RV Driving in Adverse Weather Conditions (Part 2 of 2)

Last week we looked at driving in adverse weather, that most have encountered at one time or another.  Today we will discuss the chance encounter of coming face to face with a real severe weather event, a tornado.  (Link to last week’s part 1: http://blog.rv.net/2009/11/rv-driving-in-adverse-weather-conditions-part-1-of-2/ ) Tornados, as we know them today, are one of the most violent short term weather events out there.  With wind speeds as high as 300 MPH or more, there is no doubt of their possible affect to anything in their way.  One of the real issues is the lack of warning prior to it striking.  The weather services do however issue warnings of “the possibility of tornado development”.  But, these announcements seem so common across the country during the summertime that they seem to lose their punch. So, what are some of the possible tell-tale signs of an approaching tornado?  The following events have been seen prior to a tornado.  An unusual threatening green color in the sky. Clouds moving at a greater than normal speed in a rotating or converging pattern. If it hails during a period of tornado warnings, there is a strong chance of a tornado immediately after. If no warnings are posted there will probably be no tornado activity. A strange quiet occurring shortly after the passing of a thunderstorm. Observation of a funnel like image.  This could be a cloud structure or just debris spinning in clear air. The sound of rushing air or large waterfall. ... Read more

RV Driving in Adverse Weather Conditions (Part 1 of 2)

Even though most RV’s will never see winter weather while travelling, they are exposed periodically to bad and possibly violent weather.  High gusting winds, torrential rains, driving hail and thunderous lightning bolts have all been experienced at one time by many of us.  The fear of visible or embedded tornados and like-cyclonic disturbances is real and RV’s are particularly vulnerable.  Almost all RV’s have a relatively high center of gravity and a poor vertical body structure to weight ratio.  In other words, they can be adversely affected by winds.     So, how do we deal with these trailers and motor homes when faced with an impeding storm on the open road?    Of course, the easiest way, depending on the storm’s severity, is to cancel that day’s travel.  But, many times you are already on the road, and it develops without warning.   Let’s look at each element and the best strategy to adopt. Wind – Can be an issue even on an otherwise nice day.  A fast moving front or a steep pressure variation can produce substantially strong winds.  Also geographical terrain, such as mountainous areas, can also deliver unexpected high winds and gusts.  The affect of these winds on an RV can cause difficulty in maintaining its lane when running down a road or highway.  This occurs when the wind speed is in the high twenties to the mid forties, depending on the size and weight of the vehicle.  Wind gusts, as opposed to a steady wind state, can amplify the problem... Read more

RV Service: A View From The Other Side

All the RV forums and discussions relating to service issues are always from the point of view of the RV owner.  Not that there is anything wrong with that as they are the customer and did pay the big bucks.  But, what would it be like from the view on the other side of the service window? Read more  Read More →

A Halloween Camp Fire Tale

With a change in pace, and in honor of Halloween, this week’s read will be a little different.  One of the things that many campers do, from tenters to million dollar coaches, is share a camp fire in the darkness of night.  Around the dancing flames many tales are told.   This camp fire story will take you to a lonely highway on a rain soaked night.  So sit back and enjoy this Halloween tale.     The music of the Warsaw Concerto echoed through the car as I drove south from Sudbury on a dark rainy night.  The frequent flashes of lightning seemed to eerily coincide with the music that cloaked the sound of the driving rain.  A shiny ribbon of black road surface twisting through the rolling hills was revealed with each flash.  The storm appeared to be worsening or perhaps I was getting closer to the center of it.  I slowed down as the visibility reduced in a heavy downfall.  The wipers were slapping wildly yet unable to move the water fast enough to provide adequate forward vision.  After about five minutes the rain eased somewhat, again allowing a glimpse of the harsh landscape during each lightning flash.  As I rounded a left hand curve I was startled by a dark rain soaked figure that was silhouetted in a distant flash.  The car lights soon caught the view of a rain drenched shadow.  It was a man in a dark coat.  He appeared in need of help, perhaps a ride.  I lightly applied the brakes on the slick surface of the highway and managed to come to a stop some... Read more

Making Modifications to Your RV

I get asked these questions alot: “Is it safe to modify my RV? What about my warranty? Will it be voided?” There is a lot of misinformation floating around about what constitutes a safe mod and what will void your warranty if you do certain kinds of mods. Many RV owners tend to be the “do-it-your-self” types and enjoy “doing the mod”. If you fall in to this group, you should carefully consider the implications of certain mods. You know that really expensive extended warranty that covers your RV “bumper-to-tongue” after the factory warranty runs out that you added when you purchased your new RV? It won’t help one bit if you do a mod that causes a failure on a covered part. So let’s look at what mods are safe to do and what just might cause you some grief down the road if you are not aware of your warranty conditions of coverage. Read more  Read More →

The RV Trivia Challenge 7

The Lug_Nut RV Trivia Challenge 7 is a mixed bag of RV trivia. Some may have no idea as to the answer, but remember, it is RV trivia.  So, let’s see how you can handle a diversified topic field.   Get a pencil and paper so that you can record your answers as you go through it.  You will then be able to check your answers against those displayed at the very bottom.  Be sure to share your score and any other comments you may have in the comments section following the answers. Read more  Read More →

The Yearly Costs of Owning an RV (Part 2 of 2)

Last week we looked at some of the yearly costs involved in RV ownership.  (If you missed Part 1, here’s a link,  You might want to first read it   http://blog.rv.net/2009/10/the-yearly-costs-of-owning-an-rv-part-1-of-2/)  If you recall we touched on fuel, maintenance/repair, finances, insurance, licensing, taxes, and in more depth, the cost of depreciation. Today we will examine those costs and how practically and theoretically they may be able to be reduced. We will breeze through the items that we currently deal with, and are often discussed in the forums, and expand the “Wild Card,” depreciation.   Doing them in the order of last week, we will start with fuel cost. Read more  Read More →

The Yearly Costs Of Owning An RV (Part 1 of 2)

There are a number of items that must be considered when determining the yearly cost of buying a new RV. We hear so much about fuel costs, whether it is a motorized or a tow vehicle.  But, fuel really is peanuts in most cases.  Likewise, maintenance and repairs, while not necessarily cheap, are relatively small in the big picture.  The financial purchase, whether it is a cash deal or involves a finance contract, will almost certainly out weigh both fuel and repair costs.  Then of course there is insurance, licensing, and taxes, if applicable. Read more  Read More →

The October Mystery Camper Challenge

The October Mystery Camper Challenge will again test your skills in solving where and at what RV park the Mystery Camper is at.   All we have at this time is some photos taken in the park.  He also appears to have taken one while touring the area.  So, get your thinking caps on, and let’s get this one figured out.  If needed, clues will be revealed by the elusive camper. Read more  Read More →

Improving Today’s RV Features

RV manufacturers are always coming up with new features and components each year on their products. But, it seems they never make any innovative changes to improve their existing hardware.  So let’s look at several items that could use some innovative design improvements. Read more  Read More →

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