Windows 7, St. Augustine, and Photo Story 3

by Chris Guld, www.geeksontour.com I’ve had my Windows 7 computer for 6 months now and the only disappointment has been that one of my favorite programs, Photo Story 3, would not install on it. Photo Story 3 Now works on Windows 7 I’m so excited to report that it has now been fixed!  I don’t know what or why, but IT WORKS.  Why am I so excited?  No more Boring Slide Shows Here is a simple slide show of our recent visit to St. Augustine, Florida:   So – that’s nice. I hope you like the pictures and the captions.  But, a movie is SOO much better.  Photo Story 3 makes it extremely easy to add narration and music.  The movie below was created using the same pictures but bringing them into Photo Story 3.  It took about 20 minutes to arrange them and add the narration and music. The end result is a .wmv file that I uploaded to youtube:     Photo Story 3 is Free and Easy Photo Story 3 works like a wizard.  Just follow the steps in order and you end up with a professional looking movie.  Here’s a quick overview of how it works:   For more tutorial videos on Photo Story 3 (some free, some require membership) see Geeks On Tour’s Photo Story 3 page.  Read More →

How boondocking can save your sanity

By Bob Difley Tea Partiers on the right, Socialists on the left. Wall Street bankers’ grubby paws plumbing the depths of our pockets while politicians squander our meager shillings before they even get into our pockets. Guns continue to show up blatantly on the hips of middle-aged gun rights activists, while Mexican drug cartels turn border cities into battle zones. And we RVers, mobile and ubiquitious as we are, often seem to find ourselves barely skirting the thick of it. What to do? Go boondocking! That’s right, boondocking is the solution–thankfully not part of the problem. I’m not talking here about simple dry-camping, I mean getting out into the boonies, down bumpy old logging roads and sandy desert trails. Off the asphalt. Out of sight and sound of any Starbucks, roaring motorways, and bright city lights. Head down that rough road–don’t worry, your RV is built on a truck chassis and can take it–as far from the interstate as you can safely drive. Then find yourself a level spot, drop your awning, and kick back. What do you hear? Ah ha, you exclaim as it hits you. It’s not only what you hear–birds chriping happily to lure a hot female, warm afternoon breezes shushing thouugh pine trees and rustling aspen leaves, and a brook babbling in tongues over hidden rocks and submerged branches. It is also about what you do not hear–angry protestors shouting epithets at startled bureaucrats, the roar of cars and trucks rumbling... Read more

How Campers Can Help Camping & RV Parks Rebound from the Tough Year Behind

The impact of the recession on campgrounds has been bitter-sweet. On one hand some folks that once stayed in hotels for family vacations are saving money by camping, while other occasional campers are staying at home due to rising fuel prices, being out of work or just deciding the recreational cost is too much in the current economy. Read more  Read More →

Glacier National Park Celebrates 100 Years

2010 marks the 100th anniversary of one of America’s most valuable national treasures: Glacier National Park. Located in the northwest corner of Montana along the spine of the Rocky Mountains, Glacier National Park, the park’s primary visitor season runs May through October. With various film festivals, art projects, legacy projects and other special events occurring throughout the year, it’s a great time to visit the Glacier National Park. To see some current images of the park, check out their webcams. Below is just some of the information available at www.glaciercentennial.org about the park and the anniversary celebrations. The Legacy: Glacier National Park has a rich legacy of preservation, enjoyment, and history dating back to 1910. Looking ahead at Glacier’s 2nd Century, the Centennial Program is planning to continue this rich legacy through signature events, programs, and projects. Over 50 people are steering the program in an attempt to enhance partnerships, foster new personal connections, and engage future stewards. The extensive engagement of the Centennial Program will ensure the continued legacy and preservation of the million acres and all of the resources that it consists of. The People: Before the Going-to-the-Sun Road, historic park lodges and red bus tours, Glacier National Park was home to members of the Flathead and Blackfeet nations. Called the “Backbone of the World” by the Blackfeet, both nations hold these lands sacred and drew... Read more

The Survival Guide For RV Shows

Observations made by Lug_Nut.     RV shows offer a great opportunity for a potential buyer to see many makes and models all at one location.  Additionally, they can be viewed in a comfortable environment regardless of the season or weather.  Consumers, however, must be careful not to get carried away with the sparkling bling and excitement that’s in the air at these shows.  There are many people that end up making a major purchase of a new rig that had no intention of doing so.     For the manufacturers and dealers it presents a unique venue to show off their wares to perhaps thousands of people.  Though their cost for this temporary floor space and location is high, they often reap the rewards of new customers and sales they may not have got otherwise. To lure these extra sales, all vendors use the “Show Special” offering.  This is a special price supposedly only valid during the show.  Generally, “Show Specials” were a product of the trade show industry involving the selling of inventory that was purchased and removed from the site, thereby saving the vendor the need to pack and move the item(s) themselves.  Well, while that might work with items suitable for cash and carry, it really does not apply to the average RV.  Even if you were to buy an RV that was on display, it is highly doubtful that you will be required to pick it up at the end of the show.  Therefore, in most cases, it is really just a sales ploy.  So don’t be pressured thinking you... Read more

Why Our Next President Should Be an RVer

By Brian Brawdy I’ve spent just about two years now RVing full-time in my Lance Truck Camper. I’ve traveled to 48 states and three Provinces in Canada as well. Most of the TV and radio interviews I participate in, now over 150, I’m usually asked about the “coolest places” I have been. Each time I respond the same way. “It’s not the places I’ve been, but the people I’ve met that have left an indelible mark on me.” Through the many compliments and a few criticisms, I’ve learned quite a bit. I told the audience at the Mid Atlantic Truck Camper Rally last week that I am a lot smarter now then when I first started “bringing the far away to my own front door.” RVing has taught me a ton. Sadly, I wasn’t all that bright when I first began so, I still have a bunch of catching up to do. Perhaps my most powerful lesson comes from the common thread and underlying attitude of most RVers; THEY GET IT DONE. It takes a certain craftiness, a unique creativity to take to the open road, to “handle” whatever comes up, and to adjust your sights along the way. I’ve also learned through countless “fireside focus groups” that RVers would make great government officials. They see a problem, they fix it; there’s not much “running from anything” in you folks. You put your seat belts on, set your gaze and you get there! I think our Senators, Representatives and even our next... Read more

RV Doctor – RV Electric Steps Stick In Out Position Since I Replaced Motor

Dear RV Doc, I installed a replacement motor for my electric steps (Kwikee). At first the steps would not work. I replaced the switch with the one that came in the kit and it seemed to work fine. Now the steps stay in the “out” position. When I open the door with the power on, the step cycles in, then back out. Please help! - Rob Dreissig, (Elk River, MN) Answer: Rob, Kwikee has made a change to their step controls to provide a safer and more robust operation. You should have received a new control unit, motor and switch in the replacement kit. The new switch is meant to work with the updated controls. In fact, Kwikee has changed the name of the switch from “power switch” to “override switch” due to its change in functionality. With the old power switch, you turned it to the “on” position in order to make the steps follow the door and you turned it off in order to have the steps stay in the current position. The override switch works differently. With the override switch “on”, the step will extend the first time the door is opened and stay that way until the switch is turned “off” or the ignition is turned on. With the override switch in the “off” position, the steps will be controlled by the logic unit and will follow the door with ignition override. You must replace all three components for it to work properly. If you did not receive a new control unit in the kit please contact Kwikee for the location of their closest dealer or service center. (Please... Read more

RV Owner Maintenance Mishaps

There are lots of things to remember and to maintain on an RV. Sometimes we tend to overlook the simplest maintenance requirements on our RV. As the old saying goes, you can’t see the forest for the trees. These simple oversights can result in costly repair bills to correct the problem too. Let’s take a look at some common RV owner maintenance mishaps. 1) Checking and adding air when the tires are hot. I see it all the time, people checking their tire pressure when the tires are hot. You should always check and inflate tires when the tires are cold, before traveling more than one mile. Hot air expands and will give you a false reading. If the tires are already hot wait several hours before checking and adjusting inflation pressure. 2) Neglecting to periodically check the water level in batteries. 85% of lead acid batteries manufactured in the U.S. die before they should. One of the leading causes for battery failure is overcharging the battery. Overcharging a battery results in severe water loss and plate corrosion. This is a common problem with RV’s. The RV converter has a built in battery charger and most RV owners are under the impression that if you leave the RV plugged in when the RV is in storage it will keep the batteries topped off. While keeping batteries topped off is extremely important the problem is that many, but not all, RV converter chargers provide a constant charge of about 13.5 volts which is too high for fully charged batteries and the electrolyte is... Read more

A Waggin’ Good Time at The Rally

Road trips are more fun with great companions, and no one makes a better travel partner than man’s best friend. At The Rally, guests can enter their canine pals in the “Kentucky K-9s” Dog Show or add to the family during Pet Adoption Days. Proud dog owners can show off their pet’s tricks at the 7th annual Dog Show. The “Kentucky K-9s” show is a great way to get the entire family involved. Dogs will compete in categories such as Best Biscuit Balance, Southern Culture Costume Contest, Silliest Pet Trick, Doggie Musical Chairs, and more. “Kentucky K-9s” is set for Friday, July 23, from 10 a.m. to Noon, followed by an awards ceremony. For more information, rules, and to register your pooch, visit therally.com/events/dog-show/. Rally guests will also have an opportunity to add to the family. Following the success of last year’s event, The Rally is excited to work with Louisville Metro Animal Services (LMAS) to offer two pet adoption days, July 23 and 24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Read more  Read More →

Fort Christmas Historical Park

Just a few miles west of the Kennedy Space Center, where America’s rockets lift off to the new frontiers of outer space, you will find a wonderful historical park that celebrates a time in history when Florida was the frontier. It was a time when hostile Indians and the very land itself challenged the survival of the pioneers who lived here. Read more  Read More →

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