RV Road Trips

RV Snowbirds Are Migrating To Warmer Climates For The Winter

There was a good hard frost yesterday morning.  Canadian geese are gathering in large groups all over the city, resting for a day or so before continuing their migration south. 

Throughout this northern region many RVers are making their final preparations before joining the flocks of snowbirds running from the snowbelt before that first big storm hits. 

During this in between time after summer and before the winter whiteout, many are already headed for the four corners area of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah.  Later on as the stragglers cross the Mason Dixon line, you'll find large groups roosting in Quartzsite, Tucson, and Southern Texas.

For any who waited just one day too long before leaving, some winter RV driving tips would be appropriate. Remember the early bird gets the worm (...and the best parking spot at the BLM LTVA).

Campground Shower Or RV Shower, Which Do You Prefer?

Do you use your on board shower or the one at the campground? 

I've lived full time in RVs and I've gone weekend camping in RVs.  One of the first things I look at when shopping for an RV is how usable is the shower?  As a fulltimer, the shower needs to be large enough to move around in easily with an adequate hot water supply to avoid the usual on/off method of showering.  If this is to be my home, I expect to live comfortably and that includes a good shower.

On the other hand, during weekend trips or a short vacation making use of the campground facilities can make pretty good sense too.

One tip to remember though, with the smaller 6-gallon water heater an on/off method of showering is pretty much mandatory unless you like that really cold rinse.  With an upgraded 10-gallon model you can manage a continual stream shower if you don't dally. 

Factory Tours, Visitor Centers & Museums Make Great RV Road Trips!

So you've been to the Grand Canyon, experienced Yellowstone, driven the Smokey Mountains, what’s next? 

Traveling by RV is definitely a great way to see the natural beauty of the country.  Along the way to these scenic wonders, you're also passing many interesting and educational opportunities that you may not have noticed. 

Dotting the highways across the USA are factories and processing plants that are worth their weight in gold.  If you ever get the chance to stop and visit, you should!

Manufacturing, agriculture, and food production factories are what make our economy grow and prosper.  Many of these fascinating operations provide public tours that allow you to see just how things are made and eventually sold in neighborhood stores.  Just as interesting are Visitor Centers, Hall of Fame locations, and other national museums.

Here are some factory tours and museums worth considering for your next RV road trip...

Continue reading: Factory Tours, Visitor Centers & Museums

Sun Damage To RV Tires Can Cause Failures And Accidents

A large portion of the RVs on the road today spend most of their time sitting still in storage or longterm parking.  Their use is limited because of limited vacation time or other financial concerns.  This can create a hidden danger when they do pull out onto the highway because while they sat idle, the sun's ultraviolet rays have been quietly destroying the tires.  Often the sun causes invisible damage to tires that may only come to light when they disintegrate at highway speeds. 

By storing your RV indoors, or at least protecting the tires and other sun-sensitive surfaces with covers, you can prolong the useful life and original luster of your RV.  This not only makes your RV safer, but helps to retain more of its original value as well.

Think twice before heading out on RV tires that have been out in the sun for 5 years or more.  You could be setting yourself up for a terrible accident.

How To Winterize Your RV Water System And Sanitize It Next Spring

This time of year as the temperatures continue to fall, you better be thinking about winterizing the water system on your RV.  Just opening the petcock on the fresh water tank isn't going to do it.  If you don't drain the water heater and remove all the water from the plumbing, something's going to burst for sure when freezing temperatures come. 

Some people pump RV antifreeze through their water system.  I prefer to pressurize the system with air and blow all the water out. 

Next spring, you should also sanitize the potable water system before you get ready for that first outing in the RV.  That will clean up any residual bad taste left from the RV antifreeze or any old water that may have stayed in the bottom of the water tank.  If you don't sanitize the water system, that first pot of coffee you make will taste awful for sure!

How To Increase The Reliability Of Your RV Generator

A common dentistry saying is "ignore your teeth and they'll go away".  In a similar note, ignore your RV on-board generator and it will fail for sure! 

Generator failure is very common in RVs, especially ones that sit unattended for long periods.  The list of possible problems is long, and troubleshooting a problem can be confusing and costly.

The best way to avoid failure is to use your RV generator regularly and maintain it properly.  This way your generator will not only provide a reliable source of power, it will retain maximum fuel efficiency. 

It's always more cost effective to do preventative maintenance servicing than to pay for emergency repairs when it fails.

RV Central Vacuum Systems - Clean Your RV Carpet With Ease!

Does it seem like every weekend dirt and sand gets tracked from one end of your RV to the other? 

Sometimes, keeping the carpet inside your RV clean can seem like an impossible task. Lugging the upright vacuum cleaner from the house to the RV after every trip is likely to get pretty old as well.

Fortunately, there is another option to help you stay ahead of tracked in dirt and grime. It's called a central vacuum!

Continue reading: Best RV Central Vacuum Systems

How To Make Personalized RV Christmas Cards

Temperatures are dropping. Winter is coming. The Christmas season is fast approaching. 

Pretty soon, it will be time to send out this year's Christmas cards.  Why not include the RV lifestyle in your Christmas greetings this year? 

RV greeting cards are available for those considering themselves artistically challenged.

Better yet, make  your own RV Christmas cards using photographs from family excursions this past summer. Include a short travel journal of places you visited. Take the idea one step further and make personalized envelopes for the cards too.

A card made from the heart will impress everyone more so than the 15 for $2 in a box from Walmart.

Be A Safe RVer, Take An RV Drivers Training Course

New to the world of large intimidating RVs?  Or maybe you've been around them for years and gotten a little too relaxed about your driving methods. 

Almost everyone can benefit from an RV Drivers Training Program.

Most over the road truck drivers are required to go through a lengthy drivers training school to even find a company that will hire them.  With some larger motorhome and travel trailer combinations being comparable in physical size, it makes sense that some states require special drivers licenses and possibly some form of schooling to earn their RV driving wings. 

You will never know everything there is to know about driving an RV.  Taking an RV drivers training refresher course can keep you current with law changes and new techniques making you a safer driver.

End Of The Season Halloween Parties At RV Resorts & Campgrounds

Halloween is almost here. Are your little ghosts and goblins ready to go trick-or-treating? 

Halloween in many parts of the country spells the end of the camping season at most RV resorts and campgrounds.  Because of that, they often celebrate the occasion in a big way. 

One thing's for sure, there are lots of ways that you can celebrate Halloween as an RVer.  There are parties, costumes and contests galore.  In fact, Halloween may be the biggest seasonal RV event that can be enjoyed by the entire family.

Making your Halloween RV outing a big success is as simple as getting some ideas together and heading out. It doesn't take a lot of money, just some creative costumes and decorations, and of course other like-minded RVers.