RV Parts and Accessories

There are way too many RV parts and accessories to list in a single article.  The list would be endless and would undoubtedly be out of date by the time I could click the "publish" button, let alone by the time you read it.  However, there are some traditional parts and accessories that are worth mentioning and watching for bargains on.  

So what is the difference between "parts" and "accessories"? You can think of "parts" as essential components of your RV and "accessories" as optional features or gadgets that add convenience or fun.  Even if you don't have an immediate need for some of these things, you might want to snag them while they're available if you come across them at a good price.  For years I've "stockpiled" some frequently needed RV parts and accessories so I have them on hand when I need them.  Things that could be used as replacement parts on your current RV should be high on your list.   For example, I grabbed a complete Chevrolet P-30 instrument cluster on ebay.com . Turns out I then moved on to a Gillig-based Holiday Rambler so I didn't think I'd probably never use it, but when I owned several P-30 based motorhomes, I had a spare in case of failure.  Now I have another P-30 based motorhome so it may yet come in handy.  I got it on ebay at a very reasonable price so it didn't involve tying up a ton of money.   Gathering parts for older motorhomes before they become scarce is something to think about.  You also may want to consider investing in interesting accessories you might want to add or to have on hand for a subsequent RV if the price is right and you can both afford it and have a place to safely store it until you can use it.   No point storing a set of RV dinette cushions if they're going to be susceptible to deterioration due to weather, sunlight, insects, vermin, or humidity.  On the other hand, disposable items or things that tend to need to be replaced often are always good to stock up on.  I still have a spare motor for the electric steps on my motorhome.

Roof vents and covers.  Because of nearly constant exposure to sunlight, plastic roof vents and covers tend to deteriorate over time and have to be replaced every few years.  Covers for many 14x14 vents are interchangeable and ANY 14x14 vent can be fairly easily removed and replaced by another brand.  When buying replacement covers, make sure they will fit your existing vents.  Different brands have slightly different designs that make them incompatible with each other.   Since changing the cover itself is much easier and cheaper than changing a whole vent, having a few extra matching covers on hand has saved me a lot of time, frustration, and money over the years.  In some cases I bought whole new vents and have always found a good use for them.  Some roof vents include 12 volt fans. The least expensive versions have small vans mounted within normal 14x14 vents.  More powerful models, like the Fantastic vents, have large 10 or 12", multi-blade fans than move LOTS of air.  Most vents are or can be wired to be reversible so they can be used to exhaust hot inside air or draw in outside air.  Simply reversing the polarity of the 12-volt dc connections will usually do the trick and you can do this by cross-wiring the fan to a DPDT (Double Pole Double Throw) switch so you can swap hot and ground wires going to the fan.  The more expensive powered vent models usually have multiple fan speeds and may even have rain sensors and thermostats to automatically control the fan and close the vent when needed.  You may need to consider the thickness of your roof in order to get vents and interior trim that will fit.  Most vents allow quite a bite of flexibility, but if you have a particularly thick roof (like some vehicles with ducted A/C in the ceiling) standard vents might not be deep enough to fit.

Another thing I've found useful to stockpile are lenses for various RV light fixtures.  This includes tail lights, clearance lights, porch lights, and interior lights.  These light weight plastic lenses are easily damaged and it is handy to have a supply of replacements on hand -- especially if you can get them at bargain prices.   I look for closeouts at RV and auto parts stores as well as good deals on ebay and other online sites.   For older units look for items described as "NOS" (New Old Stock).  I also keep several complete light fixtures on hand in case one fails -- or I want to add one to a new rig.

Salvage yard bargains.  Some things you might want to pick up from a "retired" RV at a salvage yard (if the price is right) might include windows, converters and water pumps.   I've had to replace enough of them over the years to know that having them already in inventory can save me a lot of time and money.  They have also provided a resource to build up the capabilities of my enclosed motorcycle trailer.   I have also been able to get really good deals on a furnace from an old camper and a roof air conditioner from a motorhome, both of which found their way into my motorcycle trailers over time.

12 volt fans have several useful functions in an RV.  Mounted at the windshield, they can help reduce fogging in damp, cold weather.   On warmer days they can provide a cooling breeze to the driver and co-pilot.   Installed near the seating, dining, or sleeping areas, they can help make those areas more comfortable.   Portable models, equipped with spring clamps, can be plugged into 12-volt sockets (like cigarette lighter sockets) and moved about as needed.  You can sometimes find these fans on sale in auto stores and department stores like K-mart and Walmart.   I like to have a couple of backup fans on hand and keep my eyes open for good deals.  If you shop for them online, be sure to include the shipping cost when you compare the price to local stores.  Sometimes shipping and handling will push the price way above what you can get it for locally.  And never assume an auction price will be lower than retail.  I frequently see people bidding way high on items that are readily available in local stores.   For example, I recently saw a bid of $32 for a standard trailer/BBQ sized propane tank, and shipping of such a heavy and bulky item will push the cost even higher. Similar tanks are routinely available at Home Depot for around $29.97 -- and you get it right away and you don't have to pay shipping when you pick it up at the store.  Make sure any bulk propane tank you buy meets current standards.  That means a portable tank must have an OPD (Overfill Protection Device).  It is not legal to refill the older tanks anymore.  If you have one that still has some fuel in it you can probably use it up on your camper or BBQ but you won't be able to refill it.  I've seen kits that can be used to convert retired propane tanks to compressed air tanks so that might be a useful option.

Awnings are always nice to have, both large patio awnings and smaller window awnings.  As they can be quite expensive, it is good to watch for bargains on them.  Both ebay and craigslist are good sources for possible candidates.   I haven't found it economically practical to "stockpile" awnings, but I have been able to equip several vehicles with window awnings at a fraction of the regular retail price as needed using ebay.   I have usually had to settle for plain white awnings instead of color coordinating them with the RV paint scheme like you would if you bought them at an RV store, but, at least to me, the savings was well worth it.   I've also gotten a couple of used patio awnings for my enclosed motorcycle trailers at bargain prices. If the awning color doesn't meet your needs, you can usually paint them any color you choose using vinyl paint.  I changed one from magenta to blue and again to brown that way to match changing color schemes on my enclosed motorcycle trailer.

Lighting options are as varied as your imagination.  There are many choices for both interior and exterior lights. LED lights have the advantage of saving battery power, but the bulbs are quite expensive.  Typical 12-volt incandescent automotive type bulbs used in traditional RV fixtures are typically under $1.00 each.  You'll pay about 5-10 times that for LED replacements.   Of course they will last much longer than regular bulbs and will conserve battery power -- definitely an advantage when boondocking.  LEDs last a very long time and over their lifetime will be cheaper than continuously replacing damaged or burned out incandescent bulbs.  To ensure you gain the financial benefits, consider how long YOU will be able to use the LEDs, not just how long they are rated to last.   If you trade RVs every 3 years or so or don't expect to keep your RV, you'll never see the savings.   Immediate benefits of upgrading to LED lights are clear, bright illumination and reduced battery drain.

Kitchen accessories.  The list of gadgets promoted for use in RV galleys is endless and growing every day.  And you certainly aren't limited to what you find in camping and RV stores.  You can find useful items many other places, like your favorite grocery store, department stores, even dollar stores. We found a clever little single beater mixer at Dollar Tree.   It works like a push drill.   Each push of the handle rotates the beater about 10 times.  It is made of plastic and isn't designed for heavy use so you wouldn't want to try mixing bread dough with it, but it is small and light so it is easy to transport and store and works very well for mixing smoothies and other single-serving beverages and other light mixing tasks like scrambling eggs.   And it requires no power, except a little muscle power.  Anything that conserves power when boondocking is an advantage. High end RVs often have built in power centers for mixers, food processors, and a variety of attachments.  Nutone is one popular built in brand whose attachments include blenders, mixers, can openers, knife sharpeners, and ice crushers.  If your RV isn't equipped with one, you can sometimes find them on ebay.  You'll probably have to run 120 volt power under the counter for it unless there is already an outlet inside the cabinet.  The benefits of such systems include convenience and not having to carry separate appliances, but the attachments can take up quite a lot of room.  Expect to pay $600 - $700 for a complete Nutone system.

RV ladders often do more than provide access to the roof.  Watch for attachments to carry camp chairs and bicycles.  These handy racks attach to your RV ladder, providing a convenient location to carry bulky, light weight items like camp chairs and bicycles.  When using them make sure the items don't cover your tail lights.   I added some PVC sleeves to my ladder to hold the pole for a 500-watt halogen floodlight for when we need a lot of campground illumination.

Storage options, like roof pods or racks that mount in your trailer hitch are worth watching for. There are also hitch-mounted "trunks" that provide enclosed external storage.  Since these items tend to be kind of pricey, you'll want to watch for sales, closeouts, and good deals on used items.

Dress up items, like wheel liners, are a nice addition to any RV that has ordinary steel wheels and wheel covers.   Not only do they provide a modern, upgraded appearance, the bolt-on versions eliminate the rattle that sometimes is found with wheel covers.   Other dress up items include upgraded rear view mirrors, roof or windshield post mounted search lights, and air horns.  I always added bumper guards to the van bumpers on my Class B RVs.   Driving and fog lights can improve visibility and safety as well as dress things up a bit.  I have a set of combination driving lights on my current Class A motorhome.   Each light has a split lens, half yellow (for fog lights) and half clear (for driving lights).   Fog and driving lights can be purchased at any auto parts store or the automotive department of any department store.  Be sure you wire them in accordance with state laws.  Some states only allow driving lights to be used in conjunction with low-beams.  Others require driving lights to be dimmed like high beams when approaching another vehicle.  In any case, take care to align fog and driving lights to give you maximum lighting of the road WITHOUT shining in the eyes of approaching drivers.  This usually means aiming them somewhat low and to the right.

Compasses, altimeters, and clinometers are also useful additions to most motorhomes and tow vehicles.  You may also find them helpful when car camping.   My favorite compass is a monster called a RoadMaster, but I don't think it is still available new.   You might find an older one on ebay.   It can be wired into your dash lights for nighttime viewing.   Altimeters tell you altitude.  A clinometer indicates the attitude of the vehicle -- front to back and side to side.  This can be helpful in finding the most level spot in your campsite.  They are also sometimes used in off-road vehicles to measure extreme positions and (hopefully) avoid roll overs.  Standard glass-vial bubble levels are inexpensive, easy to install, and let you get a pretty precise leveling of your unit -- IF you install them correctly with the vehicle level in the first place.  The ones designed for cockpit use are each about 3" long but you can get huge versions to mount on the front of a trailer so you can see it in your rear view mirror.   Always make sure the vehicle is level before you install bubble levels.

GPS and navigation devices are still a bit pricey, but provide wonderful functionality in helping you through unfamiliar territory.   I've had built in navigation systems in my daily driver but would never do that again.  A portable or hand held unit, is much more flexible as you can use it in multiple vehicles.  Most current models provide visual and voice turn-by-turn directions as well as lat/long coordinates.  Some even accept voice commands so they can be used hands free.

If you need RV parts, I've found the folks at Winnebago Outdoor to be especially helpful.   Many RV manufacturers use the same parts so you may find what you need even if your RV isn't a Winnebago brand.

Accessorize!

RV Exterior Lighting Options

On road lights on RVs are pretty much regulated by state and federal vehicle laws.  You can usually safely replace clearance markers and may be able to upgrade headlights, but anything used on highway must meet applicable regulations.  That includes driving lights and fog lights.   Many campers like to add powerful off-road lights to their motorhomes or tow vehicles.  Such lights should not be used on the highway.  In most jurisdictions, these lights must also be covered when the vehicle is on the highway.  Remote control search lights are popular on motorhomes and can be a real boon in scoping out your camp site after dark.  Just don't use them on the highway!  If your headlights don't deliver the performance you would like you may be able to upgrade to Halogen or other high intensity lights.  There are even kits to convert your old sealed beam headlights to modern HID  or LED lights that really light up the road.   Just make sure they are DOT approved.   I had a friend who discovered an air craft landing light that would fit in place of one of the sealed beam headlights on his pickup truck.  It really lit up desert roads for him -- until he blinded an on coming Highway Patrolman.  He got a stiff fine and was told to remove the light and never use it again.  You may be able to supplement your headlights with driving lights.   In most places, they can only be legally used on the highway when the headlights are on dim and are usually wired with a relay so they can only be turned on along with the dim headlight setting.  Using them together with your bright lights is a good way to get a fix-it ticket or blind on coming drivers.  In some jurisdictions the law requires you to turn off your driving lights when approaching an on-coming vehicle.  In many places driving lights can only be used in conjunction with low beams.   Always make sure your headlights are clean and clear and in good repair.  A cracked, discolored, or damaged lens will alter the focus and efficiency of your headlights and possible shorten bulb life.  Mud and snow accumulation on the lens will cause a surprising drop in output.  Older, sealed-beam lights that are not damaged only need to be cleaned with window cleaner.  Modern headlights have a polycarbonate lens that become "fuzzy", hazy, or discolored over time.  They can usually be reconditioned for about $35-$50 per pair by a professional service that sands them down and polishes them to make them clear again.  Some of these services add a clear coating when they're done that helps maintain clarity longer than an untreated lens.  You can buy kits to do the cleaning yourself, but be aware the process is somewhat labor intensive and, if you don't don't have the right buffing equipment your results will probably be disappointing.  I found a wet-wipe kit that clears up headlights with little effort.   I have also seen articles that say you can used toothpaste or baking soda or WD40 to clean fogged headlights but haven't tried either one myself yet.  The results are not as long-lasting as buffing and polishing, but they may be good enough and last long enough to pass a state safety inspection.  Ultimately though, you want your headlights to be as clean and clear as possible for as long as possible so you can see where you are going at night!  There are often several options for replacing the bulbs in these style headlights that give you more control over the amount of light.  The best performing and longest lasting bulbs are going to cost more -- perhaps twice as much -- as standard replacement bulbs but it may be an easy way to get better (and legal) on road lighting.   When upgrading bulbs be sure the sockets and fixtures are rated to accommodate the more powerful bulbs.   Using over powered bulbs can damage the plastic lens, the reflector, and could cause the wiring to overheat and perhaps cause a fire.

Wiring is an infamous and chronic cause of poor headlight performance on motorhomes.   The problem is when manufacturers wire the headlights directly through the headlight switch.  Often the wire gauge used is barely adequate (and sometimes inadequate) for the high load headlights draw and the long wiring runs up under the dash and back sap power.  You can often get significant gains by simply installing relays to connect your headlights via heavy gauge wiring directly to the battery -- and control the relays using the original headlight switch and wiring.  That way, the heavy load appears only on heavy duty wiring directly from battery to headlights, instead of lengthy runs up through the headlight switch.  If you're not up to doing the wiring yourself you may be able to purchase ready made harnesses to convert existing switch-wired installations to more efficient relay-based wiring, but even that requires some electrical system knowledge and skills.  Directly wired headlight switches on motorhomes are more prone to failure due to the overloading the contacts because of the extra load created by the longer wiring runs and the high wattage of headlamp bulbs.

There are a variety of off -road lights available that can really light things up for you, ranging from bumper mounted driving light styles to massive roof-mounted light bars.  Your choice may depend on cost, how much light you need, and where you can mount them on your vehicle.  Most of these lights are not approved for highway use and in many jurisdictions must even be covered so they can not be used when the vehicle is on the road.

If you aren't happy with the running lights on your RV you may be able to upgrade both the headlights and the stop/tail lights.   Older incandescent headlights can usually be easily replaced with Halogen versions that are easy to install.  If you really want high performance headlights you can upgrade to HID headlights but it will require a new wiring harness and you might need professional help setting it up.  The kits usually use the original wiring harness and switch to control the new HID headlights but they need relay controlled circuits direct from the battery to run the high powered bulbs.  You may also need to consider whether the existing mounting location can withstand the additional heat produced by HID units.  LED headlights will can usually replaced existing headlights without additional wiring or concerns about excess heat since they draw less current and run cooler.

Recreational lights are usually not restricted as long as they aren't used while on the road.  Most RVs have at least one porch light near the entrance.  A popular form is one that has a built-in assist handle for climbing into the RV.  The better ones have a built-in waterproof switch so you can turn it on and off from outside the vehicle.  Others may require a separate switch, which is usually inside the vehicle.  If you don't like the light that came with your vehicle, you can usually replace it with another one for a nominal cost.  You may also want to add other lights.   I find it useful to have an exterior light on the front of my motorcycle trailer.   It illuminates the tongue and hitch for hooking up at night and gives me light for the work area on and around the tongue.  I have a bench vice mounted on my trailer tongue and a place to mount my motorcycle tire changer so the tongue frequently serves as a workshop.   Extra side-mounted lights can help illuminate your camp site for night time group activities.  Another candidate for extra lighting is the area near any outdoor shower, which are usually on the street side of an RV.  You may find it helpful to mount an indicator light inside your RV for all outside lights.  You can wire an LED in parallel with the lamp or just use a lighted switch.   All you have to do is connect the hot wire of the LED to the hot wire of the lamp and the ground to any available ground.  The small investment in time and money will avoid inadvertently leaving outside lights on and running down your batteries.   Many off highway vehicles (usually 4x4s) have multiple off-road lights mounted on the bumper or front brush guard and or the roof or roll bar.  These lights are great off-road but must never be used on the highway.

Porch lights are common on most RVs, providing illumination for unlocking the door and negotiating the steps after dark.   Unfortunately, the switch is sometimes inside the RV so that you either have to leave the light on while you're away (possibly running down your batteries) or you have to unlock the door in the dark.   A fun solution to this problem is to install a motion sensor LED light that will automatically come on when you approach your RV in the dark.  Often these are battery powered so you don't even have to run any wiring to set them up.  Replacing the incandescent bulb in the porch light with and LED bulb will let you leave the light on without as much chance of running down the batteries since LEDs draw much less power.

Entry step lights are another useful addition.  RV steps are usually painted black and are difficult to see at night.   Even with the porch light on they can be hidden in shadow. Reflective or glow-in-the dark tape can be added to highlight the edge of the steps to make them easier to see.  I use LED clearance lights to illuminate my entry steps so I can leave them on when I'm out without running down the battery.  I've left them on for an entire 4 day outing without running down my batteries.  You want to install them so they illuminate the step but don't shine out into the camp site where they may annoy you or your fellow campers.  Many RVs equipped with electric steps already have step lights.  Unless they are fairly new they are probably incandescent bulbs that will suck up a lot of energy from your batteries.  Replacing them with LED lights should be pretty easy.  Adding a step light will require installing wiring and a switch.  For the most convenience use a switch that is opened when the step is opened.  Installing a simple toggle switch will be easier, but you'll have to remember to turn in on and off.  Battery powered "tap lights" might also be an option for illuminating your steps without draining your main batteries.

Awning lights are a popular and convenient way to add illumination with ambiance to the portable patio next to your RV.  Some fancy models slide right into the awning roller tube. Others have to be attached using clips or hooks that slide into the roller tube or clamp to the awning fabric.  You can even use ID card clips, available most places that sell office supplies.  These spring loaded clips are usually easier to use than the snap-lock type clamps on standard awning clamps.  You can get a variety of light styles.  Some popular ones I've seen include miniature Coleman lanterns, American Flags, chili peppers, and colorful coach-light style lanterns.  Most require 120-volt power but some newer LED versions will run on 12 volts.  Remember, LEDs use a tiny fraction of the power of standard incandescent bulbs so if you're dry camping or just worried about draining battery power, look for LED versions.   I recently watched the installation of a fancy 7-color LED rope light under an RV awning.  It even has a remote control so you can change the color, speed, and pattern of light from the comfort of your easy chair.  It is a really neat addition but at the time it was a bit pricey -- about $100 plus installation, but I've seen some knock-off on the market around $30 since then.

Exterior cabinet lights are a real boon when you have to find something in the dark.  The most convenient ones come on automatically when you open the cabinet door but they require special switches.  You can easily install lights with built-in switches -- they might be wired into the vehicle's 12-volt system or be battery powered.  Batter powered "stick anywhere" lights can be found at hardware and building supply stores and don't need any wiring.  Just make sure you check the batteries before each trip.  If you're not using automatic switches, you'll have to remember to turn the lights off before you close the cabinet.   Otherwise you are sure to forget they are on and run down the batteries.  You might even want to wire in an indicator that is visible from the outside so you can tell when the lights are left on.  Using an illuminated switch is an easy way to do this without extra lights and wiring.  The switch itself is lighted whenever the switch is on.

General campground illumination.  You may want to bring along some portable Halogen work lights for lighting up your camp site at night.  The ones I use have folding, tripod stands that are very stable and highly adjustable.  Of course you need 120-volt AC power to run them but I managed to find one that has a 12-volt option as well as the normal 120-volt power cord.  Another option is lights equipped with spring clamps so you can clamp them to awning arms, mirrors, trees, sign posts, fences, OHVs, tables, etc.  Incandescent versions of these are inexpensive and can be found at any hardware store or home center and you could put LED bulbs in them to reduce power requirements.  And don't forget the old camp standard: the Coleman lantern.  White gas or propane powered lanterns provide bright white light about like a 100-watt bulb.  For a more rustic atmosphere, try some old fashioned kerosene lanterns.   If you don't like the smell of kerosene lanterns you can run them on scented lamp oil or unscented "liquid paraffin".  Nowadays there are also many choices for battery powered lanterns, including many LED lanterns that minimize battery drain.   Of course a primary source of traditional camp site is the camp fire.  Once you have a good campfire going you may not need any other lighting for many activities.

Searchlights and spotlights.   Roof mounted remote control search lights are popular on high-end motorhomes.  They usually have both "spot" and "flood" settings.  The spot setting is used to illuminate distant objects like signs and landmarks.  The flood setting can be used for general camp site illumination.  Manually operated spotlights on cars and pickup trucks were once pretty popular, but are quite rate these days.   Still, they can provide light up signs and landmarks to help you find your way to a remote camp at night.  They might also be used during nighttime search and rescue operations.  Hand held spotlights, both 12-volt versions that plug into your cigarette lighter and rechargeable models can approximate the function of permanently mounted spotlights without the expense or effort of what is often a difficult installation.

Creative lighting solutions.  One of my motorhomes came with a pair of bright 120-volt flood lights mounted on the curb side to illuminate the campground.  I didn't want to have to run the generator just to light things up and I wasn't very fond of poking more holes in the wall and cluttering up the outside of the RV with additional lights.  My solution: mount 12-volt light bulbs inside the existing 120-volt fixtures.   I bought a pair of 55-watt driving lights and cannibalized the sockets and bulbs from them and mounted them inside the existing 120-volt fixtures.   I then pushed the wiring through the same hole as the original wiring and hooked it up to conveniently located new switches inside. That allowed me to run the lights on either 120-volts or 12-volts as the situation demands.  For additional general campground illumination I mounted a 500-watt Halogen light on about a 5' piece of conduit connect to an old telescoping aluminum tent pole.   I clamped PVC pipe sleeves to the RV ladder.  When I need extra, broad-area lighting for group activities, I slide the tent pole through the pipe sleeves and plug the cord into an outside outlet on my RV. With the light raised about 4-5' above the roof of the RV, it provides very good general illumination for group activities.   I also mounted a simple 12-volt utility light under the hood so I could see to check the oil after dark.  It is an easy, inexpensive, and useful addition. I f you want to be really fancy you can even use a mercury or gravity switch on the hood so the light comes on automatically when you open the hood, like it does on many well-equipped automobiles.   This is another spot that is a prime candidate for an inexpensive battery powered LED "tap light".   I recently picked up a magnetic mount, battery operated light, with a remote control designed for use in above ground swimming pools.   I figure it can be attached to any metal surface, such as my truck or limited components on my RV to provide general illumination for nighttime activities. It came with a metal plate for use on Doughboy type pools that would also allow it to be installed on a tent.

Portable lights add a lot of flexibility for camp ground use.  I've tried a number of high-output battery powered spotlights, including rechargeable versions.  Some of these send out a pencil-thin beam with a range up to a mile!  There are also 12-volt versions that plug into your vehicle cigarette lighter or other 12-volt receptacle.   I always keep several ordinary flashlights in my RV and trailer.  I like to have a variety of sizes.  Full 2,3, or even 5-cell flashlights are good for many routine tasks. Smaller 3" LED lights are useful in close quarters or if you need to tuck one in your pocket to light your way back to your RV after an evening stroll if you get back late.  The big 5 D-cell lights double as tire-thumpers and would also be an effective self-defense device.

There are a variety of lantern holders that can be used to hang your gas or battery lanterns around camp.  Some are made of chain that can be wrapped around trees; some are designed to clamp to or hang from your RV awning.  I found some that consist of a tube that attaches to the side of your RV and contains a hook that slides out and connects to the top of the tube to create an arm on which to hang your lantern.   Check out the options at your favorite RV or camping store.  You might want to try out several styles.  They usually are not very expensive.  The ones designed to attach to trees usually have a light weight chain that wraps around the tree to hold the lantern hook in place.  They work well on trees and wooden poles, but usually don't cling well to metal poles.  Hangers for awnings are likely to slide into the accessory slot in the awning rail or clamp to the rafters.  Always be careful hanging a gas lantern from your awning as they generate a lot of heat, enough to damage awning fabric if left on too long.  Monitor prevailing breezes to make sure they aren't blowing the heat back under your awning or against the side of your tent or RV.

Light it up!

Handy Gizmos and Gadgets

Check out any RV or camping oriented store, catalog, trade show, or website and you will find dozens of clever gizmos and gadgets. Some are actually useful and may enhance your camping experience. Many are simply cute and clever and their greatest function is to make the seller rich -- to transfer your hard earned money into their pockets!  No matter how many neat gizmos and gadgets you buy, there will always be new ones competing for your attention -- and your $$$!   The 2012 Camping World Catalog had 5 pages of kitchen gadgets and 9 pages of grill accessories alone.  There are hundreds of other items which claim to enhance your RVing or camping experience.   Here are some of the things we've found actually useful:

Navigational aids. I like having a large, Roadmaster compass mounted on the dash of my motorhome. It is quite helpful when navigating unfamiliar roads. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find any current retailers who sell them but you might find one on ebay.  There are other compasses you can get to use in your vehicle.  Many vehicles these days have built in compasses if not sophisticated navigation systems.  Of course these days, a GPS is even better but they cost a LOT more. I also found an altimeter useful on trips to higher elevations and have tried various forms of "clinometers" (devices that show the vehicle orientation side to side and front to back).  They are something like the artificial horizon used in aircraft.  They are usually not sensitive enough for final leveling but are very useful in finding the most nearly level spot in a remote camp site and I find them easier to read than bubble levels at a glance. Bubble levels are, of course, good for final leveling. Clinometers are sometimes used in Jeeps and other larger off-highway vehicles to measure roll-over potential when crossing side-hills.  They show both front to back and side to side degree of level.

Trash bag holders. These are plastic gadgets that attach to a wall or the inside of a cabinet door and hold a standard plastic grocery bag. Since most RVs are sadly lacking in providing any space for trash, these can be quite helpful. Since they use standard grocery bags, they are economical to use and even provide a way to recycle those pesky grocery bags that tend to accumulate under the sink. These have been one of the best additions we've made to our RVs.  For larger trash bags in camp, I modified a standard bag style (quad) camp chair into a trash bag holder.  I removed the seat and the backrest leaving a 4-post frame.  It takes up little room in an outside cabinet while traveling but can hold a large, heavy duty trash bag for use in camp.  You can buy "leaf baggers" intended for yard use to hold large contractor sized bags too.

Paper towel holders. As essential and useful as paper towels are in and around an RV or campsite, I am surprised that RV manufacturers don't include them as standard equipment.  I guess they might leave for consumer installation because people may prefer to have them in different locations.  Fortunately, they are inexpensive and easy to install. Ordinary residential holders can be made to work in an RV, but there are some that are especially made for RVs that will help keep the paper towels from unwinding due to the motion and air movement when traveling. There are tricks that can be used with ordinary holders, such as attaching a mini-bungee cord or ordinary rubber band across the roll or using an empty 2-liter soda bottle to confine the roll. We had an entire roll of paper towels pile up on the counter and the floor on more than one occasion while traveling before we learned some of the tricks.  To use a soda bottle, rinse it out and let it dry thoroughly, then cut off both the top and bottom and split it down one side.  You can now open it up and clip it over your paper towel roll.  Then simply open it at the cut when you need to pull off some towels or keep the edge of the roll sticking out through the cut.  The see-through plastic lets you monitor paper towel usage without having to remove the cover.  I prefer using a clear bottle because it is easier to see how much of the roll remains.

"Pop-it" Products: These are a series of plastic holders designed to hold various commonly used paper camping products. Pop-a-plate holds paper plates; Pop-a-napkin holds paper napkins; Pop-a-bag stores standard grocery bags for easy use. The plate and napkin holders are typically installed beneath kitchen cabinets for convenient access and to avoid taking up valuable space inside the cabinet.  Pop-a-bag makes it convenient to stuff new bags into the top and to pull out what you need from a slot in the bottom.  The retrieval slot is designed to deliver one bag at time.

Bathroom organizers. The limited space in most RV bathrooms dictates that you make the best possible use of every bit of it. The most convenient bathroom organizer I've found combines toothbrush storage with a paper cup dispenser. The hinged top keeps dust out of the paper cups and off the toothbrushes. The mounting bracket attaches easily with screws or double-sticky tape, then the unit slides onto the mounting bracket. At first I was skeptical about the slide on mount staying in place on bumpy roads, but it is very long and well designed and I've never had the holder fall off, even on washboard desert roads.

Blender bottles. Light weight, break resistant, and require no electric power, these are plastic bottles with a kind of a spring ball inside. Fill with water or milk and add your favorite flavoring and shake about 40 times. Most useful for car or tent camping where you don't have power, but can be a convenient way to make single serving beverages in your RV without an electric blender.  Shake up a serving of Tang for breakfast without the need to fire up the generator to run the blender.

Awning clamps. Awnings tend to be quite susceptible to wind. Consider the design and function of sails on sailing ships. Awnings, if caught by the wind, quickly become rather efficient sails if they are not properly secured. Awning deflapper clamps dampen the annoying flapping noise and help reduce the potential of having your expensive awning damaged by reasonable winds. You will still want to roll up your awning prior to any strong winds, but awning clamps, properly securing both ends of the awning fabric to the rafters, will help prevent damage by unexpected lesser winds. And they reduce the annoying flapping noise that often accompanies even light breezes. I have tried out two different styles: one that clamps rigidly to the awning arms and one attaches via velcro straps. The rigid clamps seem to be a little better at reducing flapping but the velcro strops are much easier to put on and take off. Another type of awning clamp is used for additional security while the vehicle is in motion. They attach to the side of the RV and clamp around the rolled up awning. You open and close them with your regular awning wand. They are not needed on awnings that roll up into a metal box. Having personally experienced having an awning unroll on the freeway in high winds, I can attest to their value.  It is always a good idea to listen for unusual noises (like an awning flapping against the side of your RV) and to keep an eye in the rear view mirror so you can detect an awning coming loose when it first starts and before it causes any serious damage.  Left uncontrolled, it can destroy the fabric and the hardware, damage the sides of the RV, break windows, and possibly damage other vehicle on the road, all of which tend to be rather expensive to deal with.

Awnbrella awning rafters.  Another really useful awning accessory is the "Awnbrella" awning rafter.  They fit between the roller and the wall of the RV and bow up, giving the awning a shape that sheds water instead of sinking down and collecting it when it rains.  They also give you a little more head room, in case your awning is low, like they sometimes are on smaller RVs.

Awning lights.  You can buy both 120 volt ant 12 volt lighting systems for your RV awning.  The ones I find most appealing are still kind of pricey (over $100):  they are multicolored LED rope lights.  They usually come with a remote control so you can select the color and flash pattern from the comfort of y our favorite chair.   However, I have found solar powered LED rope lights (just in white, and no flash patterns) on sale at Harbor Freight for around $10 and they do a good job of proving even and comfortable illumination under your awning.   Both are designed to fit in the accessory slot on your awning roller.  You can also attach regular patio light  strings using clips that slide into the accessory slot, giving you a lot of choices to match your mood or party theme.  Whenever you use awning lights, be considerate of your fellow campers.  If your light intrudes into their space you should turn it off.

"Multi-tools". There are many different types of "multi-tools" or multi-function tools on the market. One of the most common is the Leatherman brand. The original leatherman is a cross between pliers and a Swiss army knife. Some have more than a dozen functions. They take up little space and can be used for many common tasks around your RV and OHV. I found that "fencing pliers" is a good multi-use tool that can be used as a hammer, pliers, and wire cutters. I have seen 8" pliers with screwdriver tips on the ends of the handles (flat on one, #2 phillips on the other), and a hammer-like disk on one of side of the working end of the pliers. Tools like this take up little room and can reduce clutter and weight in your RV or camp tool box without sacrificing functionality. Another tool I have found convenient, though not usually advertised as a "multi-tool" is a roofer's or framer's hatchet-style hammer. The heads of these tools have a hammer on one side and an axe-blade on the other. Rather than carrying a large hammer AND an axe or hatchet, one of these covers both functions in a single tool. It is surprising how many times you need a fairly heavy hammer when camping. Driving tent pegs or stakes to hold down your awning mat or awning strap are among the most common.

Kitchen gadgets. There must be literally hundreds if not thousands of RV kitchen gadgets out there (at least 5 pages in the 2012 Camping World catalog alone). Before buying one, think through whether or not you will actually use it. The last thing you need is to fill up your precious drawer space with useless junk. If you have a taste for peeled apples, a tricky apple-peeler might be appropriate for you and fun to use, but for most of us, a simple paring knife or hand peeler will suffice -- for this and many other tasks -- and is light weight, takes up little room, and is versatile and inexpensive. Powered kitchen tools, like blenders and mixers are common in our homes and can be nice additions to your RV kitchen -- if you have room for them. For the most convenience and least impact on space and weight, choose compact appliances. Unless you do a lot of baking, a hand mixer is probably adequate for most RV cooking tasks. We found a single beater plastic mixer that operates like a push drill at our local Dollar Tree. It is light weight, takes up little more space than a manual whisk, and is not only fun to use it is quite effective for light mixing. And look in to the hand-held "Ninja" blenders. They are small and light weight and very effective. A pop-up toaster is a nice addition, unless you LIKE burning your toast over a campfire.  You might even re-purpose and old toaster you retired when you upgraded at home.  There are also campfire toasters which consist of little metal frames that hold the bread over a camp stove burner or campfire that will do the job, but lack the convenience and precision of an electric toaster (if you have power available to operate them). Another option is toasting bread in your RV oven. I sometimes resort to that if I'm making breakfast for a large number of people and need lots of toast in a hurry, but for regular family breakfasts, it takes a long time and wastes a lot of propane compared to using a toaster but it can get a lot of toast ready at the same time. By the way, the campfire toasters work really well on RV and camp stoves and they're really inexpensive, less that $5.00.  You may need to experiment and practice with them to get proficient at getting your toast just the way you and/or your family members like it.  Built-in blenders are popular in some of the more expensive luxury RVs.  We've had Nutone systems in several of our RVs.  There are many different attachments available for them.  Some of the options include blenders, mixers, ice crushers, and knife sharpeners.  Of course you need 120 volt power to run them (shore power, generator, or inverter).

Table cloth clamps.   Table cloths on picnic tables tend to flap and curl up or blow away with the slightest breeze.  These springy clamps slip over the edge of most picnic tables and keep your table cloth from becoming a kite.

Cleaning appliances are another category to be considered. Hand-held, 12-volt "car vacuums" simplify many cleaning tasks in your RV. For more heavy-duty applications, a compact canister vacuum is a good option (assuming you have a generator or shore power to run it). Look for one that will fit in one of the cabinets under the dinette so it doesn't take up valuable closet space. Some larger RVs have central vacuum cleaner systems. If you are so lucky, take advantage of it. If not, look for an appropriate canister vacuum. Uprights clean well, but take up a lot of room in an RV and don't fit in limited cabinet space like a canister model. Canisters will usually fit in the small spaces under dinettes or beds.  Adding a central vacuum is sometimes a possibility, albeit a fairly expensive one. The difficulty in running pipes and wiring combined with needing to sacrifice cabinet space often makes after market installation less than appealing.

Leveling blocks. Unless your RV is equipped with a leveling system, you are probably going to need leveling blocks sooner or later. Even if you only camp in developed campgrounds, the sites aren't always perfectly level. And if you prefer boondocking, you will almost never find a level site. There are many commercial leveling block systems or you can make your own from 2x6 or 2x8 lumber. Homemade wooden leveling blocks tend to be heavy and cumbersome, but are fairly inexpensive, especially if you have scrap lumber lying around and they are very sturdy. Some of the fancier commercial leveling blocks fit together much like giant Legos and allow you to easily create various heights as needed for the occasion. There are also chock kits available to prevent you from driving past the blocks when positioning your RV. When choosing leveling blocks, consider the weight of your vehicle versus the capacity of the blocks, the size and weight of the system and whether you have an appropriate place to carry it, and the expense. Purchasing low-cost blocks only to find out the hard way that they can't support the weight of your vehicle can be a lot more expensive than buying proper blocks in the first place. For one thing, inadequate blocks will probably be crushed if you vehicle exceeds their rated capacity and you have to replace them right away. For another, your vehicle may be damaged or you or someone else nearby may be injured when they fail.

Battery Chargers: the charger circuits on most RV converters are woefully inadequate. Converters are primarily designed to convert 120-volt AC current in to 12-volt DC current. Charger circuits are an afterthought, and usually not a very good one. Over the years I've upgrade the converters in several motorhomes to Intellicharger converters with the Charge Wizard option. This configuration monitors battery condition and adjusts the charge rate to more effectively charge and maintain RV batteries. This is a convenient and effective, but relatively expensive option. A cheaper alternative is to install a separate battery charger. This option was, in fact, suggested to me by an engineer at on of the converter companies when I called with some technical questions about upgrading the battery charger circuit on my convert. If you choose this option you have a couple of choices. One is a "maintenance" charger that supplies a constant low charge to compensate for normal loss during storage. These are usually fairly inexpensive. A better option is a good multi-stage charger that will sense the state of the batter and adjust the charge accordingly. Multi-stage chargers usually include a mode that supplies a high voltage to "de-sulfate" the plates in the battery periodically. If you are going to leave your RV in storage for more than a week or so at a time without using it, it is a good idea to add a multi-stage battery charger to maintain the batteries. Allowing batteries to become fully discharged shortens battery life and diminishes performance. Exercise caution when connecting multiple battery chargers as they may tend to cancel each other out and you won't get the benefits you expect.

Auxiliary heaters may be a necessary option if you camp in colder weather. Some RV furnaces are not adequate to keep up with the demands of colder outside temperatures. I think many RVs are designed primarily for fair weather camping and fall short when used in cold, winter weather.  One of the simplest ways to add more heat, if you have a generator or shore power, is via electric heaters. They are small, lightweight, and can be easily moved around to warm cold spots as needed. We have a small "electric fireplace" that delivers 1500 watts of heat and adds a nice cabin-like ambiance. Another option, that is especially good for camping off the grid, are catalytic heaters. They run on propane, and unlike a furnace, do not require 12-volt power since there are no fans. You can choose from wall-mounted units that attach permanently to your RV propane system or portable units that run off standard propane bottles. There are also catalytic heaters that run on white gas. White gas is less convenient and can be more more hazardous to store and messy to transfer. When using any catalytic heater be sure to read and follow the manufacturer's instructions for lighting, clearances, and ventilation. They don't usually give off toxic fumes but they do consume oxygen and you can suffocate if you don't have an adequate supply of fresh air. I read of an experienced camper and professional camping writer who died when he forgot to leave sufficient ventilation using a catalytic heater. It is tempting to skimp on ventilation when you're trying to get warm and want to keep the cold out, but DON'T!  It can be a fatal mistake.

Campfire accessories. Most of us have burned a few marshmallows on sticks or wire coat-hanger cookers but there are lots of other tools to enhance your campfire experience. You might want to try out some of the fancy marshmallow and wiener cookers that have nice wood handles. Some even have the tines pointed back toward the handle to reduce the chance of injuring your fellow campers.  Telescoping versions are easy to store and yet let you maintain a safe distance from the fire.  Pie cookers are a handy way to fix a tasty, hot desert. Just put in a couple of slices of white bread, add your favorite pie filling, and in a few minutes in the fire you'll have fresh, not, individual pies.  Wire pop-corn poppers let you pop corn over your stove or campfire. Wire grills, both with and without attached legs make campfire cooking easier. A "potdangler" suspends your coffee pot or dutch oven over your campfire at whatever height you chose. Cast iron skillets, dutch ovens, and griddles are great for campfire cooking.  Portable fire rings help confine and control campfires.  We us a portable fire pit we call R2D2. It is an old washing machine tub.  One without a center tube makes adding firewood easier but one with a center tube can provide a place to insert a cut-down RV table leg in the bottom to put a base on it and a place to fasten a grill on top to use it for cooking.  Raising R2D2 a few inches off the ground gives room to warm cold toes on especially chilly evenings.

Instruments and Electronics.   There are dozens of electronic gadgets to enhance your RV experience.  Many RVs include entertainments systems (radios and/or TVs).  One of most popular, fun to use, and useful add-ons, is a GPS or a computer with a GPS app.  Great maps and vocal turn-by-turn instructions make navigating easy.  The only down side is they're a little pricey, but getting more affordable all the time.  Electronic compasses are not as expensive but can assist navigating with a paper map.  Some other useful instruments are an altimeter and a clinometer. The altimeter displays your elevation above sea level. useful when negotiating mountain passes and a clinometer, which shows the orientation of your vehicle relative to level, which is helpful in finding the most level spot in a remote campsite.  Electronic thermometers are a handy way to find out both indoor and outdoor temperatures.  You can even get one with up to 3 remote transmitters so you monitor the temperature in your fridge and/or in outside compartments as well as normal indoor/outdoor temps.  Knowing the temperature inside your RV, in the outside storage cabinets, and outside your RV can be critical in protecting your investment during winter camping and a useful aide to summer comfort.   A clear plastic thermometer that sticks to the outside of a window is inexpensive way of easily monitoring outside temperature.  Barometers measure air pressure and if you learn to recognize trends can be a fairly good predictor of impending weather changes.   Fancier weather stations are available if you're really into weather details.  Some even connect to your computer to record trends and provide data for future analysis.  LED rope lights are a neat way to light up your awning for patio parties.  Some even have multiple colors and a variety of patterns that put on quite a light show.

Modern smart phones provide wonderful technology for communication, navigation, and picture taking.  Apps are available for nearly any recreational activity you may want to try.

Shopping for and experimenting with various gizmos and gadgets can add an extra measure of fun to your RV or tent camping experience. Just checking them out at trade shows, RV stores, camp stores, and in catalogs and sharing them with fellow campers can be fun. Using them is the ultimate test of their value. If you don't like using or get bored with certain items or find a better solution, leave them home or put them in your next garage sale.  I like to take advantages of year end sales to check out new gadgets so I don't have a lot of money tied up in them if they don't work out.

Gadgets designed particularly for RV use will be found in RV stores and catalogs, but you may find useful items in other places, ranging from Internet web sites to your local grocery store and even travel stores. I frequently scan the wall of kitchen utensils when I visit our local dollar store. If I see something interesting, we try it. If is doesn't work out, we haven't lost much if we just throw it out, donate it to charity, or toss it into our next garage sale. I also like to check out the bargain and closeout tools at my local hardware and home stores. You never know what you'll find there.

Watch for sales.   Most of us like to get bargains, and I am certainly no exception.  In fact, I almost hate it when I have to pay full retail price for something.  I especially hate it if it is an unproven gadget that I'm not sure I am going to like or use regularly.  I'm OK with paying full retail for something I have either personally tried and like, have seen it used and like, or has been recommended by a trusted associate.  Picking up gadgets on clearance to try them out is a good way to explore your options without breaking your budget.  If it turns out you don't like them, you're not out so much and have a better chance of recouping part of your cost if you resell the item on ebay or at your garage sale.

More to come...there are always new gizmos and gadgets popping up.

Outdoor Cooking Options

One of the fun things about camping is not being a slave to the stove and oven to prepare your meals. Outdoor cooking can be fun and exciting. Sometimes preparing meals that are routine at home can be a fun and stimulating adventure in camp. My wife and daughter-in-law were giddy as two school girls as they prepared breakfast on our trusty Coleman stove when we went tent camping a while back.  And they weren't experimenting with new dishes, just regular breakfast favorites.  But cooking outdoors, in camp, together, made it special.  There are many options for outdoor cooking, depending on where you are (open fires are prohibited in some places  and at some times) and how adventurous you want to be. Successfully making your favorite repast in the outdoors yields a special feeling of accomplishment. Heck, even being able to pull it off within the limitations of an RV rates a pat on the back. Outdoor cooking skills can be very useful in an emergency situation at home, such as an extended power outage or natural disaster. Ever think about what you will do if a disaster knocks out utilities in your neighborhood for a couple of weeks? If you have been using your camping trips to practice survival skills, you will at least be able to build a fire to warm you and your family, cook your meals, dry your clothing and bedding, and sterilize water for drinking and medical uses. You may purchase portable stoves for emergency use, but unless you've practiced using them, they are likely to be useless or even dangerous in a disaster situation. There is an old adage that I've found to be true:  If it hasn't been tested, it doesn't work!  Be sure you know how to use any emergency equipment you purchase and take time to practice using it. Also make sure you have proper fuel that is safely stored.

Campfire cooking. Of course cooking over an open campfire is the most basic form of outdoor cooking. Most all of us have roasted a few hot dogs and set a few marshmallows on fire this way (in my experience one seldom roasts marshmallows without turning them into torches).  One of the advantages to campfire cooking is that you don't need a lot of fancy equipment and, unless open fires are prohibited, you can build a campfire just about anywhere. Campfire cooking is also a good skill to develop for use following a disaster that may leave you without utilities at home. You may want to practice building a campfire and cooking in your own back yard until you're comfortable with the skills. Check out my previous post on Campfire Safety for more ideas on safely building and using campfires. As mentioned above, campfires are also sources of warmth and comfort and can help us dry out wet clothing and bedding. Having dry clothing and bedding could mean not only being more comfortable, but could literally mean the difference between life and death in a survival situation! It is possible to get hypothermia from wet clothing even in fairly mild weather.  The light and heat of a campfire not only warms the body, it warms the soul and lifts the spirits. As human beings, we find comfort in warmth and light and are often mesmerized by flames. Just sitting around a campfire can be entertaining and can lift depressed spirits enough to be functional again. Cooking over a campfire can be done by putting food on sticks (like hot dogs, chunks of meat, or even thick dough to make bread). For more conventional options, put a grid or grill over the fire and cook in regular pans. Lacking a grill you can position a couple of green logs over the coals or build a fire between them and rest your pans across them.  It is convenient to put the logs about 3" apart at one end and 8-10" apart at the other.  Then you can put your coffee pot or tea kettle on the narrow end and your frying pan on the wider portion.  Cast iron cookware can be used directly on the fire, lighter weight vessels may be damaged if place directly on the coals. I've seen light weight aluminum pans reduced to bubbling silver puddles by a hot campfire.  For best results, wait until the fire is reduced to a nice bed of glowing coals before cooking. It is safer and more effective than trying to cook over open flames. Even though you may have to wait longer for to coals to reach the right stage, things will cook faster and more evenly than they will over the flickering  flames.  And you can actually roast marshmallows to a nice golden brown without setting them on fire!  Campfires are sometimes prohibited in suburban neighborhoods, but cooking fires are usually allowed and during a significant disaster situation all rules are likely to be suspended or relaxed. If you do build a fire, do it correctly and safely so you don't add to the existing emergency.

You can cook other things besides hot dogs and marshmallows on a stick over your campfire. Just about any kind of raw meat (except ground meats) can be hung on a stick for cooking. You can also bake breads by mixing the dough so it is thick and sticky and wrapping some around a stick. Called "twist sticks", they are a very tasty bread treat for camping. No matter what you are cooking this way, it is best to cook over a bed of glowing coals, not over open flames. Most of us don't have the patience to wait for the fire to reach the right status for cooking, which is one reason so many marshmallows light up the night, becoming more torch than treat. Cooking over coals provides even heat that, with a little practice, allows you to roast your feast to perfection without turning it into a flaming torch or burnt offering -- or have it burned on the outside and raw in the middle! Take time to build the right kind of fire and let it reach the right stage of coals for cooking. It will pay off. Another option for bread is ash cakes. To make them, prepare a thick dough and form it into biscuit-sized patties. Then drop it directly on glowing coals or hot rocks in the fire to bake it, flipping it over once to cook both sides if the tops don't cook fast enough. A little ash may cling to the biscuit when it is done, but usually not very much and you can just brush it off and enjoy great tasting hot bread fresh from the fire. They are especially good with butter and honey or jam.  You can even churn your own butter from whipping cream if you're feeling particularly adventurous.  Place some small pebbles (marble size or less) into a small container with a 1/4 to 1/2 cup whipping cream and shake until it forms butter.  Avoid using a glass container, but if you have to don't shake it too hard or the pebbles will break the glass!

Not exactly a stick, but a useful campfire cooker is a pie cooker. These long-handled clam shell cookers turn two pieces of bread and a couple of spoons of pie filling into a hot tasty pie. It surprised me how much the bread tasted like pie crust when we took them out.  There are many commercial forks made for cooking hot dogs and marshmallows but an ordinary wire coat hanger straightened out will work almost as well. Some of the commercial forks have have telescoping handles so you adjust them to cook the food and not your front.  I've seen some with the tines bent around so they point back at you.   Supposedly they reduce the risk of stabbing someone with them.

Of course, there are things you can't cook on a stick. Soups, stews, hot water for coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and purifying drinking water, medical purposes and washing dishes, requires a pot of some sort. If you plan to prepare these items often, a metal grate would be helpful. The grate from on old BBQ will work. You can also buy cooking grates most anywhere camping supplies are sold. Or just buy some sturdy metal grating like expanded metal from a hardware store or metal supply store. In an emergency or survival mode you may be able to use green sticks to support your frying pan or pots. Just keep an eye on them to make sure they don't catch fire and let your dinner drop into the fire! In an real emergency you might steal the racks out of your oven or refrigerator to use as cooking grids. Another technique is it bury a flat rock in the middle of your fire.  Make sure it isn't very porous.  Porous rocks often contain moisture and will explode when heated.  Then, after the rock has been heated by the fire, brush away the burned wood, set your pot or pan on the rock, and build the coals up around the pot on the rock or cook foods directly on the rock. This approach requires patience and planning ahead and cooking will probably take longer than cooking on a grid directly over the coals. You may also be able to carefully position rocks to support your pots and pans. If you have cast-iron cookware, you can even cook directly on the coals. DO NOT try this with light weight aluminum cookware unless you WANT to see it puddle in the coals while your dinner oozes and steams away! Lacking real cookware, you may be able to improvise temporary cooking containers using ordinary tin cans. They won't stand up to extended use, but you can usually heat up stew or chili in its original can and may be able to re-use the can several times before it begins to burn through. If you don't have any pots or pans at all you may be able to cook fish or pieces of meat on a "frying pan" made of green branches. Start with a forked flexible stick and form the ends of the two branches into an oval. The final shape should look kind of like a tennis racket. Then weave sticks up and down and across the oval. Attach your fish or meat by lacing extra branches over it and cook it to perfection. In a survival situation you may not have any pots or pans. You can make a bowl out of clay or even ordinary mud and fill it with water, soup or stew, then add small hot rocks one at a time until it reaches the desired temperature.

Building the right kind of campfire is critical to successful cooking.  As always, you don't want a bigger fire than you need.  Trying to cook on a raging bonfire is not fun at all.  Any minimal success is likely be tainted by food that is charred on the outside and raw in the middle.  And you're likely to roast your own skin about as much as you do the meal you're trying to prepare.  A really good fire for cooking is a Daktoa Fire Pit. This is one of the most efficient cooking fires ever. Some tricks for cooking on a regular campfire include laying two green logs across the coals.  Place them so they're not quite parallel, but have one end about 3" apart and the other end about 7" apart.  Place your coffee pot or tea kettle on the narrow end and cook in larger pats and frying pants on the wider end.  You can also use rocks to support your pans and, sometimes, you can cook directly on the heated rocks if you need to slow cook something.  Heated rocks are a good spot for baking bread.

Dutch oven cooking is popular among many camping enthusiasts. It can be done over a campfire, but is usually done using charcoal briquettes for better temperature control and more even heat. Dutch ovens are the old fashioned version of today's "crock pot" cookers. You can cook just about any thing in a dutch oven: main courses, breads, even cakes and other tasty deserts. Traditional dutch ovens are made of cast iron and are nearly indestructible. Today there are modern aluminum versions which are lighter to carry, but most campers still prefer the venerable cast iron ovens. You can fill them with goodies and let them simmer just about all day for a tender and tasty evening repast. Cast iron dutch ovens need to be "seasoned" before they can be used. This puts a coating of what is essentially burned cooking oil on the surface. This prevents rust, helps keep foods from sticking, and adds a unique flavor to meals. Cleaning a dutch oven mostly consists of scraping away the residual foods with a plastic scraper and wiping it down with paper towels or crumpled newspaper. NEVER use soap or detergent to clean a dutch oven. It will destroy the seasoning and leave a residue that may contaminate your food and give it an awful taste and possibly give you a case of the runs! There are many good web sites that give dutch oven cooking tips and recipes. If someone washes your dutch oven with soap, rinse it thoroughly and re-season it before using it again.

Emergency pots. If you find yourself without anything to cook in, you may still be able to boil water using hot rocks. Form a kind of bowl out of leaves or mud or hollow out a piece of wood -- or use a canvas bag -- anything that will hold water. Fill it with water. Place several small rocks (up to golf ball size) in your fire until they are hot. Then drop them into the water. Keep adding rocks (you may have to remove some of the cooler rocks so your bowl doesn't overflow) until the water reaches the desired temperature. If you have any canned goods, you can usually heat them in their original cans (be sure to open the can or at least punch some holes in the top before putting it in the fire. Otherwise, it might explode! Empty cans can be used for boiling water or preparing other foods. They can also come in handy for collecting water and capturing fish and game for food. You might yank the metal headlight "pan" off an disabled OHV and use it for a cooking pot.  I've even seen demonstrations of boiling water in a paper cup!  As long as there's water in the cup it keeps the paper from reaching its ignition point, but trying to use it over an open flame may cause the paper to overheat and ignite anyway.

In a survival situation you probably won't have any cooking pots.  You might be able to carve a bowl out of wood or make one of clay or even ordinary mud.  Then you can drop hot rocks into the water or other liquids in the bowl to heat them.

The Famous R2D2. An alternative to open campfires that is sometimes permitted even when open fires are prohibited is what our family calls "R2D2". R2D2 is an old washing machine tub we sometimes use for a fire pit. We've even had forest rangers borrow our R2D2 on windy nights. A tub from a dryer might work too.  They're usually larger, letting you build a bigger fire but making them more difficult to transport.  The perforations in either tub (not all dry tubs are perforated) allow plenty of ventilation yet restrict the wind from scattering embers the way it can from an open fire.  The porcelain coating stands up to the heat and prevents rust. Most washer tubs have a center tube where the agitator mounts.  While that may get in the way of loading firewood, it does serve some useful purposes in camp.  For example, I use the tube to put a "foot" on the tub to get it up off the ground.  I mount mine on a stand so it is a few inches above the ground. This serves two purposes. One, you can get your toes right under it to get them warm on cold nights, and two, it brings the top of the unit up to a comfortable cooking height.  The stand consists of a cut down RV table leg that fits inside the bottom of the agitator tube and the outdoor tripod designed to let you use your RV table outside.  I mounted a round grate from an old back yard BBQ on a piece of pipe that fits in the center tube at the top of the washing machine tub, giving me a perfect cooking surface for burgers, hotdogs, corn on the cob, baked potatoes, etc, and for pots for heating water or cooking other things. Contact me (desertrat@desertrat.org) if you are interested in more information about acquiring the materials and building your own R2D2. I can't take credit for the idea -- or the name. In fact, we usually refer to ours as "R2D2 Me Too" since the original R2D2 belongs to a dirt-biking buddy from California. By the way the name is derived from the round, squat shape and the way the fire blinks through the perforations like the lights on Star Wars robot R2D2.  When we are done with our fire for the night, I put a metal garbage can lid over the top, held down by a rock, to prevent any embers from escaping. All the left-over wood burns down to a fine ash by morning, without the danger of spreading hot embers in the wind. Then it can be dumped out and packed up for the trip home. The metal lid might also be used to protect the fire from rain that might otherwise put it out before you're ready to shut down.  When it is on its stand, the bottom is a few inches off the ground. This brings the cooking surface up to a more comfortable height and allows us to get our toes underneath to warm them up on cold nights.

The venerable Coleman stove. The camp stove, in white gas or propane versions, has been a staple of camp cooking for generations. These are fairly inexpensive, light weight and easy to transport, and allow you to prepare food outdoors about the same way you would cook on the stove at home or in your RV. You have nearly the same control over them as  you do your gas range at home or in an RV. Camp stoves are excellent resources to have in your emergency preparedness supplies. Just make sure you have the right fuel.   There are some stoves that are made for "dual fuel" operation.  They will run on either white  gas/Coleman fuel or regular unleaded gasoline.  There are light weight, single-burner back-packer stoves that run on butane. They are very small and light weight so they are easy to store and to carry. The fuel canister is about the size of a can of shaving cream. These are great for short back-packing trips but fuel could be a problem in any kind of extended survival situation. White gas and propane are usually much less expensive, but the larger stoves and fuel containers are not suitable for all situations (like back-packing). The little butane stoves often have built-in flint-and-steel or piezio-electric lighters. The larger Coleman style stoves usually have to be lit with a match or lighter or can be equipped with an add-on flint lighter. Make sure you place the stove on a solid, level, non-flammable surface. Cooking on either of these types of stoves is much the same as using a gas range at home. Make sure you have sufficient overhead and lateral clearance so that you don't set the trees or bushes or your tent or RV on fire. You may need to provide some kind of wind break in breezy conditions. Sometimes the breeze can be strong enough to blow out the flame but even when it isn't that strong, it tends to blow the heat away before it can do its job cooking your meal. Some gasoline powered stoves are built to run on either white gas (Coleman fuel) or ordinary unleaded gasoline. Ordinary unleaded gas is less expensive and will probably be more available in a disaster situation, so having a dual-fuel or unleaded gas stove has its advantages. DO NOT use your Coleman stove in a tent or structure that isn't made for cooking. Stoves require appropriate ventilation to function properly and to prevent you from suffocating as they consume oxygen and give off toxic fumes. Using a stove inside a tent also presents MANY fire hazards. In addition, cooking fumes will damage tent materials, reducing performance and longevity, and creating unpleasant odors that will be difficult if not impossible to get out. Most Coleman and similar style camp stoves have built-in wind protection. Open the lid and swing out the side panels and you've wind guards on 3 sides of your stove. Face the back of the stove into the prevailing winds and you'll probably be able to successfully prepare your meals in all but the very windiest conditions.

Camp Chef is another good brand for outdoor cooking options. Their products are usually bigger, stronger, and hotter than ordinary camp stoves. The Camp Chef stove we bought is a two-burner model with removable legs that lets it fold up into a compact package for transport and storage. Options include a BBQ box and very nice grill/griddle combinations that add a lot of flexibility to this stove. A 6" high wind guard is also available and helps a lot in windy conditions. A Camp Chef stove will easily accommodate large frying pants and stock pots for preparing meals for larger groups of people.  Available accessories worth considering include grill/griddles,  a BBQ box, and a sturdy canvas carrying case.

Portable propane BBQs. There are a number of portable propane BBQs on the market that are good choices for camping and picnicing. They use the small 1 lb. propane cylinders so they are easy to transport, set up, and use. They provide pretty much the same features as cooking on your gas BBQ at home, but in a smaller package. You can fuel these directly from the propane tank on your RV using an "Extend-a-flow" system that connects from the RV gas line to the stove. You will also want to protect these against wind. On more than one occasion it was windy enough that I gave up grilling hamburgers outside and had to fry them in a pan on the RV range. Again, DO NOT use BBQs or hibatchis inside a tent or RV and avoid using them under an RV awning, a dining fly, or other fabric canopy.

Charcoal. Many people like cooking with charcoal. It is a fairly efficient method and, depending on the type of wood the charcoal is made from, can lend a pleasant taste to burgers and steaks grilled directly over the coals. Charcoal is also a good fuel for Dutch oven cooking. One draw-back is that it takes some time to get the charcoal going, so make sure you plan ahead and give yourself enough lead time. If you use charcoal lighter fluid to start your charcoal, you'll want to allow time enough for all the lighter fluid to burn away before cooking anything directly over the coals. Charcoal lighter fluid is not at the top of anyone's list of favorite condiments! Small table-top charcoal grills and Hibachis are popular choices for camping and picnicing. Personally I prefer the convenience of gas-fired grills. They light easily and heat up more quickly, fuel is cleaner to transport, and I don't have to worry about disposing of hot coals when I'm done.

Disposable charcoal grills can be useful when transport space is limited.  These are usually intended to be used once and thrown away.  They have lightweight pans that don't stand up to repeated use.  They usually come with the charcoal already loaded in the pan.  Just unwrap the whole works, light the charcoal, and you're in business.

Solar cooking. Now we get into some of the more adventurous and experimental techniques. Solar cooking is excellent in survival or disaster situations and is a clean and economic method anytime. You can find numerous plans for solar stoves and solar ovens on the Internet. While specific designs vary, they mostly use the same commonly available materials: cardboard and aluminum foil. The idea is to form reflectors that concentrate the sun's rays on the container you wish to heat. An efficient solar stove can boil water fairly quickly. Solar stoves are light weight, inexpensive to build, cost nothing to operate and can be used anywhere you have sunlight. A solar cooker would be an excellent thing to have in your emergency supply kit. In a survival situation you might make one using only aluminum foil.  You can buy ready made solar cookers too, but to my mind they seem to be a little pricey.

Cooking for a large group? Cooking for a large group obviously takes some special preparations. It is difficult to get everything ready for a lot of people all at the same time. I used to have two 2-burner Coleman stoves and one 3-burner stove I used for scout outings and larger family gatherings. Those were usually more than enough for extended family groups and even some Boy Scout and Church outings. I picked up a larger Camp Chef stove a few years ago. It has two very large burners and there are tons of accessories available for it, including a BBQ box and grill/griddle combination. It has its own adjustable legs so it can be set up level on uneven ground and I don't have to worry about finding a non-combustible surface to set it on. It runs off a portable propane tank like the one you use for your home BBQ or can be hooked to your RV propane tank via an Extend-a-Flow kit. I have found it very versatile for outdoor cooking. The grill/griddle is GREAT for steaks and pancakes. It is a bit large and a bit heavy compared to Coleman stoves. You would not want to take it hiking, but it is great for RV and car camping trips.

A friend of mine in California built the ultimate camp kitchen. He got hold of some surplus cook stove components from an old forest service camp kitchen that was being renovated. He bought a little trailer frame, like one of the kits you put a sheet of plywood on to make a 4x8 flatbed trailer. He built a steel framework to mount the stoves. He had a large (at least 3'x3') grill/griddle, a grate about the same size for cooking hamburgers and large cuts of meat, and a couple of big burners for heating pots of water. He enclosed the sides of the trailer and added a top with fold-out legs so, when lifted off the trailer, the top provided a large table for food preparation and serving. He added a tall lantern hook like a shepherd's crook for a Coleman lantern, and powered the whole thing off a huge propane tank like those used for mobile homes. It provided a truly professional cooking environment and was actually fun cooking for huge groups using his setup. The grill/griddle did dozens of hamburgers at a time and we could cook breakfast for 50 people or so (eggs, bacon, sausage, and pancakes) all at once so everyone could eat together. The extra burners heated water while we were cooking for hot beverages and for clean-up. If you come across some used restaurant equipment and want to make your own portable camp kitchen, keep in mind that the orifices used for propane and natural gas are different sizes and you may have to change them if the unit you purchase was rigged for natural gas.

Microwave ovens are more likely to be used in an RV than on a picnic table when tent camping, but if you're in a campground with power or have brought a portable generator along, you might use a microwave outdoors.  One of the advantages of cooking outdoors is that it keeps the heat and fumes out of your RV.   Serving a piping hot pizza or some Hot Pockets right from the microwave on the picnic table can be rather convenient.  And  you can't beat the speed at which microwave ovens prepare things for  you.  For example, you can whip up a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate in 1 minute.

Emergency meals. If you find yourself using your camp cooking skills in a post-disaster situation, knowing how to prepare simple meals with minimal resources will be advantageous. Be sure to try out some during normal camping trips so you'll know how to do it when disaster strikes. Foil dinners, also known as "hobo stew" are simple and can be cooked in a campfire or on a stove or BBQ. Simply wrap some meat, potatoes and vegetables (seasoned to taste) in aluminum foil and heat until the meat is cooked and the potatoes are no longer crunchy. If you are without pots and pans you can sometimes make do cooking on stones. Put some dry, flat, non-porous stones in the bottom of your fire for about an hour. When the fire burns down enough, sweep the ashes off with a handful of long green (not dry) grass, then cook meat, fish, eggs, etc right on the hot stones. MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) have pretty much replaced the old-time C-rations for military applications and are now available to civilians at most outdoor supply stores. They are pretty easy to transport and have a long shelf life but they tend to be a little pricey. Be aware that even though they come in sealed foil pouches, they are still susceptible to being chewed into by rodents.  Old-time C-rations make good emergency meals if you can get your hands on some. They still occasionally show up at military surplus stores. Sometimes they are released from Civil Defense Emergency centers when the facilities are retired or renovated. Even though the expiration date may have passed, they are probably still viable unless the cans are bulging or corroded. You may be able to heat canned food like chili, stew, soup or canned meat by placing the can on the exhaust manifold of your vehicle, either while it is running or while it is still hot shortly after parking it. Make sure you have a way to remove it without burning your hands! Wear gloves or use pliers to pick it up -- or use a stick to knock it off the manifold.  This was a favorite way to heat up C-rations when I was in the Army more years ago than I like to count.

I have recently come across emergency meals that include their own heat packs.  They come a dozen in a box and are completely self-contained meals, except for drinks.  Having their own heat packs eliminates the need for stoves or fires making them very attractive options for dealing with an emergency situation,

Bon appetite!

Desert Camping

Desert camping?  Yeah, right!  Most folks would rather go to the forest or the beach.  However, desert camping can have its benefits, especially for OHV enthusiasts.  Deserts also offer clear skies for star gazing that you won't find anyplace else, except maybe some remote beaches.

Having spent 30+ years camping and dirt biking in the Mojave Desert in southern California, I can lend a little expertise to making the most of camping in the desert. We spent almost every holiday weekend doing it.  A lot of people find the desert unappealing and even ugly. Certainly there are ugly and unappealing deserts (some of the badlands of New Mexico come to mind for me, yet there is even a stark beauty to be found there), but there are many advantages to desert camping, especially if you're also looking to do some OHVing. There are many good places to camp and ride in the Mojave Desert, but they are becoming fewer and farther between as both environmental closures and urban sprawl takes its toll. Funny how areas where OHV activity was deemed too damaging to the environment can fall to bulldozers, housing developments, shopping centers, and parking lots without so much as a whimper! Also how dirt bikes can be blamed for erosion in sand washes where one summer rain does more damage than a decade of riding.  OHVs are often blamed for irreparable damage yet I've seen trails we rode at Thanksgiving completely overgrown by April, in spite of claims of irreversible damage by self-styled environmentalists (also commonly known as eco-freaks). Do I sound a bit cynical? Maybe, because I am! I've seen too many trails closures for no logical reason. I once rode 7 miles on one single track trail in a steep sand wash before encountering a "CLOSED" sign out in the middle of nowhere!  There was no apparent reason for the trail to have been closed.  Later, a discussion with a BLM official confirmed that many of the closures were simply "paper exercises".  They had been given a mandate to close a certain amount of miles of trails and did so arbitrarily, as a "paper exercise" without any input from the users or actual inspection of the trails or usage.  I'm all for protecting legitimately sensitive areas, but,quite frankly, arbitrary closures do more to damage and cloud actual environmental issues that should be addressed.  I once spent an entire weekend assisting an off road group installing CLOSED signs on certain  trails to reroute riders to OPEN trails and prevent more closures.

The key to enjoyable desert excursions is preparation and flexibility. Bring along plenty of water and wear loose clothing. Tank tops and short shorts may seem like a good idea when its hot out and may entertain and even excite your fellow campers, but in reality you'll be cooler -- and avoid painful sunburn and possibly insect bites -- wearing a light, long-sleeved shirt and loose pants. Take a clue from the nomadic tribes of the far east. They dress in long flowing robes that totally cover their bodies, protecting them from direct sunlight and allowing air to circulate and perspiration to cool their skin. Its kind of like walking around in the shade all day. A broad-brimmed hat is always a good idea in hot, sunny weather. We also found frequently spritzing ourselves from spray bottles was a good way to cool down. They are inexpensive, readily available, and easy to use. NEVER venture far from camp without plenty of drinking water! I've tried many different ways to carry water when dirt biking. I started off with an old 1-quart Army canteen that worked pretty well but the best solution I have found is a Camelbak hydration pack. It has a larger capacity (we have some as large as 90 ounces) and it is far more convenient. You can get a drink while still riding instead of having to stop and retrieve your canteen from you belt. I add a piece of velcro to the bite valve and a corresponding mate to the front of my chest protector so I can keep the drinking tube handy and prevent it from getting caught on bushes. Whatever your desert activity, you will be better off sipping small amounts of water often rather than waiting until you are really thirsty and gulping it down. For one thing, by the time you feel thirsty, you're already on your way to being dehydrated. For another, a belly fully of cold water can cause cramps and, believe me, you don't want to be bouncing around on an OHV with a belly full of cold water! You're libel to spew most of it out and it isn't pleasant and doesn't go very far toward keeping you hydrated. Another trick we've found helpful is to wear a wet bandanna around our necks. It helps cool the blood and protects the bare skin between your helmet and your riding shirt from sunburn. During rest stops you can take it off, dump some water on it, and cool your face before putting it back on with a fresh load of cooling water.  I once tried a vest that was supposed to cool the torso. It consisted of a quilted material that was supposed to be super absorbent and retain a lot of water to keep you cool. I think it worked for a while, but by the end of the ride it was mostly just a hot, damp, uncomfortable blanket under my riding jersey. Simply letting a little of the water from my Camelbak trickle down my front and back was much more satisfying in the long run -- and a whole lot cheaper! There are fancier cooling vests that circulate cooled liquid, but they are expensive and heavy.  Plan your rides -- or hikes or other activities -- for the cooler parts of the day whenever you can. Go out early in the morning or in the late afternoon or early evening to avoid the hottest part of the day. Or plan your outings for the cooler parts of the year. When riding in hot weather we like to get an early start before it gets too hot, ride for 2-3 hours, then come back to camp for lunch and some cool refreshments before it gets TOO hot. Kick off your boots and take time to stay out of the sun and cool down during the hottest part of the day. Then take another ride in the late afternoon when it (hopefully) has started to cool down a bit. When taking late afternoon rides, try to plan your route so you're not riding toward the setting sun when you return to camp. When the sun is right at the horizon your visor won't do you any good and you'll be nearly blinded if you're riding directly toward that glowing orb. If you're back in the pack, dust from riders in front of you will reduce visibility to near zero.  And that's an accident just waiting to happen.  Always wear sun glasses or tinted goggles to prevent eye damage in bright sunlight but if there's a chance you'll be out as it gets dark, you'll want clear lenses.  I've tried those that automatically darken in sunlight and get lighter as it gets dark and really like them.  They might be a bit more expensive than regular lenses but the convenience and added safety are well worth it.  However, with many brand name goggles listed around $35 anyway, choosing light sensitive goggles at $35-40 is pretty much a no brainer.

Another trick is to hydrate yourself BEFORE you venture out on the trails.   Drink plenty of water or sports drinks the day or evening before you plan desert activities and then take small sips frequently during the day.  You will know you're pretty well hydrated when you need to pee frequently and the pee is clear or nearly clear.  Dark colored urine is sign of dehydration and indicates you need more liquids right away.  By the way, when feel thirsty that is your body telling you that you are already starting to get dehydrated so don't wait until you are thirsty to take a drink.  There is one time when light urine isn't good.  The condition is called hypnotremia and is colloquially known as "water intoxification".  This happens when you're drinking plenty of water but not getting enough electrolytes.  Then your body can't use the water and simply passes it through.   You MUST maintain a proper level of electrolytes (especially salt) along with plenty of liquids to stay hydrated and healthy.  If you feel lathargic in hot weather, you are probably beginning to get dehydrated.  You'll be surprised how much more energetic you feel have a drinking  glass or two of water.

Bases camp options. Having a comfortable base camp to return to after a few hours in the hot sun will be heavenly and is often essential for good health. Whether you're in an RV or tent camping, set up your base camp so you can enjoy some shade and cool refreshments when you return from an activity. Extend your RV patio awning or set up a dining fly, EZ-up, sun shade or umbrella so you'll have a shady place to rest. With daytime temperatures greater than 100 degrees, we soon found various ways to stay cool. Mist systems, like those you might use on your patio at home, can be connected to your RV water supply or an auxiliary battery powered pump to cool the area under your awning. I set mine up using its own water pump and portable water containers so I wouldn't burn up my main RV water pump and use up all of my precious drinking water. Once again, spray bottles are an easy and inexpensive alternative to mist systems for personal cooling--and they're portable.  You can also purchase portable personal mist systems that have pumps built into the bottles so you can pressurize them for continuous and effortless cooling. Don't leave awnings or canopies set up when it is or expected to be windy.  Better to take a few minutes to set them up when you get back to camp than come back to find them damaged or destroyed by winds while you were gone.  This was an expensive lesson I learned personally.

Keep your RV cool.  If you have AC and a generator, start cooling your RV early in the day before it heats up, then keep it going until curfew to cool the interior (including furniture and fixtures) as much as possible before you have to turn it off at night.  Make use of your awnings, drapes, shades, and/or curtains to keep as much heat outside as you can.  Adding reflective foam panels in the windows will go a long way toward keeping it cooler inside.  You can buy the foam insulation such as Reflectix in convenient rolls at hardware store, home centers, and RV stores.  Then just cut it to fit each window.  I like to cut mine about 1/2" bigger than the window opening so it fits tight all the way around.  A tight fit not only blocks light but helps keep hot air from circulating out from between the window and the insulation, making he "dead air space" between them part of the insulation.

Swimming/wading pools. Taking your own swimming pool when you go camping is probably not a very feasible option for most people. If you are going somewhere that has an abundant water supply or you have a big water truck and you have room to carry a Doughboy pool you might get away with it. When our kids were little, we brought along a plastic wading pool and some extra water to fill it. It was quite a summer hit out in the Mojave Desert. You'd be surprised how many big, burly, macho dirt-bikers came over to share the kiddie pool. We either hauled along a 55 gallon drum or several 6-gallon "Igloo" water jugs in the back our our pickup to fill the pool.  We chose a rigid plastic pool instead of an inflatable one. The inflatable pool would have taken less room in the trailer, but we didn't have to worry about puncturing the hard plastic model.  The one we normally used was about 6' in diameter and about one foot deep.  You won't do a lot of swimming in it, but you can get wet and cool off.  The only downside we found was that the water attracted every sweat bee within miles.  Fortunately they are usually not very aggressive and don't sting like yellow jackets and wasps.

Refreshments. If you might be headed toward dehydration, focus on drinking water and/or sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade. The sports drinks contain critical minerals to restore the electrolyte balance in your body. You lose a lot of salt and other minerals through sweat. If you don't replenish them your body will suffer and it will not be able to use the water you do drink to quench your thirst. Avoid caffeinated and alcoholic drinks. Caffeine and alcohol both accelerate dehydration. Over the years we developed a taste for snow cones on hot days. If you have an RV with a fridge to make and keep ice and a generator to power the ice shaver, you will be the hit of the camp ground when you start turning out snow cones. Note: snow cones may be tasty and refreshing, but they are not a substitute for proper hydration. Drink plenty of water and sports drinks. If your urine is turning dark or you're not peeing very often or at all, you aren't getting enough to drink. Avoid alcoholic and high-caffeine beverages as both will contribute to faster dehydration. And water alone isn't enough. You need to replace electrolytes, especially salt. There is a condition called hypnoatremia, sometimes known as "water intoxification", where your body is so low on electrolytes that you can't make use of the water you are drinking. You can drink quarts and quarts of water and still get dehydrated.  Without electrolytes it just passes straight through. Funny, I always that it was beer that went straight through, because it doesn't have to slow down to change colors. If you begin experiencing symptoms of heat exhaustion, such as muscle cramps, drink some pickle juice or salt water.  We've found that pickle juice brings almost instant relief for heat cramps,especially if you hold it under your tongue so it can be absorbed directly through the membranes.  The brine from pickles contains a lot of essential electrolytes.  You can also buy electrolytes in concentrated liquid, powder, or tablet form.  These are usually mixed with water to quickly replenish lost electrolytes.

Keeping your equipment cool. All motorized vehicles have cooling systems to get rid of excess engine heat. These systems are stressed to the max in hot weather. Air-cooled engines are especially susceptible to hot weather. Try to avoid using them during the hottest parts of the day and make sure to keep the cooling fins clean and free from oil and dirt that would hold in the heat. Keep OHVs moving in order for the air to carry heat away. Do not allow them to idle any longer than necessary. For liquid-cooled engines, make sure to maintain the coolant at the proper level with the proper liquid. Keep the radiator fins  on liquid cooled machines and the cooling fins on air cooled engines clean and free from dirt, oil, and debris that would inhibit air flow. Idling is less of a hazard for liquid cooled engines than for air cooled units, but it should still be avoided if possible. Never dump cold water or liquid into an empty radiator with the engine off. If the coolant level is extremely low the cold liquid may come in direct contact with hot engine components and cause serious damage. Always have the engine running when adding cold coolant. This helps mix the new coolant with any that is left in the system and reduces the chances of cold coolant cracking the engine parts. Engines may be more likely to seize in hot weather, especially air-cooled 2-cycle engines. Frequent changes in throttle setting can squirt cool fuel into the engine to help keep it cooler than it would be running at a constant rate. One of my dirt-biking buddies, an experienced rider who should have known better, seized his 2-stroke engine cruising across a dry lake bed at a constant speed in hot weather. Believe me, the last thing you want to do is push a hot, 300# bike across a hot desert in hot weather! Just "goosing" the gas from time to time can help keep an engine cooler and better lubricated as it squirts a little raw fuel directly into the intake manifold.  This is especially true for two-stroke engines that depend on the oil mixed in the gas for lubrication.

RV Generators are often air-cooled and are thus susceptible to high ambient temperatures.  If your generator is liquid cooled, be sure to keep an eye on the coolant level.  Unfortunately, if you want to run your air conditioner, you'll have to run your generator. Keep the cooling fins clear and make sure nothing restricts air flow through the generator compartment. Check the oil level frequently as low oil levels can add to over-heating problems and engine failure. Also check the air filter and keep it clean. A clogged air filter will make the generator work harder. Also keep the cooling fins and internal filter on your A/C clean for best and most efficient operation. The vents in most generator cabinets are usually sufficient.  Make sure they aren't blocked by debris or loose insulation.  If you have any question about the generator getting enough air, open the cabinet door.  It will be a little noisier, but it may help it run cooler.  If your generator shuts down due to high load, low oil, or overheating, turn off the A/C(s) before restarting the generator. Leave them off at last 5 minutes before turning them back on to allow the head pressure in the compressor to bleed off. Otherwise, they may seize and damage the A/C unit and overload the generator again when you restart it.

Ice chests and RV refrigerators can be heavily stressed by hot desert weather.   To get the most out of your ice chests or RV fridge, limit opening them as much as you can.  Keep ice chests in the shade.  Allow foods to cool to at least the ambient temperature before putting them in the ice chest or fridge.  Don't over pack your RV fridge.  It needs to have room for air to circulate in order to do its job.  Internal fans, either battery powered or 12-volt, will circulate the air and improve performance.  Don't put hot foods in the fridge; let them at least cool to the ambient temperature first.  And keep moist foods covered or stored in plastic containers to avoid frost buildup from excess humidity inside the refrigerator cabinet.  Auxiliary cooling fans for the exterior coils will also improve performance.  I like the solar powered versions since they don't drain the batteries.  They come with a small solar panel you mount on the refrigerator roof vent. or the fans and panels are built in to a replacement vent cover.  I've also tried the "inside doors" made of plastic strips that supposedly reduce air flow when you put something in or take it out of the fridge.   You may have seen them in supermarkets to separate the meat department from the sales floor.  Frankly, I didn't notice any improvement in fridge performance and the darn things were a nuisance to work with.  If you find your fridge needs help, try using fans, both inside (battery powered) to circulate the cool air and outside (12 volt or solar powered) to remove heat from the coils.  Avoid over filling your refrigerator.  It limits air circulation and impacts its ability to keep things cool.

Desert nights. Temperature wise, night time can be the most comfortable part of the day in the desert. But sometimes desert nights can get down right cold. I've seen the air temperature drop from over 100° F during the day to around 40° F around the campfire. Desert nights are good for camp fire activities, star gazing, moonlight walks, and, if your OHV is equipped with proper lighting, some night rides. Even with proper lighting is is going to be hard to see obstacles, so be extra careful and make sure you don't over drive your headlights. You need to be able to change direction or stop within the distance your headlights reach. I was once out with a group of about 18 riders who managed to find themselves still about 4 hours from camp when it got dark. Definitely bad planning. Only 4 bikes had headlights. Getting back to camp was excruciating. We had to space out the unlighted bikes between the lighted ones so they could see a little of the trails and follow the lights on the bikes that had them. Plan your rides so you'll be back before dark unless you all have adequate lights on your vehicles. Desert temperature can change more than you might think. It may still be almost too warm to sleep when it comes time to go to bed and you'll end up on top of your covers or outside your sleeping bag. But keep your bedding handy because it often gets uncomfortably cold before morning. Day time highs of over 100 may drop into the low 40s over night in the desert.

Trying to guess what the temperatures will be at bed time is often an exercise in futility.   Your best bet is to be flexible.  If it is still hot when you hit the sack, start off sleeping out from under the covers, but keep your bedding close by, because it could turn quite cold before morning.  It isn't a good idea to try to run an RV generator to keep the AC going while you're sleeping.  Carbon monoxide from the exhaust may infiltrate your sleeping space and then you'd never wake up.  In RVs, open the roof vents and some windows.  The hot air will rise out through the roof vent and draw cooler (hopefully) air in through the windows.  At any rate, the circulation should help you feel cooler.  Is is surprising how much circulation you can get even if your roof vents don't have fans to help move the air.  Oscillating 12-volt fans directed at where you're sleeping can work wonders.  Battery powered fans can help keep you cooler if you're in a tent.  Battery powered fans may be useful in an RV so you don't run down your house battery during the night.

Desert campfires. Desert nights would not be complete without campfires. Most desert areas have sparse vegetation so campfires are usually pretty safe in the desert. You do need to consider wind direction to make sure sparks and smoke don't blow into your tent or or RV or set your toys (or someone else's) on fire, but unless you build your fire right next to a clump of bushes there is little chance of starting a major conflagration. However, there is usually some foliage in most deserts, so do keep an eye on where your sparks are blowing. Since desert nights are often cool, even cold, a campfire is a welcome addition to most desert camping evenings. It isn't uncommon to see temperatures in the 40s after it climbing to near 100 during the day. Clear nights tend to be especially cold.  Cloud cover reflects back some of the heat captured by the soil during the day but on clear nights the heat is free to escape into the empty night sky.

Desert animals usually don't pose a problem, except perhaps for the occasional poisonous snake that may crawl into camp.  We very much enjoywd being serenaded by coyotes and owls but they never posed a problem.  Poisonous insects pose another danger to campers.  Avoid walking around barefoot or in flipflops or other flimsy footwear to you don't become an easy target for scorpions, spiders, and other dangerous bugs.  Mosquitoes are not usually a problem in the desert but might be if you are camped anywhere near stagnant water.  Sweat bees (so named because they have an apparent attraction to the salt in human sweat) are likely to show up where ever people and water are but usually don't bite unless threatened.  They seemed to be drawn to the little wading pools we set up to keep the kids cool so maybe they just like water.  BTW, it was really amusing to see big, burly dirt biker in the kiddie pool!

Safety. Desert camping and OHV activities require some special safety considerations. For one thing, you are very likely to encounter rattlesnakes and poisonous insects. Do NOT stroll around in flip-flops. Do not step over rocks or logs where you can't see if there is a snake lurking on the far side just waiting to bite you. Never put your hand into a hole in the ground or under a bush where you can't see it is clear. Piles of dirt in the desert are enticing to ride your OHV over. But remember, that dirt had to come from somewhere so there is probably a hole or at least a depression nearby, perhaps right on the other side where you're planning to land. Many riders have been severely injured and their equipment destroyed when the rode or fell into an open pit or an old mine shaft. The openness of many desert riding areas encourages riders to go fast and that can be a lot of fun -- until you hit something or someone! Bushes may not seem to pose much of an obstacle for powerful dirt bikes and 4-wheelers. However, chances are pretty good that that bush got its start when its seed found shelter behind a rock, and rocks can do a lot of damage! Watch for other traffic and be especially careful when negotiating blind corners around rocks, trees, bushes, and vehicles. It is not uncommon to come across deep rain ruts or deep, steep-edged dry creek beds. Be prepared to turn quickly to avoid them or learn how to safely jump into or over them. Learn to identify the difference in foliage along water channels so you can avoid them or be prepared for them ahead of time.  The density of vegetation is usually greater along stream beds and will often be a darker shade or even a different color than the prevailing plants out in the open.

Dehydration and over-exposure to sunlight is a major concern when desert camping. Always carry water with you and sip it often to maintain sufficient body fluids. Stay out of the sun when you can. Wear light, loose-fitting clothing and a broad-brimmed hat and use sunscreen to protect your body from direct sunlight. Wear sunglasses or tinted goggles to protect your eyes from glare. Protect your equipment from over heating too. Maintain coolant levels and avoid excessive idling. 2-stroke engines, popular in many older OHVs, get some cooling from the fuel. Riding a long time at a constant speed may contribute to overheating. "Goosing" the throttle now and then will help spray cool fuel into the cylinder.

Keep cool!