fine product I’ve tested and recommended for years is RM Tank Care manufactured by Tri-Synergy, Inc.
RM Tank Care was a the forefront of the development of the, now very popular, enzyme-based, bacteria-infused holding tank additives.
Inverter type generators - Part 9
February 29, 2008 by Jim Latour · 4 Comments
Inverter type generators for RV’s have been on the market since the 80’s. Everybody seems to like them but not many people know what goes on inside of them.
Why do we like them? They are marketed as quiet units that won’t disturb the neighbors while camping. They perform this by having controls that adjust the engine speed to the load on the generator. Coupled with an oversized muffler, this makes for a fairly quiet unit at partial load. At full load they are not as noisy as their constant speed counterparts but they are not absolutely quiet at all times. Read more
Gambling for the Casino Camper - Part 2
February 29, 2008 by Mac McClellan · Leave a Comment
This is the second installment of our Gambling 101 series. If you’re camping at casinos sooner or later you’ll probably play a few games — that’s why the casinos are so RV friendly, they want our business. My purpose here isn’t to encourage you to play, but if you do I want to help you be a smart casino customer.
In my first post on the topic I told you that knowledge is the key to enjoying a gambling hobby, and I gave you links to several fun quizzes about casinos and games. I also promised to tell you about the 8 best games you’ll find in a casino. These are games with a low casino advantage, usually less than 1.5%.
Photo of a jackpot on a video poker machine — video poker can be one of the best bets in a casino
This will only be a brief overview. If you’re interested in playing these remember ”knowledge is the key”. Look at the reference I give, and post to my thread in the Open Roads Forum if you have questions. Don’t risk a large part of your entertainment budget on games you don’t understand.
The Worst Games for the Casino Player
Before we look at the best games, let’s look at a couple of the worst. Did you know that some games have a casino advantage of over 20%? Keno is one, with typical house advantages ranging from 20% to 30%. Slot Machines are usually under 10% on average; however, individual slot machines may be set to hold up to 20-25%. If you think these are pretty stiff odds you’re right! Read more
Traveling to The Rally? - Perry, Georgia
It’s the RV Rally for all enthusiasts. Come to Perry, Georgia this year March 14th-17th to experience The Rally 2008.
Reserve a spot for your RV on site, or check out one of the RV parks nearby such as the Fair Harbor RV Park or the Twin Oaks RV Park.
While at this show, you may want to tour Macon, Georgia, just 25 miles north of Perry. If you do go to Macon, be sure to visit the Hay House, known as the Palace of the South. This home is just beautiful and a “must see” while in Macon.
Declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974, it was built beginning in 1855 and designed in the Italian Renaissance Revival style. With 18,000-square-feet, the mansion is four stories tall. Constructed with features far beyond its time, it was built to include hot and cold running water, central heat, an in-house kitchen and a ventilation system.
In addition, the home contains many historical paintings, sculptures, furniture items and more from the few families that resided in the house prior to it being turned over to the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation in 1977.
In addition to the Hay House, Macon is home to the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. Here you can check out all of the inductees in Georgia sports history. Located just down the street from the Sports Hall of Fame is the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.
There’s so much more to see in Macon. Find out the reason “Georgia is on my mind” simply by visiting Perry and Macon.
Be sure to take your RV to the Rally and stay in Perry.
RV’ing Baja - Part 6 - Oasis in the Desert
February 28, 2008 by John Holod · 2 Comments
Oasis in the Desert
Further south is one of my favorite towns: Mulege. Founded in 1705 as a Jesuit mission, it’s known as the “oasis in the desert.” The river is one of the few freshwater streams that flows year-round, and the abundant supply of water brings many species of birds into the area. The 
Orchard is the best RV park for birders. There are good fishing and diving opportunities as well.
The Sierra de Guadeloupe Mountains contain the largest number of known prehistoric mural sites in Baja. The Hotel Serenidad has a small RV park out back.
A few miles south of Mulege, the Bahia de Concepcion is considered by many to be the ultimate Baja destination. Thirty miles long and only three miles wide at the mouth, the crystal-clear turquoise bay is the most idyllic seashore on the entire peninsula. There are no full hookups, but the scenery makes up for the inconvenience. Most beach spots cost about $5 per night and there are many from which to choose.
Email Choices on the Road
February 28, 2008 by Chris Guld · 2 Comments
Last week I told you that you could check your home-based email by visiting the provider’s website. We call that webmail. When you use programs like Outlook, Outlook Express, Entourage, Eudora, or Vista’s Windows Mail, we call that client-based email. This week I want to explain the difference between the two, and why you would choose to use one over the other.
Your email provider Read more
Backing a Trailer, Unassisted
February 28, 2008 by Mark Polk · 6 Comments
In my last post I discussed a method for backing a trailer when there are two people working together. This is what I refer to as the assisted method. There was a request for more information on backing a trailer when you are by yourself, or what I refer to as the unassisted method. Keep in mind the assisted technique is the preferred method because it is safer and easier to do. But you need to be prepared in the event that you have to back a trailer without assistance.
If the backing maneuver is more than just backing in a straight line, and a turn is required, try to always back from the left side (drivers side). Backing from the left will allow you a better view of where the trailer is going. Backing from the right side (passengers side) is your blind side and it is nearly impossible to tell where the trailer is going.
Satellite TV on the Cheap?
February 27, 2008 by Roy Scribner · 42 Comments
We are not big TV watchers when we are camping, but I have to admit that I have always been a bit enamored with the idea of having 100 channels of viewing pleasure in the middle of nowhere. Sure, I have looked (and dreamed!) at all of the latest auto-tracking rooftop receivers, but the thought of dropping $3,000 dollars on a luxury item did not seem prudent and besides, unless we are camping at the beach our rooftop is almost always shrouded in forest canopy – something that is not very conducive to locking onto a satellite. Then one day, fate reared its ugly head! I was on the DirecTV website ordering another receiver for our home system, when I stumbled across something in their product listing called a “Disaster Readiness Kit” for $49. Low-and-behold, a Disaster Readiness Kit appears to include just about everything an RV’er on a budget needs in order to add satellite TV. And did I mention that it was $49?
A week later, the package was delivered to our door. Yes, it really is called a Disaster Readiness Kit and yes, it even comes with a wrench and screwdriver! I plan on picking up a few more items for the installation, including a mount for the RV ladder and a signal-strength meter. I’ll go over those items, along with the installation, in next week’s article – wish me luck!
Happy camping!
LP Appliances- Electronic Ignition Systems
February 27, 2008 by Chris Bryant · 2 Comments
With the exception of pilot type water heaters and some smaller LP/Electric refrigerators, modern LP appliances in RVs are controlled by electronics, meaning the gas valve is opened, the flame is ignited, and the flame is “proved” (flame safety- making certain the burner is burning). These systems are used for a number of reasons:
- No “standing” pilot flame to waste energy.
- Set and forget operation- for refrigerators, automatic energy selection (LP or 120 volt).
- Operation more like the home appliances
There are 2 methods of “proving” the flame. A purely electronic method, and what I call a “hybrid” method- both are in common use today, and both have specific troubleshooting steps to diagnose any failures.
Spring Cleaning and Restocking
February 27, 2008 by Lil'Darlin1972 · 1 Comment
I know some of you live where you don’t have to winterize your RV’s (and I do envy you sometimes). But many of us live in places where we have to clean out the RV and restock in the spring. The following tips will work for everyone because even if you don’t have to winterize, it’s a good idea to do a little cleaning and start fresh each year.
Last fall I completely emptied out the inside of the motorhome. I went a little cleaning crazy and probably won’t empty it to the extent I did this year. But it felt so good to get in and clean those places that you just don’t get to on a weekly basis. I took out ALL of the dishes, pot and pans, and linens. I washed everything and packed them away into storage tubs with lids and stacked them neatly inside. While you might not have to remove as many things as I did, it won’t hurt if you do.
These are the things that I definitely recommend you remove and then replace in the spring…
1- Batteries. We bring them inside and use them up over the winter. We have a small container for batteries that we keep on board and stocked with various types of popular sizes. With all of my husbands gadgets and the kids toys, we have no problems using them up. Don’t forget to take out the batteries in your remote controls, flashlights and other things you won’t be using for awhile. Replace them all in the spring and they should last the season.
2- First Aid Kit. We keep a small first aid kit in the motorhome stocked with all of your basic supplies. You can find first aid kits put together for you already, but they usually cost more than if you put one together yourself. I recommend antiseptic (wipes and liquid), gauze pads, adhesive tape, latex gloves, small scissors, instant cold pack, tweezers, ace bandage, band-aids of various sizes and insect sting/bite creams.
