Hey Ranger! What’s in Your Viewfinder?

Along with scenery, wild animals rank high on the list of favorite outdoor photo subjects, and for good reason. In areas such as national parks where they are legally protected from hunting, many birds and animals gradually lose their fear of humans, and can be approached much more closely than in other locations.  As the following story illustrates, that can create some interesting situations if you get too focused on what’s in your viewfinder instead of your wallet, and forget about the real world beyond your lens! Read more  Read More →

3,000 Mile Oil Change – is it History?

For many years consumers have used the rule of thumb that you should change your engine oil every 3,000 miles for autos, trucks, and SUVs. Over the past several years there have been tests by various consumer and environmental advocacy groups that have found this to be a waste of money as well as harmful to the environment. In fact according to a recent study by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, 73 percent of California drivers change their oil more frequently than required. The 3,000 mile oil change may have once been a good idea before the advance of technology that has greatly improved the ability of oil to stay cleaner longer as well as today’s engines that simply run cleaner. Oil doesn’t really break down but it becomes contaminated with microscopic metals from bearings, pistons and other points of friction as well as fuel and the worst enemy of all – water. There have been tests on commercial vehicles that have shown that there is no difference in engine wear when oil changes are pushed past the 3,000 mark and well into double or even triple that interval. Most auto manufacturers recommend 5,000, 7,500, or even 10,000 mile intervals under normal driving conditions. Of course “normal” is pretty subjective. If you are pulling a trailer for any appreciable amount of time, “normal” is no longer applicable and oil changes should be made at “severe” condition intervals. But in any case make absolutely sure to follow the owners manual recommendations... Read more

Cell Phone Internet Hot-Spot

If you’ve been reading my posts about connecting to the Internet as you travel, you know that I love my satellite dish! But, I also am a big advocate of Wi-Fi and of cellular connections to the Internet. If you absolutely, positively need the Internet – you need to use all three methods. When we’re in the forest and the trees block our satellite dish, we’ll use our cell phone tethered to the computer and connect thru Verizon. If the Verizon signal isn’t available, we’ll find a Wi-Fi hotspot somewhere. The tethered cell phone is a fabulous option for occasional use because it does not involve a separate contract.  Read more  Read More →

RV safety reminders. Don’t roll the dice!

From the desk of the Firedude Having seen, responded to and investigated a LOT of RV fires and accidents over my 33 year career I thought I’d list a few safety reminders. The number one rule is to be sure your RV is equipped with the three main alarms, smoke, LPG and Carbon Monoxide types. I responded to many where there were fatalities due to the lack of each listed above. The worst believe it or not is the silent killer Carbon Monoxide (CO). I responded to one particular incident where an entire family had died, a dad, mom and three young kids. Had they had a CO detector they would be alive today. Even firefighters can fall prey. I assumed all knew RV’s were required to have all three detectors and had lived in mine full-timing for a bit of time before I realized I had no CO detector and immediately got one as the pictures of that family kept flashing back at me. I even lost a cousin and her husband shortly after they were married to CO poisoning. Don’t roll the dice! The odds are NOT in your favor. Here in the campground I have surveyed many of RV’ers who many actually had no CO detectors and many who had non functioning smoke alarms and LPG detectors. LPG detectors go off for basically three reasons. One, there is an LPG leak, secondly it goes off to indicate low battery voltage and lastly it can be due to a faulty detector. LPG detectors typically last only 5 years or so. Mine went out at 5 years and had to be replaced. What I found is a lot of people instead... Read more

RV vs. Hotel – Which is Better?

RV vs. Hotel! from Sean Michael on TheLongLongHoneymoon.com. Being travel enthusiasts, my wife and I have stayed everywhere from flea-infested hostels, to skanky motels, to cozy bed & breakfasts, to five-star resorts. I’d like to think we’ve learned something about hotels, and how they compare vis-a-vis RVs. So let’s ponder the timeless question: “What’s better, staying in an RV or in a hotel?” Read more  Read More →

Gaylord Maxwell: The Passing of Mr. RV

On September 20th I received the message: “Today at 2pm our beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend passed. Gaylord Maxwell will always be remembered for his lifetime commitment to family, friends and of course RVing.” Gaylord was the father of and driving force behind the Life On Wheels RV Conferences. In his early 80s he still rode herd on us instructors, always urging us to “teach to the students” and improve our programs. His rating system allowed us to hear from the students, where we did well, and where we didn’t, whether they got out of the classes what they expected, and whether their experience warranted their attendance. He drove us all to present the best program we could to those who attended with great expectations. The number of students that returned year after year attested to the efficacy of the program. But Gaylord was getting tired, noticeably to those of us who had worked with him for years, but he carried on. Finally his heart gave out. He will be so terribly missed by us who felt we were family, and that he treated as family as well. He will long be remembered as mentor, teacher, coach, cheerleader, father, and friend. He is a legend in the RV world, a lifelong RVer and a member of the RV Hall of Fame, a former teacher and RV dealer, and an advocate of the industry and lifestyle he loved. Good bye, Gaylord. We will miss you so.  Read More →

Innovative Rotisserie Campfire Grill

Here is an innovative new product, from JnB Enterprises, that incorporates a motorized rotisserie grill for cooking over an open campfire. The Automatic Chef™ uses two D-size batteries, which provide 15-hours of operation, to slowly rotate a 22-inch diameter stainless steel grate. The whole thing packs-up into its own 19-inch by 25-inch carrying case, for safe storage and easy transportation. There is nothing better than cooking over an open fire, and the Automatic Chef looks like a great way to free you up from constantly having to turn the food, in order to control the temperature. The height of the grate is adjustable via a stainless steel cable, and the arm extends from 22 to 30-inches to accommodate various fire-pit sizes. The entire assembly swivels on its ground stake, so you can rotate the grate away from the fire when adding or removing food – a nice feature. An adjustable rotisserie grill for campfire cooking; Hop Sing never had it so good! Happy camping!  Read More →

Tow Cars and Towables – Part 2 – Bernice’s Tips

Today in Part 2 of my series on Tow Cars and Towables, I give some general tips for using a trailer and begin my tips for towing a car behind your motorhome. If you haven’t begun towing a car yet, trust me when I say that once you give it a try, you’ll be glad you did! Here are general tips for using a trailer: Check the air pressure in your spare tires. Use a checklist before driving away from home or a campsite. Do a last walk around the rig, looking under and over for missed details. Torque the lug nuts on the wheels. Check turn signals and brake, four-way, backup, and running lights every time you hook up the trailer to your vehicle. When driving, keep a safe distance behind the vehicle in front. If you can read the license plate of the vehicle in front of you, you are too close. Keep to the right when being passed by trucks. Don’t drive in the blind spot of trucks. Be aware of your surroundings. Keep your CB radio and cell phone in good working order. Pay attention to weather conditions. Take a break every 100 miles or two hours to keep alert and get circulation. Be safe, be courteous, be patient, be calm, be friendly, and enjoy! - William Bucher, Biglerville, PA Put white lithium grease on the trailer ball. It helps stop squeaking and rust and is a good ground for the wiring. – Richard Hayden, Leonardtown, MD Towing a Car Be sure your tow car is attached safely. While parked on a level place, measure to make sure... Read more

Are Solar Panels Right For You?

Are Solar Panels Right for You? Simply put, solar power uses the sun’s energy to charge 12-volt DC appliances like lighting, stereos, TV, and other appliances. Although solar power is free, solar panels can be expensive. Are they worth the cost? If you’re serious about exploring the back country, enjoying the solitude of desert camping, experiencing the quiet of the outdoors, wanting to cut the umbilical cord to commercial power hookups or simply shrinking your carbon footprint, then yes, solar power is right for you. Solar systems are clean, quiet and require minimum maintenance. The main considerations are cost, space, weight and efficiency. If you’re reluctant to go solar, remember that you don’t have to go all in all at once. You can add or modify your system, and you can continue using commercial hook-ups (either as a backup plan or as your primary power source). Solar Power Panel Sizes The most cost-effective solar panels are larger ones (rated at 100 to 120 watts). Opt for the fewest number of panels and batteries in the beginning. You can always add more at a later time. Since everyone’s power usage / requirements are different, you’ll need to calculate your anticipated power usage. Simply multiply the estimated hours of use by the approximate current (amps @ 12 volts) for the amp hours consumed. Keeping Cool with Solar There isn’t enough space on the roof of even the largest luxury coach to hold the number of solar power panels it would take to power an... Read more

Ya Mean That All Shocks Are Not The Same?

Not even close Bunkie, not even close. There are so many different theories on what a good shock is supposed to do that it makes picking one of old Howard Johnsons 28 flavors of ice cream a simple matter. It would appear that Koni, a European company that introduced European ride and road feel to this country, has the heads up at least in the marketing department. Now before you throw something at me, hear me out. Koni build a very good product, no doubt about it. Koni build a very expensive product, no doubt about that either. Koni builds a very difficult to install product if you are going to use their features to the fullest, no doubt about that either. Now, the Koni adjustable shocks is a great device. We used them in sports car racing when I was younger, lighter, and had red hair and a red beard (both now gray). There are to ways to install the Koni adjustable shocks. One read the instructions and guess that you would like a ride quality some where between firm and soft, pre adjust the shock, and install it. The adjustment of the shock cannot be done once the shock is installed. The shock must be fully compressed. This allows a spanner wrench built into the shock to contact and engage an adjustment nut in the bottom of the shock. This will turn the adjustment nut when the top of the shock is turned and the bottom is held from turning. Then re-install the shock and road test to see if that is the ride that you want. That is great, you can dial in the ride that you want. Koni... Read more

« Previous Page — Next Page »