This vidieo is presented by www.everything-about-rving.com. At the recent RV Show at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds Bill Durkee from CustomRV Inc. in Anaheim California shows us how quickly and easily the TrailManor 2720 Travel Trailer can be setup for camping.
The Bolero: Multi Award Winning Motorhome Bolero 2-4 person motorhome. Our fleet of vehicles are all NEW 2008/2009 Fiat Ducato, in an easy to drive low profile style with automatic transmission. South Island Travel are proud to offer these brand new (2008/2009) luxury automatic easy to drive multi-award winning european motorhomes for the first time here in Christchurch, New Zealand. No other rental fleet has this type of vehicle available to hire. Enjoy the beauty of our majestic scenery and wildlife, whilst relaxing in your luxury accommodation on wheels. Take your time, relax and enjoy… Motorhome hire Fully equipped and packed with extras, the ultimate in motorhome availability in the South Island of New Zealand.
Enjoy driving this vehicle, with it’s sunroof to allow full viewing pleasure to take in the awe inspiring scenery of snow capped mountains. With a permanent double bed at low level, Separate shower and flushing toilet, Kitchen equipped to meet the gourmet cooks requirements, Comfortable swivel cab seating, a powerful yet economical 3.0 litre diesel turbo engine with cruise control, Sat-nav, Inbuilt entertainment system, Awning, Air conditioned cab, Duel fuel central heating system and built to happily cater to conditions to below freezing for those of you considering a winter break… We think these vehicles are amazing. Built in the UK by Swift Motorhomes of East Yorkshire, this model was the winning vehicle in 2 Highly Contested Categories in 2007 for the …
I’ve said it before, but I am happy to reiterate that traveling in a motorhome is really a really comfortable and affordable means of transportation for that disabled. It permits you to explore various parts of our country and knowledge some unforgettable opportunities. I can think of nothing a lot more awesome than a trip to our Nationwide Parks.
You can find 391 locations within the National Parks Program covering a lot more than 84 million acres. These locations consist of National Parks, National Seashores, National Forests, historical and military locations, also as scenic and recreational trails and waterways. All are kept immaculately clean, amply staffed, and very easily accessible.
The National Parks Service offers a Nationwide Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass absolutely free of charge to disabled persons. This Pass, called America the Beautiful Pass, permits the pass holder, plus three additional persons in their party, free of charge entrance to federal recreational sites that charge a free of charge. It also provides a 50% discount on additional activities like camping, swimming, boat launching, tours, and specialized services for that cardholder. Concessionaries (gift shops, food, etc.) are generally not included in this discount.
The America the Beautiful Pass is really a lifetime free of charge pass and can only be obtained in individual at any Nationwide Park. So that you can obtain this pass, you must supply valid documentation for your disability. This documentation can include a written physicians statement; documentation from a Federal agency like the Veterans Administration or Social Security Disability Earnings; proof of Supplementary Earnings; or a document issued by a state agency.
The Nationwide Parks Program wants their parks accessible and enjoyed by everybody, regardless of their disability. Numerous supply specialized programs in which to participate. The greatest way to discover out about these programs is to investigate the parks via www.nps.gov. It’s also highly recommended to visit each park’s Welcome Center upon arrival, so that you can take full advantage from the programs and activities they provide.
Depending on the disability needs and also the specific Nationwide Park, you can find a variety of services offered. Most provide ADA compliant tours; some tours are accessible with assistance. For that visually impaired, audio stations and Braille are utilized to describe the sights and history in detail. Service animals are permitted, but due to safety issues, some locations are limited. For that hearing impaired, employees utilizing sign language assist; also as the Hearing Helper, which amplifies the audio descriptions.
You can find wheelchair accessible decks and doors, also as paved boardwalks at numerous from the scenic vistas. Tram service, golf carts, and beach wheelchairs, which are ambulatory in sand and shallow water, permit access to locations within the Nationwide Parks. For those who cannot get to these sights, CD-Rom, photos, and touchable exhibits are obtainable within the Welcome Centers and Ranger Stations.
Numerous of our Nationwide Parks are very easily accessible by motorhome. The roadways are very easily drivable and pull-offs are large enough to afford ample space in which to accommodate the motorhome so the breathtaking views could be enjoyed and appreciated by all. Some campsites are also specifically reserved for those with disabilities.
Our Nationwide Parks Program has been set up in order for all of us to knowledge our country’s natural beauty and history. Simply because of a few additional considerations, like free of charge access, special tours, and ADA compliancy, those with disabilities can enjoy our Nationwide Parks, also.
We were on our annual trek to Florida via the east coast of North and South Carolina. We were in the midst of the remnants of Hurricane Ida from the south and a Nor’easter developing along the eastern coast. We had chilly temperatures, strong wind, and sheets of rain coming at us from all directions.
The creature poked his pointy little nose up between the windshield and the dashboard on the passenger side…my side of the motorhome. Not sure what I’m seeing, I peer more closely. Up pops his furry brown head. EEK! I scream, at the top of my lungs and he disappears back where he came from.
I decide it wasn’t such a good idea to scream while my husband is driving on a busy highway in these adverse weather conditions, as he swerves and swears. “There’s a mouse in the house!” I explain. It’s not that I’m afraid of the mouse…it’s just that I certainly didn’t expect to see it INSIDE our motor home!
When we make a stop at a Rest Area, both my husband and I investigate…finding no mouse or trace of him/her. “Maybe I scared him away”, I suggest…hoping with all my might that was the case.
Stopping at a campground for the night, we inquire about purchasing a mouse trap, but the camp store does not stock that item. I carefully inspect inside our cupboards and under our kitchen sink. To my dismay, I find mouse “traces”, which I immediately clean.
The next day of travel goes by uneventfully. I find no more traces of the mouse in the cupboards. “I really think I did scare him away”, I happily announce. We check into another campground and get ready for bed. Imagine my dismay when I pull back the bed sheets and find mouse “traces” all through our sheets. YUCK! I strip the bed, cursing under my breath as I head to the campground laundry room. That chore finished, I sleep fitfully, wondering what kind of damage a mouse in our motor home may cause. Will it gnaw a hole in the woodwork? Will it chew our electric wiring? Will it bite our little dog as she sleeps? I know if I want to ever sleep peacefully again, we HAVE to get rid of that pest.
Since mousetraps aren’t available in the campground stores, we make a stop at a store with the primary purpose of buying a trap and end up with a set of three. We set the traps and place them in strategic areas where we think the mouse would be. Upon waking the next morning, we quickly check the traps. No mouse. We repeat the process the next night. Still no mouse. By this time, I’m really getting annoyed.
The term “three’s a charm” is true, because on the third night we set the traps, we finally got him. My emotions ranged from relief to dismay. I never thought we’d have a mouse in our motor home, but we did. I never thought it would be so difficult to get rid of the mouse, but it was. I never thought I’d feel sad he had to go, but I do. Here’s hoping we don’t have to go through this again.
Since we live in our motorhome about two-thirds of the year, traveling from place to place, we often find ourselves in need of a clothesline. Of course, the laundry facilities in most of the campgrounds we stay in have electric or gas dryers for our convenience. However, there are occasions when using the dryer is neither feasible nor preferable.
One such occasion is when we have delicate or “special care” laundry, which should not be dried by machine. It would be nice to be able to hang such items on a small clothesline. Another example is when we have wet or damp bathing suits and beach towels that need to dry. There is simply not enough space inside the motor home to hang these; and strewing them outside, about the campsite, over tree limbs or on picnic tables is an eyesore and the beach towels often do not dry thoroughly because of the lack of air circulation.
The same is true for car-wash towels and wet cleaning rags. Imagine the sour odor and risk of mildew by leaving these items in the bottom of the clothes basket instead of drying them out first until they can be washed.
Letting the bed sheets air dry after washing allows that clean, fresh-air scent to permeate throughout the motorhome. The crisp feel if air-dried sheets makes a very comfortable bed in which to sleep.
Because we travel, we do not have access to a permanently placed clothesline. Nor are we able to make use of an umbrella-type clothesline because, even though it folds up, it is still quite large and we do not have the space to store it and take it along with us. It is also not a good idea to try to stick this type of clothesline into the ground at our different campsites because of not knowing exactly where the underground utilities are.
After deciding that we would benefit greatly by having some sort of an outdoor clothesline for our personal use, we came up with the idea to design one to fit our needs. We used PVC pipe to make our travel clothesline. It was actually quite simple to do. Here’s how:
1) Make a square frame out of the PVC pipe using 1- or 2-inch PVC connected by elbow joints at the four corners.
2) Drill holes
through the two side sections of the frame and thread rope through the holes, knotting at the ends. This is your clothesline. You can make as many lines as you wish, spacing them evenly. We’ve found six to be sufficient for our needs.
3) Attach two PVC support bars along the back end of the frame via joint connectors. At the other end of the support bars, attach elbow joints and short sections of PVC at the ends to make a hook to go over the back ladder of the motorhome.
This travel clothesline comes apart easily for storage purposes. When not in use, it can be tied up to the back ladder using stretchy cords instead of extended out.
PVC pipe has become almost as useful as duck tape. The uses are numerous. First, we built a framework to support our slide-out awning to prevent water from pooling. Now, we’ve designed a make-shift clothesline. With a little imagination, some creativity, and perseverance, PVC pipe can meet a lot of our motorhome needs.
One of our most memorable motorhome trips was traveling to Alaska. This trip was also one of our first experiences in RVing. Each day of travel brought sights we had never seen before…breathtakingly beautiful landscape, wildlife in their natural habitat, and the realization that we courageously faced what we dubbed “The Trip of a Lifetime”.
Like most who drive to Alaska, we traveled the Alaskan Highway, picking it up at Mile Marker 0 in Dawson Creek, British Columbia. From there, we crossed into the Yukon Territory and chose to take the Klondike Highway to Top of the World Highway into Alaska.
We had heard so much about Top of the World Highway, a 65-mile road leading to the Alaskan border, prior to our trip that we were determined to drive it, even in our motorhome! It promised to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that we didn’t want to miss. Believe me, it did not disappoint us. It was everything and more than we expected.
Top of the World Highway is only open during the daytime. It would be treacherous to try to drive it after dark. It is also highly recommended not to drive it during wet conditions. Because of these warnings, we decided to spend the night at a campground in Dawson City. It was there that we learned that we needed to fill our motorhome up with gasoline because there would be no more available for over 100 miles.
The Klondike Highway, which we picked up in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory suddenly and abruptly stopped at the Yukon River in Dawson City. The only way to continue on our journey was to cross the high and swiftly-flowing Yukon River via a small ferry. We nervously drove our motorhome onto the ferry’s deck, pulling all the way up to the bow. At 35-feet long, the ferry was able to just barely accommodate our motorhome. As we sat inside our motorhome, we watched the ferry captain maneuver through a water obstacle course of sorts, avoiding floating trees and debris. It was a nerve-racking 10-minute ride, but we arrived safely on the other side.
We entered Top of the World Highway immediately upon disembarking. It was a steep, slippery 8.5 mile climb up. The pavement had lots of gravel breaks. In fact, 95% of the roadway was dirt, dust, gravel, rocks, and erosions. It was a very narrow, winding road consisting of many hairpin curves, dips, and twists winding along the mountain tops. Think roller-coaster. There were no guardrails and I could see gravel falling down the mountainside behind us through my passenger- side mirror.
We were surprised to see that people actually lived on this highway, back in the thick brush and among the towering pines. We saw worn canvas tents along creek beds and campfire smoke rising nearby. Hand-painted signs were erected, staking their “claims”, panning for gold, and warning trespassers to stay off their property.
by Laura Weaver
Traveling in our 36-foot motorhome has proven to be more enjoyable than we had ever anticipated. It has allowed us to visit 48 states very comfortably. Through our travels, we have met many wonderful people at the campgrounds where we have stayed…retirees just like us, who are following our dreams and doing what we love to do. We have also had the opportunity to meet several people, and many families, who are still employed while living in their motorhomes full-time. The varieties of job choices are as abundant and creative as your imagination and abilities will allow.
1) Campground employees. These positions can range from being a camp host to working in the office; from grounds maintenance crew to janitors. These positions can be found in Workamper ads, on campground websites, in camping magazines, or simply by inquiring at the campground office. Campsites are often offered at a discounted rate in addition to your wages.
2) Construction. Construction workers often travel great distances to their construction site, whether it be a mall complex, an office building, a residential complex or road and bridge construction. It is both economical and time-saving for these workers to simply live in campgrounds near their construction zones.
3) Business. Many who travel on business for their employer often find it more comfortable and less stressful to go on business trips in the familiarity of their own motorhomes. They don’t have to worry about packing and unpacking their personal belongings, losing sleep in an unfamiliar bed, or have the stress of making connecting flights. They can often put the finishing touches on their presentations or “tweak” their sales pitches directly in their RV’s home office with everything you need easily within reach.
4) Internet. The internet has opened up an entire world of home-based business opportunities. These can consist of free-lance writers, web-based sales, and product review surveys, to name a few.
5) Hobbies. Many people have a craft or art they enjoy. Making jewelry, painting, wood carving, or sewing are a few of the hobbies people can easily do while RVing. They can design, create, personalize, and transport their wares via their motorhome while traveling around the country to display and sell these items at craft shows, art fairs, or flea markets.
6) Entrepreneur. This person has a talent or skill that they can put to use while on the road. We have personally met people who offer a variety of services (for a fee, of course), working where they camp. These jobs consist of a CPA filing taxes for fellow-campers and nearby businesses; dog grooming and pet sitting; hair stylists and barbers; giving lessons in dance or yoga; performing the music or entertainment at campground activities.
Traveling and camping in a motorhome is a wonderful experience. Equally wonderful is the fact that you can also be gainfully employed and earn money while doing so, if you so choose. The opportunities are as endless as your imagination, your energy, and your ability allows.
We recently purchased our motorhome after much thought and discussion. We were very happy with this decision, as well as with the sales staff at the dealership. The support staff answered our many questions and showed us how everything worked. However, we were quite surprised to find out that our new motorhome did not come equipped with items we needed. Following is a list of additional purchases that we had to make in order to be able to use our motorhome safely, effectively and efficiently.
1. Water Pressure Valve. This item is extremely important to have, as it regulates the fluctuating water pressure in campgrounds. If you do not use a water pressure valve, you risk having all of your plumbing “blown out” when water pressure is too strong. This relatively inexpensive item can be attached either directly at the campsite water source or into your rig’s water intake system.
2. White Hose. This particular item is used strictly for your drinking water/water supply. The white-colored hose does not have the rubbery taste that your typical green garden hose has. It is available in different lengths; obviously, the longer lengths are more expensive than the shorter ones. A 25-foot hose is usually sufficient, although carrying an extra 10-foot section is advised, as the location of water supplies at different campsites vary.
3. Water Filter. This affordable canister simply screws between your rig’s water intake and the white hose. It filters out debris effectively for several weeks at a time.
4. Power Cord. Most motorhomes come already equipped with an electric power cord, although some do not. They come in 50-amp and 30-amp sizes and, though vital, are somewhat expensive. Make certain you have the correct size for your rig’s performance.
5. Electric Cord Adapter. This item is absolutely necessary to have if your rig has a 50-amp power cord (as most late-model motorhomes have). Some campgrounds only offer 30-amp service. The 50-amp cord can not plug into a 30-amp power supply. The electric cord adapter solves this problem. Simply plug one end of this adapter into your 50-amp cord and the other end into the 30-amp power supply.
6. Electric Power Meter. As in the differing water pressures from campground to campground, the electric power also varies. Once your motorhome is plugged into the campsite’s power supply, plug the electric power meter into any outlet inside the rig and check the easy-to-read gauge. If the needle is in the green range, you have the correct power. If the needle is in the low red range, you don’t have enough and could blow a fuse; if in the high red range, you have too much power which can “fry” your electric appliances and cause a fire. This very inexpensive item is a must when traveling from campground to campground.
7. Sewer Hose. This necessity comes in an easy-to-assemble kit, complete with connectors. Prices range from $15 to $75, depending on the length, thickness, and quality. Additional lengths of accordion-style hose can be attached, as the need arises.
8. Holding Tank Chemicals. These come in a variety of products ranging from liquid to tablet and, like cleaning products, are at the sole discretion of your personal preference.
9. Power Jet Sprayer. It is recommended to use this hand-held wand when cleaning your commode holding tank to keep your rig as sanitary as possible.
10. Ladder. This common implement is often overlooked until it is actually needed. It is necessary to have a ladder (at least 6-feet) in order to wash the windshield and mirrors of your motorhome, as well as for reaching patio and slide-out awnings.
I hope that this list of these ten essential items, which are not included in your motorhome package, helps you be able to use your RV safely, effectively, and efficiently.
We have a large living room/dining area slide-out in our motorhome. Though we love the extra space it offers on the inside of our coach, we have found a problem with it on the outside. The awning covering the slide-out seems to collect a large amount of water when it rains or from heavy dew, which eventually runs down our windows, streaking them, and occasionally leaking through the slide-out seam, getting our carpet and couch wet. The weight of the water has also caused the awning to stretch out and flap in the wind. We’re fearful that if left this way, the awning will eventually tear away from the motorhome frame, leaving the entire top of the slide-out exposed to the elements, causing even worse leakage problems.
We tried several ways to alleviate this problem. We would often climb to the top rung of our step ladder, use a pole or broom between the top of the slide-out and under the awning and raise up, forcing the water to roll off. Standing on the top rung is not only dangerous, but inconvenient having to keep setting up the ladder and putting it away. The process was also very uncomfortable, often causing us to get soaking wet in the process. The chore of doing this proved to be never-ending…ultimately, not a good solution.
We also tried using a squeegee on a daily basis to try to absorb the moisture. We still had the issue of ladder-climbing to deal with. Using a squeegee proved to be time consuming and not effective enough because we couldn’t reach the entire surface.
Friends suggested putting a large piece of foam between the surfaces, but this became saturated, smelly, and posed a mold threat. Yuck!
After much thought and discussion, we finally came up with a solution. We decided to build a contraption to fit snugly between the top of the slide-out and the awning; giving support to the awning so it doesn’t sag in the center. Using 1/2-inch PVC pipe, we designed a 3-D framework structure to not only support the awning, but to hold it at an angle where the water drains off naturally with no collection pools. The different lengths of PVC pipe fit together snugly and are connected to each other with PVC joint sleeves. It took several attempts of trial and error, as well as several re-measurements for cutting and splicing, but we finally succeeded.
After our project was successfully put together and tested to our satisfaction, we climbed the ladder one final time, and slid the framework between the slide-out and awning. What a relief to not have to worry about checking the water collection on top of the awning…there is none!
When we’re ready to leave, we simply pull the framework out, and take it apart. It stores easily in our basement compartment. Labeling the joints makes it easy to reassemble; otherwise, it would be like a puzzle to put back together again.
We’re so pleased with our PVC framework design that when we shared this idea with our neighbor, she stated “Hmmm…That’s an interesting concept. We just use the cheap blow-up swimming pool floats and stuff them under our slide-out awning.”
WHY DIDN’T WE THINK OF THAT?!?! Regardless, we’re extremely pleased and satisfied with our slide-out awning frame which has proven to be the solution to our water pooling problem. It should last us the lifetime of our motorhome. Besides, we wouldn’t trade this cooperative building experience for anything…motorhome living is a continuous cycle of learning lessons.
When we decided to “motorhome it”, we weren’t quite sure what we were getting ourselves into. Of course, the allure of traveling and the excitement of our adventures were first and foremost in our minds. However, we had never camped before and weren’t quite sure of what to expect during our first extended road trip. In fact, we had a “Plan B” to fall back on just in case things didn’t work out for us.
I guess first and foremost, the thing you need to keep in mind when spending so much time in a motorhome is the fact that you are sharing this experience, as well as the limited space, with your traveling companion. It is imperative that you are able to communicate, cooperate, and consider this person.
Our morning routine is a “song and dance” of sorts; taking turns using the water, the facilities and the space. Our movements and habits need to be carefully choreographed in order to stay in sync with each other. I carefully time turning on the water in the sink to put in my contact lenses while he lathers in the shower with the water off. He opens the medicine chest for his grooming items as I brush my teeth, leaning over the bathroom sink. He reaches up to get his clothing out of the overhead cupboards while I bend low, retrieving mine from the bottom ones. We have everything timed perfectly.
However, there have been times when things didn’t run as smoothly…especially in the beginning when we were still learning how to communicate, cooperate, and coordinate our actions. One particular event stands out in my mind (and probably always will). Just about everything that could possibly go wrong, did.
We had been on the road for several days before staying at a beautiful campground in upstate New York. Even though there were not many campers that night because of freezing weather conditions, we were all given sites in the same area, so were camping side-by-side.
My husband arose early, choosing to use the campground’s heated shower/bathhouse in order to not disturb me and let me sleep a little longer. Besides, because it was literally freezing, our water supply source froze overnight, so he was waiting for the weather to heat up so we could use our own water. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t heat up quickly enough.
When I awoke, I decided to bathe in our own shower because our little dog badly needed a bath and it’s easier for me to bathe her in our shower at the same time I’m bathing. I flipped the water pump switch on so I could use our reserve tank, as well as the water heater switch. My husband informed me that we needed to dump after my shower because our tanks were pretty full and we weren’t certain we’d be at a campground that had the sewer hook-up at our next stop.
As I finish bathing our little dog, I noticed water not going down the shower drain, covering my ankles. I call to my husband to 1) grab a towel and start drying off our wet dog, and 2) release a little of the gray water into the sewer drain because the gray water tank is too full and I still need to bathe. Since my husband doesn’t answer me, I step outside the shower stall, grab a towel for the dog and walk into the living area, dripping wet. To my surprise, my husband had opened all of our shades and blinds, including the drapes which cover our windshield. Then I see him, animatedly talking with our neighbor. He happens to look up into our motorhome via the windshield, as does our neighbor. Imagine my humiliation as our neighbor starts to wave to me, realizes I’m totally naked, then pretends he doesn’t see me. YIKES!
Needless to say, my husband quickly comes to my rescue, apologizing profusely and promising to never open the window coverings again without my knowledge. As he goes outside to take care of our overflowing gray tank, I hop back into the shower only to run out of water…our freshwater tank is empty. I trek to the shower house, literally shaking from the cold, to complete my shower. Realizing I left the water heater turned on in the motorhome without any water, I race back as quickly as I can. Luckily, no damage there was done, although I’m surprised considering the way the morning has gone so far.
After this disastrous event, my husband and I had our “talk”. It was from this mishap that we set up the three “C’s”: communication, cooperation, and consideration. Motorhome living has been smooth sailing ever since!
Traveling in a motorhome is agreeably a very affordable and comfortable mode of travel. Staying in a campground or RV Resort is enjoyable and relaxing. Following are suggestions on how to set up your coach at the campsite.
1) Parking. First of all, you need to carefully check out the campsite, locating the hook-ups, the patio, the picnic table and fire ring before parking, either by backing into the site or pulling through. It’s a good idea to do a “walk around” after parking to double check these things, as well as investigating the ground conditions: hard surface, sand, mud, gravel, grass.
2) Leveling. After parking your motorhome, the leveling jacks can be lowered to level and stabilize the coach as well as taking pressure and weight off the tires. Extra boards may need to be placed under the jacks, depending on the ground conditions. Wheel chocks are also recommended in order to prevent the wheels from shifting.
3) Slide-outs. During your “walk-around”, also pay attention to make certain tree limbs or other structures are not in the way of extending your slide-outs. It’s a good idea to re-check whether you’re still level once the slide-outs are extended. One way to do this is to use a level with a center bubble, along several hard surfaces throughout the motorhome. A quick, yet simple test is using a marble on the floor…if it rolls to one side or the other, that side is low.
Now it’s time to hook up:
1) Electric. Our motorhome uses a heavy 50-amp electric cord. Most campgrounds have 50-amp service, but some only have 30-amp. Not to worry. Simply connect the “dog bone”…a 30-amp adapter. Once the electric power source is on, plug an electric meter into an outlet inside the coach to check to see if the ampage is within the “safe range”. If it is not, do not use the electricity in order to prevent permanent damage to your appliances. (You can use your generator for power, if needed.)
2) Water. Attach your white drinking water hose to the water supply. A water pressure valve is highly recommended in order to not risk blowing out your water lines because of forceful fluctuations. Inside the motorhome, turn on the faucets until you have a strong, steady stream to allow the air to escape.
3) Cable/Satellite TV. For entertainment purposes, many campgrounds offer television services. After attaching the cable/satellite wire, the televisions need to be reprogrammed to use this service to the full extent.
4) Sewer. I highly recommend attaching the sewer hose last, using rubber gloves, because of sanitary conditions. Unless your black tank is full, you only need to open the gray water valve for it to dispose down into the sewer.
Setting up your motorhome at a campsite is easy if you follow a few simple steps. It gets easier the more times you do it. The best way to set up requires you to take your time, think it through, check and re-check. After setting up, it’s time to enjoy.
RV camping in Florida is a great idea at any time of the year. It is for good reason that Florida attracts millions of domestic and international tourists each year. The state is blessed with countless attractions and has a climate that is appealing to visitors of any age.
RV camping is always a fun and exciting experience. Why be tied down to a small hotel room when you can have the freedom of the open road. Whenever you feel like a change you can just hitch up trailer and head off to a new destination.
Of course Florida is a big state. There are lots of options when it comes to RV camping. You could head far south to the magnificent beauty of the Keys, or park up close to Orlando so your kids can experience the excitement of Disney World. It is important to plan your vacation carefully as you do not want to spend half your trip sat behind the wheel.
Many families choose a destination that offers a combination of appealing attractions. You could enjoy a scenic drive through the Florida Keys and then pitch camp and make the best use of the pristine golden beaches and warm water. Many days can easily be spent rollicking in the surf and taking diving trips to see the colorful marine life.
The facilities on offer in various camps will differ considerably. You could choose to base yourself in a location that provides excellent service with wonderful restaurants, libraries, bars, and gyms or choose a remote stop where you can have peace and privacy. This is the great aspect of RV camping – you can socialize or get off the beaten trail.
You can take a vacation in Florida every year and still not see everything that the state has to offer. If you plan the timing of your trip correctly it may be possible for you to drive to Kennedy Space Center and watch a space shuttle launch. You will find you won’t be the only family watching the spectacle from the luxury of their own vehicle. Staying close to Universal Studios has also become popular over the last ten years. There are a number of camps in the area that can offer you discounted tours of the studios
Every RV camp in Florida takes security incredibly seriously. Whichever location you choose you can be sure that your family will be safe at all times. Your only worry will be how to cram so much in to the time that you have.
Camping in an RV is one of the most enjoyable experiences we have ever done. Surrounding ourselves with spectacular views, breathing lungfuls of fresh air, and listening to birds chirping and brooks babbling all contribute to a fulfilling camping experience. Being able to appreciate these things in the comforts of our RV only enhance this experience. It’s the little things that make camping comfortable, and give us the feeling that it’s just like home.
Acquaintances from neighboring campsites are welcomed with a sincere smile and a hearty handshake. A sign placed in front of our RV with our names and home state printed across it offers a great way to introduce ourselves. A couple of glowing garden lamps light the way to our front door where our guests notice a welcoming doormat.
Our patio is covered by our RV’s ample awning, which shades us from direct sunlight during the day and keeps debris from nearby trees from falling on top of us. It also allows us to be able to stay outdoors in a gentle rain without getting wet. A set of de-flappers are attached at the edges to prevent the awning from becoming damaged if the wind kicks up.
A vinyl map of the United States is clearly visible on our door, with the states where we’ve camped colored in…offering the chance to open a conversation. We can reminisce about all the places we’ve already been and discuss future plans for all of the places we’d like to visit, but haven’t yet. It gives us tremendous satisfaction to see all we’ve accomplished through our RV travels.
Inside, battery-powered flameless candles flicker, emitting a pleasant scent and giving our RV a “homey” feel. A small vase holding seasonal flowers sits in the center of our banquette table. Framed pictures of our family line the shelf behind our pillow-covered sofa. A small lamp glows warmly from its perch on our built-in nightstand.
We show off the most recent addition to our array of personal comforts…a hand-held shower wand made specifically for RV-ers. It has the convenient on-off switch which allows the user to limit the flow of the water; thus, not using up all of the hot water or filling up the gray water holding tank. It has several nozzle selections ranging from a hard, pulsating spray to a gentle, constant stream. Our new friends are happy to learn that even something as personal as a shower can be very comfortable and enjoyable with a simple change of the showerhead.
Light refreshments are served on a couple of handy trays, which we carry outdoors to the picnic table that we’ve covered in a colorful tablecloth. Our camping neighbors feel welcomed and appreciate our sincere hospitality. We are pleased to have made more friends…fellow campers who enjoy the same things we enjoy…camping comrades, per se.
Camping in an RV is a wonderful way to vacation and travel. It’s a great way to meet people who share our interests. It creates the opportunity for us to make lasting friendships. The little “comforts of home” continue to make our RV camping experience very enjoyable.
The amenities a campground offers can be the deciding factor for RV-ers in selecting a place to camp. Following are some common-sense tactics that prove to be very beneficial when attracting RV-ers.
1. Easy In/Easy Out. It is important for weary travelers to have easy access to campgrounds. Campgrounds need to be well marked with easy-to-read signs directing the RV-er which way to turn. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to find a campground on a narrow roadway after driving all day with nowhere to turn around if you happen to get lost. The campground entrance needs to be wide enough to accommodate the wide turns RVs need to make. There should be ample room for several RVs to park near the office at once because, often, more than one coach checks in at the same time. The campsite must be marked clearly for the RV-er to find, so as not to occupy the wrong site by mistake. By the same token, campgrounds need to have arrows directing traffic out; especially if there are one-way roads, as many campgrounds have.
2. Pull-Through Sites. These sites are becoming the popular option which most RV-ers prefer. Pull-through sites are great for over-nighters because of the ease in parking…simply pull in. They are not only easier to park in than the back-in site, but the locations of the hook-ups are easier to see, too. RV-ers who are towing a vehicle appreciate the convenience of the pull-through campsite, as well. Because backing a towed vehicle is impossible, the RV-er would need to unhook their tow-car in order to use the back-in site; find a place to park their tow dolly and car; and then re-hook the tow vehicle before continuing their trip. What a hassle! The pull-through campsites are definitely more preferable than the back-in slots.
3. Full Hook-Up Campsites. The convenience of having full hook-ups (including sewer) makes a very comfortable stay. Not having to use the dump station for gray or black water tanks is not only a time-saver, but a desirable amenity because of the ease they create in dumping right at your site. Being able to use the campground’s water source instead of your rig’s on-board supply gives the RV-er peace of mind about not running out of water. Having electricity handy allows the use of all appliances without the need for running the generator. Full hook-up sites usually include television and internet service, too…a welcome and widely used amenity.
4. Laundry Facilities. Just because we travel doesn’t mean we don’t have to clean our clothes. In fact, because we don’t have a lot of room for clothing in our RVs, we probably need to do laundry more often than if we were in one place all the time. We typically do laundry about every five days; more frequently if we have wet weather. The convenience of having a washer and dryer at the campground is a huge amenity.
5. RV Wash. Though most campgrounds don’t allow the washing of vehicles at the campsite, some do. We try to take advantage of this amenity every time we have it. Afterall, our motorhome gets quite dirty and muddy from road grime and wind debris. Once in a while, we find a campground that has an actual RV Wash Bay, which is wonderful, because this allows us to power-spray everything from the roof to the undercarriage.
The amenities a campground offers can make your RV-ing experience quite comfortable, indeed. Careful comparisons of the amenities can help you choose the campground that’s most comfortable for you.
We often learn our greatest lessons in life by making mistakes. For some reason, correcting those mistakes make a very memorable impression. Some mistakes are comparatively easy to fix, while others are quite difficult.
As in everyday living, there are a lot of opportunities to make mistakes when RV-ing, as well…and we’ve made some doozies! We’ve also witnessed quite a few errors made by fellow RV-ers. Following are some of the more common ones.
One of our most common mistakes happens when extending or retracting the slide-outs. There is nothing that gives your stomach that sinking feeling more than hearing “c-r-u-n-c-h” while doing so. The obvious solution is making sure items are out of the way, both inside the rig and out, BEFORE you extend or retract. Hand-written notes can be taped directly to the control panel reminding you to do so. Inside, the damage can cosmetically be fixed by popping the broken trim back into place, or reattaching a seat. Outside, the damage may consist of simply popping out the dent; or in more serious instances, body shop work may be required.
Another mistake that is often made, though not always admitted, is leaving the television antenna up when leaving a campground. It’s not until you hear the “thwack” at the first overpass you drive under that you remember you forgot to crank it down. Though not overly expensive to replace, the inconvenience of not being able to watch your favorite show or sporting event on TV leaves a lasting impression. That, and the fact that in order to replace it, you have to climb up on the rooftop to do so; a task that is not an easy feat in our family.
One of the worst mistakes that we witnessed recently was made by a neighboring camper when he pulled out of his campsite without disconnecting, causing extensive damage to his RV as well as the campground hook-ups. Sparks were flying when the power supply tower was bent in half and the rig’s power cord was ripped from its permanent connection in the RV, itself. Water was spraying when the freshwater hose was broken at the connector. The leveling jacks left deep scrape marks in the driveway pavement, outlining the route driven. What was he thinking…Obviously, he wasn’t. Although I’m sure this doesn’t happen often, observing this first-hand left an unforgettable impression on us.
Though not as serious, other mistakes may consist of leaving overhead vents open, not securing the awning tightly, or forgetting to stock up on supplies. Each of these can be easily prevented, as well as easily fixed.
While mistakes are going to happen at one time or another, hopefully by sharing our experiences with you, it will help prevent you from making some of them. The bottom line in preventing mistakes is take the time to visually inspect your RV and its surroundings. Making a check list and following it upon arrival and departure is also a good way to prevent mistakes from occurring. Lastly, t-h-i-n-k before you act.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=4c269cd6-80f1-48c4-b73b-a250836ae1c9)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=78829383-31e4-4b70-bf78-054b846b5886)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=1ca02219-ca61-4392-adb9-a688b30029ae)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=709992f2-9cf8-4805-b50b-26662f4b580c)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=0b7dc906-0e99-4bed-bbb9-cb16ee088ab6)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=5432f854-1ae7-409c-b4d2-9ccb66a35246)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=e3b2a604-4b6d-4ddb-b9f5-0ad176fd898e)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=0e3c3bb2-21e6-4ed1-8b4f-2e665985bcd7)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=fa87ef9b-97ab-4d7f-88c8-b18147c04e32)
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=9ccf3045-5644-4e8a-9f01-f29ff3aeb8b9)
Recent Comments