Managing Your Cellular Phone In Your RV

Most recreational vehicle owners carry a cellular telephone now a days, or a P.D.A. (Personal Digital Assistant) like a Blackberry or similar device.  Managing these while operating a motor home or pulling a large trailer can be a challenge.  Particularly when dealing with where to store it and how to use it safely. It seems most dash boards today lack an area or location that would be suitable to store a phone.  Fortunately, there are accessories available that can accomplish this on any vehicle configuration.   Cellular phone and P.D.A. holders come in a variety of installation arrangements such as securing to a vent, screwing to the dash face, or suction cup mounts.  However, there are other considerations when deciding the type of mount best for you.  A secure mount is very important.  The last thing you need while negotiating a winding mountain grade with a heavy vehicle, or vehicle combination, is your phone to go flying across the rig and onto the floor.  The mount also must be within a comfortable reach of the driver.   So, what is the best choice to meet these requirements?  Well, in most cases, the placement anywhere on the dash face within a reasonable distance from the driver is not possible without obstructing something else, like a gauge or a control.  In my opinion, there are two choices here; a good quality suction mount or a simple on-the-dash non-skid pad.  A top quality suction cup base, like the German made one shown in the photo, is easy to install... Read more

Casino Camping Location Report – Carson City Nevada

A few weeks ago I posted a report on the Reno/Tahoe area and I left out Carson City because we hadn’t finished exploring there.  Now I can tell you about the capital of Nevada, and it’s a great little city to visit. Read more  Read More →

A Woman’s View — Introduction

Welcome to a new blog: RVing from a Woman’s Perspective. Many of the existing blog entries are designed for men and women, but over the years I’ve found that when women get together, there is a special language for communicating. This is no different within the RV lifestyle. I envision this blog as a safe place to ask the “stupid” questions, talk about feelings about being on the road, and generally find a community of women for those days when you are traveling or parked by yourselves. This blog is designed for ALL women, whether traveling solo or with a partner or spouse. Read more  Read More →

Taking Better Photographs, Part 4

First, you might want to check the previous “Taking Better Photographs” Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. Although the information may overlap, the suggestions in the first three articles is primarily aimed at the aesthetics of producing better photographs.  Today I’ll cover some of the technical steps you can take to improve your images. By the way, most of the specific terms discussed are covered by earlier articles – I have linked to them when possible. Read more  Read More →

Energy Visionaries: T. Boone Pickens and Shai Agassi

By Bob Difley Sometimes it takes a certain indefinable caliber of a person, one who not only sees the big picture but have the chutzpa, vision, and means to go after it. Such is the case of T. Boone Pickens, who is changing the energy landscape with his grandiose plans for alternative energy sources, one of which is to build vast wind farms to generate energy from our windiest areas, like Texas. Another is to rally people to his Pickens Plan and the power of numbers to influence the new president and the congress “to make major changes towards cleaner, cheaper and domestic energy resources.” As he says on his Web site, “America is in a hole and it’s getting deeper every day. We import 70% of our oil at a cost of $700 billion a year – four times the annual cost of the Iraq war. “I’ve been an oil man all my life, but this is one emergency we can’t drill our way out of. But if we create a new renewable energy network, we can break our addiction to foreign oil.” And then there is also Shai Agassi, who plans to bring electric cars into the mainstream faster than any major car manufacturer thinks possible. And it looks like he might just pull it off, if it’s any indication of the number and status of the people jumping aboard his bandwagon. In an article in the September issue of Wired Magazine, writer Daniel Roth follows Agassi from his electrifying speech in December 2006 at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy Conference on how to get the world... Read more

Hey Ranger! Where’s the Cattle Guard?

As you travel rural roads, especially in the West, you may spot a highway sign warning that a cattle guard is located ahead. Drivers from other parts of the country–especially city dwellers–have been known to look around and, after failing to spot anyone, ask “Where’s the cattle guard?” Perhaps news reports that cattle rustling is on the rise again due to higher beef prices are partly to blame for the confusion, but just for the record, a cattle guard bears no resemblance to either a crossing guard, a security guard – or a cowboy. Those signs are useful, however, since crossing one of those guards after driving for miles on a smooth highway can be a bit of a jolt . Those of us who live in the West don’t give those devices a second thought, but just in case they’re new to you, here’s the inside scoop–including the word on virtual cattle guards. Read more  Read More →

CoolRVToyz.com Product Review

We live fulltime in our 30 ft class C motorhome. I learned early on to eliminate *all* unnecessary weight, and that included those big campground directories we used to have. So, I was delighted when asked to review this CD from CoolRVToyz.com. They call it “The Ultimate RV Parks and Campgrounds Directory.” “With more than 50,000 National & State Park Campgrounds, Public & Private Campgrounds, RV Resorts, Military FamCamps, RV Dealers, Camping Supplies, Truck Stops & more …” It is sold online for $49.95. You can download it immediately, or you can order the CD to be mailed to you. Either way, the fee includes 1 year of free updates to the listings. I don’t know why, but I was expecting a self-contained directory with it’s own user interface, but instead, it is a compilation of Points of Interest to add to your GPS navigation device or trip planning program. For us that’s even better since we have our GPS mapping software running all the time we’re driving. Loading this data as points of interest (POIs) in that program will make the data very accessible to us. However, if you don’t have such a device or program, this CD won’t do you much good. My husband, Jim, does most of the planning with our Navigation software, Microsoft Streets and Trips, so I asked him to install the CD on his computer and put it thru some paces. Installation: When you run the setup program from the CD you are given several choices... Read more

Internet in Your RV

The Internet has moved from novelty to virtual necessity for many people in recent years. RV satellite internet technology brings this necessity to your RV. For many people, the internet has become a way of life. It is used to keep in touch with family and friends. I use it to pay bills and handle banking transactions. I use it to retrieve information of all types quickly. All of these functions are as important on your RV vacation as when you are sitting at home. RV satellite internet services have made it possible to perform all of them when on the road. Now RVing has taken a turn towards the HI TECH world where you can be camping one minute and then the next, running your office from your fold down table. With the wireless option added to your internet you can now even enjoy a camp fire and surf the web in your lounge chair burning a few marshmallows. Let’s talk about what you will need to pull this all off and have fun at the same time. First you will need a fixed/transportable mobile Internet antenna system designed for virtually any satellite VSAT platform. This can be done at a dealership by a tech and installed in 1 day. You will need a PC or a Laptop in your RV so they can set it up to work with your new Sat system. One of the many systems that are designed for internet is the WineGard DirecStar® (DT74), this unit is designed for RV’s and is roof mounted. They would install this on the roof and then run the wires down into a cabinet near a 12v or 110 volt outlet... Read more

Maintaining Your Wastewater Tank

Wastewater tanks are the easiest things to keep clean and smelling like roses. All you have to do is maintain them and they will never be a problem. I will give you a few ways to do this and not have to worry about the smell that creeps up in your RV from time to time. Let’s start with toilet, paper you can use single ply, the cheap stuff that does not clog your tank and then there is the RV toilet paper that cost much more and will do the same job. The next thing is dumping, dumping needs to be done when the tank is full and to perform this you connect the sewer hose to the dump station, then just pull the handle marked Wastewater tank or Black Tank, when the tank is empty, hook a hose to the sewer flush or run a hose into the RV and down the toilet, make sure you are not using your fresh water hose for drinking water, we do not want to contaminate the hose we get drinking water from. When the water coming from the tank is clear you’re done. Make sure to leave about three gallons of water in the tank to keep the enzymes swimming; now you want to add some more tank chemicals/enzymes that you can pick up from any RV dealership. The tank chemicals/enzymes you add will help in breaking down the toilet paper and the solids. They also help by keeping the smell down and keep your tank clean as a whistle. There are a few other ways to keep your tank clean. One way is to flush your tank then add some Dawn or Joy soap, not that anti-bacterial stuff as that would kill the enzymes you... Read more

RV Today Archive- Estes Park CO

Looking for a destination high in the Rocky Mountains where you can ride horses, hike and get in tune with nature? Than Estes Park, Colorado, featured in this RV Today Video, is the place for you, with many people saying it is “quintessential Colorado”. With its close proximity to The Rocky Mountain National Park, the village of Estes Park has been a fan favorite for years. In addition to all the shopping downtown you can also do a little rock climbing next to Mary’s Lake. While you are in the area, you can park your RV at Mary’s Lake Campground and RV Park. A favorite activity in the area is a horseback ride into the beautiful back country at the Aspen Park. Estes Park, Colorado is truly the best place to get away from it all and get in tune with nature.  Read More →

Next Page »