Wecome To RVs and OHVs

This blog is all about RVs (recreational vehicles) and OHVs (Off Highway Vehicles), camping, sailing, and survival
and how they work together to provide wholesome family fun and great learning opportunities.
Many posts are intended to familiarize novice campers and RVers with RV systems and basic camping and survival
skills. But even experienced RVers and campers will enjoy the anecdotes and may even benefit from a new
perspective. Comments, questions, and suggestions are encouraged. The organization is pretty much by date of publication because of how blogspot works. Please use the SEARCH option below to find what you are looking for.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Doing Laundry In Camp or On Your Boat

Do Laundry in camp?  Yeah, right!  Most of us prefer to just bag it and take it home.  And that's all right for weekend outings.  But for longer trips you will have to make other arrangements.  Some high end RVs have washers and dryers, but using them while boondocking depletes your fresh water fast and fills your holding tanks quickly.  I had a large Class A with a washer and dryer for several years but never really had a chance to use it.  The one time I tried to use the dryer to dry some wet riding gear I found it had been sitting idle for so long that the rollers had gotten flat spots on them and it sounded like it was full of big tennis shoes even when it was empty!  Dis-use can be really bad on lots of pieces of equipment.  Some RV parks have coin op washers and dryers or you may be able to find a nearby laundromat when traveling.

When you do have to do laundry in camp, your camping style and location will determine your options.  Recent surveys indicate a majority of RVers, perhaps as much as 3/4 or more, prefer camping in a full service RV park.  Some high end campgrounds have an on site coin op laundry.  In which case doing laundry means just packing it and hauling to the laundromat.  But in more primitive situations you will have to make do with the resources you bring with you.  Regardless of what facilities may or may not be available and whether you'll try to do laundry in camp or take it home with you, you'll need to have a procedure for collecting and storing dirty clothes and linens.  We like to use individual net laundry bags for each person.  If you're camping near a town you may be able to go to a laundromat if you run out of clean clothes or linens before your trip is over.  Otherwise, you are going to have to figure out a way to wash your clothes in camp.

Most RVs don't come with clothes hampers and tents never do so you'll need to bring along some laundry bags to collect and corral your dirty clothes.  I picked up some inexpensive mesh laundry bags in several colors at my local dollar store so everyone in our family has their own personal bag for dirty clothes.   More recently I found some small collapsible hampers that only take up about as much room as a saucer when they're empty.  Another option is to stuff your dirty clothes in a plastic garbage bag.  Using the mesh bags allows moisture to evaporate and discourages proliferation of odor-causing bacteria, but, depending on how dirty the clothes are and what kinds of soil are on them, they may allow odors to contaminate the space in which they sit.  Hanging bags of dirty clothes alongside the clean clothes in your closet isn't a good idea.  Plastic bags will contain the odors but may promote development of additional odors, mold, and mildew inside the bag if kept tightly closed for too long, sometimes creating odors or stains that are difficult or impossible to remove.  One idea is to hang mesh bags in sunlight and fresh air to dry a few days to let nature control odors before you tuck them away in your RV or tow vehicle.  The UV in sunlight and the ozone in the air are pretty effective antibacterial and deodorizing agents.  Then find someplace to put them where they won't foul clean clothes or stink up your living space.  However, sunlight may cause fading or other damage to some fabrics.

There are portable, table-top, human-powered clothes washers that can be used in RVs, boats, or even when tent camping.  They are relatively light weight and inexpensive, but they also have a limited capacity, take a lot of muscle power, and are not the best options for heavy duty tasks like washing dirty jeans.   But they might be worth checking out, especially if you find  yourself frequently running out of things like T-shirts or dish towels.  In a pinch you can use a 5 gallon bucket and an ordinary sink plunger.  It isn't an elegant solution,  but it beats banging your clothes on a rock and it works!  That being said, if you are camping by water you might be able to at lease rinse out your clothes there  Be thoughtful of other users and avoid contaminating the water with soap or detergent..

You can always resort to washing out your clothes a sink, tub, or dishpan.  It is tedious and time-consuming but will work in a pinch.  Then hang them out on a clothesline, trees, or bushes to dry.  There are several clothesline options for RVs, ranging from a simple coil of rope or cable to elaborate racks that attach to the trailer hitch.  If you're only rinsing out a couple of items you can probably hang them in the shower on rainy days, but hanging them outside will usually dry them faster and gives them a fresher scent from being in the sun and fresh air.  Of course, if you're camped next to a cattle feeding lot or other source of foul odors (like if you're stuck next to a latrine!) you might not want to hang them outside.

Avoid hanging lots of wet laundry inside your RV.   It will greatly increase the interior humidity and may contribute to mold and mildew in hidden places.  It a worst case scenario, it might even put enough moisture on the walls to loosen wall coverings.  High humidity might attract and convert dust to mud in curtains, carpet, upholstery, and bedding.  High humidity usually translates to uncomfortable.  If you must hand wet laundry inside, hang it in the shower or over the tub, open the vent, and keep the bathroom door or curtain closed to minimize high humidity in the rest of the living space,

You will probably want to use the same detergent you usually use at home.  Switching detergents often leads to skin irritations and you sure don't need that when camping.  My personal preference for camping is a liquid detergent because it takes up less room than a big box of powder and its easy to measure using its own cap.  Just make sure to keep the lid on tight! Camping is not a good time to experiment with a different detergent, so be sure to try it out a home a few times if you normally use a powered detergent.  Having some spot treatment can help you deal with unusually difficult stains you might get while camping.  A good mechanics hand cleaner like Goop or Go-Jo does double duty -- cleaning greasy hands and pre-treating nasty stains.  WD-40 will also work to pre-treat heavy grease stains that often result from working on vehicles.

Tent campers might be able to wash out their clothes in the dish washing sink sometimes available near the shower house.   Lacking that you will need to wash them out in a basin or bucket at your campsite.  Washing clothes in warm water is usually better than washing them in cold water, but even a cold water wash might be enough to get you through until you can get home.

Doing laundry in a survival situation is probably going to be fairly low on your priority list, but it isn't something you should ignore entirely.  Keeping your clothing as clean as possible can help you avoid disease, make you  more comfortable, and more pleasant to be around if you have any companions with you.  It will also help you feel better too.  In a survival situation you aren't likely to have detergent and water will probably be scarce.  If you do have access to clean water, rinse your clothing out and hang it out to dry when it gets dirty.   Or just jump in the water with your clothes on and wash both you and your clothes at the same time.  You can also use the old-fashioned method of pounding your clothing on a rock to loosen stubborn dirt, but take care that you don't damage your clothing or wear holes in them.  Worn out clothes will be more of a problem than dirty clothes.  Take advantage of "wash day" to give yourself a good cleaning too.  Lacking enough water to wash your clothes, at least hang them out in the sunshine to dry and air out occasionally and give yourself an "air shower" or smoke shower at the same time.  Sunlight and fresh air will help to kill bacteria and freshen both  your body and your clothing. Sagebrush smoke is particularly good at killing bacteria on your body and in your clothes and leaves a pleasant scent of its own.

Avoid hanging wet clothing inside your tent to dry.  If you're stuck in rainy weather and have no other options, make sure the wet clothes don't drip onto your sleeping bag, pillow, back pack, or dry clothes and blankets.  Place a tarp or large plastic trash bag beneath them to catch drips. Keep the windows open if you can to allow as much air circulation as possible.  Trapping a lot of damp air inside  your tent may encourage the grow of mold and mildew, which can be unhealthy as well as unpleasant as well as slowing the drying of your clothes.  The moisture from you breath is already enough that on cool days drops will condense on the inside of your tent.  The last thing you need is to add to the humidity by hanging a batch of wet laundry inside.  It might be a good way to create your own private rain shower inside your tent!

Doing laundry on your boat is much like doing laundry in an RV.  However, you may be able to rinse out lightly soiled clothes in the water your boat is sitting in and hang them on the lifeline to dry.   Probably don't want to do that in salt water and might be prohibited or at least unwise if your fresh water is also a source of drinking water.   If you use detergent make sure to either contain the contaminated water in your holding tank for proper disposal or use safe, biodegradable soap.  Avoid hanging wet laundry inside the cabin as it will increase humidity and possibly cause increased moisture problems.  Best to hang laundry outside to dry if you can.  Hanging it in the cabin will increase humidity and condensation inside.  Sunlight is also a natural antibiotic that kills germs and reduces odors.

Clean up!

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

RV Extended Service Plans

The Good Sam Club offers RV Extended Service Plans that are essentially repair insurance.  They are NOT extended warranties, but are a unique insurance plan to pay for covered repairs.  They are available for just about any kind of RV but there are age, mileage, and purchase price restrictions.  For more details see Good Sam ESP qualifications.

An Extended Service Plan could be of great value if your RV breaks down and you're far from home.  Major repairs can be very expensive.  We paid over $16,000 to have a rebuilt engine installed in our Class A Motorhome and I've seen transmission repairs on some rigs that cost about as much.  The premiums for these plans may seem kind of expensive, but considering the huge benefits they deliver, including peace of mind, they are probably well worth it if your rig qualifies and you can afford the premiums.  It is very likely that even one covered claim will recoup just about all of your premiums.

Keep in mind that insurance companies make money because their average payout is about half the average premiums they collect so statistically, you probably won't ever use an extended warranty or extended service plan.  But, just like medical insurance, its really nice to have when you need it!

Dealers often offer extended service plans with the purchase of one of their units.   The premiums and coverage of these plans can vary widely, so know what you're buying. Pay special attention to the specific coverage and the requirements for submitting a claim.  Many times you must have the work pre-approved or your claim will be denied.  Look carefully at ALL the restrictions.  Many policies exclude parts costing less than say $15 and you could be stuck with hundreds of dollars in labor if the failed part is below the minimum, even if the subsequent damage amounts to thousands of dollars.  Given the high cost of many kinds of RV repairs, an extended service plan might be worth its costs.  I generally don't buy extended warranty coverage on anything unless it is really inexpensive.  I've found that too often I don't use it so its wasted money.  Only YOU can determine if it a plan is right for you.  

What can you do if your rig doesn't qualify?  Well, other than upgrading to a newer model that does qualify, about all you can do is be meticulous about performing regular maintenance and keeping your rig in good shape.  Regularly inspecting your rig can help you detect issues that could lead to expensive repairs before they get to that stage.  For example, engine failures are often caused by loss of oil. If you detect signs of an oil leak, get it fixed right away before it leads to engine failure.  Same with coolant.  Proper chassis and wheel bearing lubrication will prolong chassis life.  Automatic transmissions all too often tend to fall in the category of "out of sight, out of mind".  Check the fluid level and condition regularly.  The fluid should be dark red.  If it is brown or black or smells burned, the transmission has been overheating and needs attention.  Transmissions have internal filters that are not typically able to be changed by vehicle owners, but they still need to be maintained at designated intervals to protect the transmission.  It may be worth while to have a transmission temperature gauge installed so you can detect a pending failure before it becomes catastrophic.  Loss of coolant is another frequent cause of problems.  Often it may as simple as a radiator or heater hose clamp that needs tightening or a hose that needs to be replaced.  Leaking coolant will usually give off a distinctive odor, even if you don't see steam coming out of the engine compartment or green puddles under the rig when you stop.  By the way, not all antifreeze is green these days, although most of it still is.  Special high-mileage antifreeze might be orange and some of the supposedly environmentally safer stuff used in OHVs is blue.

Many drivers (and passengers) enjoy listening to the radio or other audio devices while on the road.  I have always preferred to listen to my vehicle so I can detect changes in how it sounds, hopefully before any serious damage can occur.  My dad was an auto mechanic and over the years I've learned to recognize a number of typical problems.  Valve clatter is often an early sign of serious loss of engine oil.   This is a fairly high-pitched rapid tapping sound in the engine that varies according to RPM.  Wheel bearings and universal joints make a distinct and usually constant whirring or whining sound.  Worn differentials sing their own sad songs:  a worn front pinion bearing will whine or growl when coasting, the rear will complain under load.  Being able to hear and recognize changes in the sounds your vehicle makes can help you detect problems and correct them before they lead to catastrophic failure.  I once tried to ignore the tell-tale sound of a bad universal joint during a 2000+ mile trip, hoping to limp my 35' Class A back home where I could make repairs.  I didn't make it.  The joint failed about 150 miles from home and the front most of three drive shaft segments dropped onto the freeway.  I had to replace the entire drive shaft segment to get the rig back on the road.  I was very lucky it didn't catch in something on the road and punch a hole in the floor or send my RV pole-vaulting!  Had I stopped to take care of the bad U-joint when I first heard it, I would only have had to replace the U-joint itself.  The entire segment of the drive shaft had to be replaced.  While you're at it, attune yourself to how your vehicle feels.  Be alert for unusual vibrations or strange "clunks" that may indicate drive train or suspension problems. Strange clunks are not always significant mechanical problems.  I read of a motorhome owner who spent tons of money on a "shotgun approach"  doing many random repairs to fixing an annoying clunk.  He finally decided to get rid of the vehicle and, while cleaning it out, discovered a full soda can under the driver's seat that turned out to be the cause of all the clunking.  Having invested so much in unnecessary repairs, he decided to keep the rig and get back some of his investment.  A loose piece of exterior trim once drove me crazy.  I thought the brakes or suspension was coming loose until I found the offending item.  Simply trimming off the loose end solved the problem before it did any serious damage to the finish.

Keep 'em running!

Monday, February 3, 2014

Recycling While Camping

Recycling could mean riding your bicycle or dirt bikte on the same trail again and again.  But what normally comes to mind is re-processing refuse into productive avenues.

Recycling is gaining more and more attention.  While collecting recyclables when we are camping is sometimes inconvenient, camping provides many opportunities for us to recycle goods and materials from home that would otherwise end up in land fills.  What better way to recycle kitchen utensils, tools, linens, clothes, etc. than to put them in your camping kit!  Although the current recycling trend is often seen as the domain of environmentalists, the idea has actually been around a long time.  Growing up in a rural environment, we re-used almost everything.  My dad built our first house from lumber, bricks, and stones salvaged from an old house he bought to tear down for the materials.   I like the old saying:  "Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without."  It is a much wiser and more efficient way of living than our current mostly disposable lifestyle.  In my mind way too many current consumer products are designed to be thrown away rather than repaired.

Think recycling is something new?  I don't think so.  As mentioned above, here is an old adage "use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without" I learned from my grandparents.  That is a really good concept to apply when camping, especially when boondocking.  When my dad built our first house (in the country) he bought an old house in town that was being torn down and dismantled it.  We salvaged wood and bricks and stone window sills and some of the fixtures.  The entire structure of our house was built from recycled lumber and the chimney and patio from used brick.  We had an antique bathtub salvaged from that same house before they became fashionable.

Buying a pre-owned RV or other used camping equipment is in itself a productive way of recycling.  It is a good way to both save money and "give stuff a second chance", as the billboards for some popular thrift stores say.  RVs and camping gear often get very little use so pre-owned equipment can be a excellent bargain.  I've even found brand new camping equipment in thrift stores and garage sales.  Owners either bought stuff or received gifts that they never got around to using.  I find garage sales a good place to shop for gadgets I want to try out so I don't invest a lot of money at full price in case they don't work out.  Even when you buy something new, it is only new the first time you use it, so why pay extra for that one first use?

You can recycle many household items as camping items instead of throwing them away when you upgrade.  The old 2-slice toaster that your family has outgrown is a handy addition to your RV.  It may take longer to make enough toast for everyone, but its small footprint and lower power consumption may be appropriate for camping.  You can create your own fire starters from old egg cartons, sawdust, and melted down candle stubs.  If you happen to enjoy a rural lifestyle where you have large animals to feed, you might recycle the twine from hay bales for camp use.  Old pots and pans and other kitchen utensils often find new life in your camp set, adding convenience to your camping at no cost.  Towels, sheets, blankets and other linens that may no longer be suitable for entertaining company at home are perfectly suited to enhancing your camping experience without the worry of damaging costly items.  Likewise, some old clothing is handy to have in your RV or camp kit.  It may not be as attractive or fashionable as you might like, but having clean, dry clothing has saved or added comfort to many an outing.  Organizing extra tools into a portable tool box can provide an attractive option to getting stranded by a motorhome, tow vehicle, or OHV breakdown and having to call for expensive towing or road service.

The common understanding of most recycling applies mostly to what would otherwise end up in the trash:  primarily disposable containers.

Recycling of aluminum cans is one of the most common and most popular of recycling programs.  Of course one thing that contributes a lot to that is reclaiming the 10 cent deposit we pay on every can.   Since we often enjoy a lot of cold beverages in cans when we are camping we often accumulate a lot of empty cans.  Crushing them is one way to reduce the volume for transport but not all recycling places accept crushed cans, so don't crush yours unless you plan to take them where the cans are weighed and it doesn't matter if they are crushed or not.  Crushing cans is easy.  There are can crushers available but most people just stomp on them.  Some guys think it is macho to smash them against their foreheads, but I certainly don't recommend it!

These days recyclables must often be sorted by type.  That means you need separate bags for things like glass, cans, and recyclable plastic.  To add to the complexity, not all plastic bottles are recyclable.

Traditional recycling in camp or on the road will take some extra effort.  You'll probably need to separate your recyclables and commit some space to storing and transporting them and space is often a a premium.  It doesn't take a lot of effort or consume a lot of weight and space to stomp down your aluminum cans and bring them home and you can usually get paid a little bit for them.  Plastic and glass containers are usually somewhat more difficult to manage and usually don't produce payments.  You can recycle newspapers and paper towels by using them to wipe your plates before doing the the dishes, then using the crumpled papers to help start your campfire or charcoal BBQ.  Some plastics can be disposed of in the campfire, but always avoid breathing the fumes.  And remove the cap from bottles or they could heat up and explode, sending hot embers all over and perhaps into your hair or lap! 

Hauling stuff home to be recycled can be messy and inconvenient but don't feel too bad about disposing of it in proper trash containers in camp since doing so might lighten your load and reduce fuel consumption on the way home.  Just don't leave it lying around to compromise the environment.  Besides that, about the only things being recycled that really make environmental and economic sense are lead acid batteries (car batteries) and aluminum cans.  The benefits of recycling paper, glass, and plastic are debatable.   At least one expert on recycling that I read recently suggested the only things that make good sense to recycle are those for which you get paid.  If there isn't enough money in recycling something to pay an incentive, the process is probably not economically nor environmentally sound.  In some cases recycling actually takes more energy and costs more and leaves a larger "carbon footprint" than using raw materials!  Reading that made me feel a little better about tossing trash that was otherwise a nuisance to handle for recycling.  He cited lead acid batteries and aluminum cans as examples of good things to recycle.  Plastic and even glass bottles and newspapers didn't make his cut.  I use old newspapers to start fires and to clean windshields and BBQ grills.

Is recycling worth the effort?  There are differences of opinion, even among recycling experts.  I once read an article from an recycling expert from UCLA who conclude that only those items that you get paid for, like lead batteries and aluminum cans, are worth recycling.  And it goes way beyond your personal renumeration.  If an item isn't worth a manufacturer paying for, it typically isn't worth the time, effort, and the cost of collection and processing both in economic and environmental terms.  Another article I recently read from the University of New Hampshire, claims that in many cases, recycling actually wastes more resources than it saves.  Given all the various opinions, I have personally agree with the UCLA expert:  if industry is willing to pay for it, it is worth recycling.

Recycling goods and materials from home is a good way to minimize your camping costs and reduce your environmental impact at the same time.  Recycling in camp helps keep our camping and staging areas clean.  If choose not to recycle, make sure you dispose of all containers safely.  "Pack it in, pack it out"!

Emergency Lighting

When most of us think of emergency lighting we probably think of flashlights, candles, and oil lamps.  These are all good things to have on hand, both at home and in camp.  Of course, your camp lanterns (gas or battery) are good sources of illumination during a power outage at home as well as in camp.  I like to have at least a couple of old-fashioned "hurricane" lights -- oil or kerosene lamps -- for indoor use at home when the power goes out.  They are attractive as well as effective.  If you don't like the smell of kerosene, use scented lamp oil or liquid paraffin (which has no smell).   Most of my oil lamps are made of glass and, of course, they all have a class chimney, so they are somewhat fragile so they might not be your best choice for camping or in earthquake country.  Old-fashioned kerosene lanterns, being made mostly of metal and having a metal cage around the glass chimney, are a little sturdier and perhaps a better choice for camping.  At home I fill several oil lamps with citronella oil and use them on my patio tables to help keep the bugs away as well as adding pleasant ambiance to after dark gatherings.

For "routine" emergencies in camp, add emergency electric lighting to your RV or camp kit.   Most RVs come with at least one outside porchlight, but you will probably find it convenient to install additional lights at other locations.  I added one on the front of my enclosed motorcycle trailer to illuminate the hitch for nighttime hook ups.  I scrounged up a couple of very bright flood lights salvaged from on old ambulance and installed them on the curb side and rear of my motorcycle trailer that give me excellent illumination for nighttime OHV repairs in camp.  I even put the rear light on an exterior 3-way switch so I can turn it on and off without having to go inside the trailer.  By the way, I wired all the trailer lights using residential light switches in convenient locations.  They are definitely overkill from an electrical standpoint, but sure make finding and using them easier than fumbling with tiny little toggle switches.  Having some battery powered lanterns and plenty of extra batteries is always a good idea for both RV and tent campers.  They can also be used at home during power outages or other emergencies.  It is always good to have either battery or gas lanterns to help conserve your RV or vehicle batteries in camp.

Modern LED lanterns are a real boon for camping and emergencies.   They were quite expensive when they first came out but you can often find them for $10 or so these days.  Since LEDs use far less power than incandescent bulbs, the batteries (or solar charge) will last much longer.  I once inadvertently left a 17 LED lantern on overnight in my barn and it was still burning bright the next morning and still worked for months afterwards.  An incandescent light would have drained the batteries completely in just a couple of hours.  Rechargeable lanterns may be useful if you have access to power to recharge them, but I like to have at least some with replaceable batteries as a hedge against power outages and extended overcast days.  I prefer simple battery powered lanterns for emergencies.  They are usually less expensive and I can stock extra batteries to outlast a power outage and don't have to worry about them running down before the sun comes up or comes out to recharge them.  Solar powered lanterns would be good for camping and home emergencies, but probably not for exploring caves and mines.  They are good for tent lights if you remember to put them outside each day to be recharged.

But what if you are away from camp and find yourself in a survival situation?  What options do you have for emergency light then?  A campfire will provide general illumination for some routine tasks around camp.  Campfires provide comfort, make a good beacon to assist rescuers to locate you, and will help keep wild animals at bay.  But they are not very portable if you need to move around at night.  

Torches have been an historic source of light for centuries.  To make a torch you'll need a handle (a stick will do),  some kind of wick material (cloth, shredded bark, dry moss, etc), and fuel (wax, sap, petroleum, vegetable oil, animal fat).  In a survival situation where you have to make do with whatever is at hand, you may be able to make torch from shredded bark and tree sap.  Animal fat can also be a source of fuel.  You can make a simple candle by putting a wick in a stick or tub of butter or fat.  Most cooking oils are flammable enough to be used to make candles or torches.  If you have access to vehicle fuel like gasoline and diesel, you may be able to use that to power a torch, but exercise extreme caution since these fuels are highly volatile and could easily get out of control.  They also burn fast so they don't last very long.  Gasoline fumes are extremely explosive, so don't work with gasoline in an enclosed space.  In a true emergency situation you could drain motor oil from an engine and use it to fuel your torches.  Motor oil will probably burn slower than gasoline torches, but it will also give off nasty, black, sooty smoke.  No matter what fuel you are using, take care to avoid spills, especially on your hands or your clothing.  The last thing you need is for your clothing to become the wick and YOU become the fuel!  Even skinny people have enough body fat to fuel a fire once it gets started.  In a survival situation you may have to start a fire without matches to light your torch.

Always test your torches outdoors before attempting to use them inside a cave or a structure.   Some fuels will burn fairly cleanly, others, like old motor oil, will produce a lot of nasty, black smoke.  Sometimes there will be a lot of nasty smoke initially but things may clear up a bit after the torch has burned for a while, warmed up, and gotten rid of excess fuel.  It  takes a little time for a wick to warm up and function properly, so be patient.  Always be careful with a torch so you don't accidentally start something around you on fire.  The last thing you need in an existing emergency is to add fighting or escaping from a fire!  Avoid using torches anywhere they could cause a fire.

You can make an emergency candle from a tube of ordinary lip balm.  One of the easiest methods is to simple insert the bottom end of a wooden match into the tube and press it down until the flame, when you  light the match, it is close enough to draw up fuel from the wax in the contents.  I've also seen people make wicks from cotton balls or toilet paper by rubbing them between their hands until they form into a string and insert them in a hole pressed into the center of the tube.   Since the main fuel being burned is wax, there is usually little smoke so a lip balm candle can even be used in a tent if you take appropriate precautions to maintain safety.

Chemical light sticks. commonly know as "glow sticks" are sometimes useful in an emergency.   They are especially good for comfort lighting -- alleviating some of our natural fear of the dark -- but usually are not bright enough to be good work lights and might not be adequate to scare off wild animals.  They are light weight, have no risk of igniting nearby flammable materials, and are easy to store, transport, and use.  They do have a limited shelf life, so keep an eye on expiration dates.  However, it isn't like there is a magic switch inside that turns off when the expiration date is reached.  I still have viable glow sticks that were "retired" from a company emergency program that are now nearly 20 years out of date!  I have observed that if the sealed packets have gone flat, the glow sticks are dead but if they are still "puffy" there is good chance the lights will still work.  They may not last as long as fresh ones, but in an emergency they are certainly better than nothing.  I have found a variety of glow sticks at Dollar Tree, include some giant ones about 1 1/2' long, so they don't have to be expensive. They are also safe to use in enclosed spaces and won't cause an explosion if there is a gas leak.  I carry one in my dirt bike tool kit.  It wouldn't be bright enough for nighttime repairs but I could use it as a signal to help rescuers locate me and for my own comfort.  To be honest, in a situation like that I would probably prefer a small fire, which would also help keep me warm during cold desert nights,

You may come across  Internet articles on making glow sticks from Mountain Dew soda.  Sounds like fun but beware that these are pranks or hoaxes!  There are even YouTube videos that demonstrate the process, but all my research tells me they are faked.  Don't waste your time, energy, or a possible source of necessary hydration and sugar energy trying to make glow sticks from soda pop!  Drink the soda and go find some good material to make a torch.  BTW, the popular "myth" of turning a two-liter bottle of Diet Coke into a rocket using Mentos does work but that is, of course, irrelevant, except perhaps for entertainment value.

You can use an ordinary milk jug as a diffuser to turn a point-source of light like a flashlight or headlamp into effective area lighting.  Shine a flashlight or place a candle next to a milk jug filled with water.  The water and the translucent plastic jug will diffuse the light to provide pleasant area lighting.  A battery operated LED "tap light" can similarly be fastened to the inside of the lid of a mason jar to create diffused area lighting.

In a survival situation, you may be able to cannibalize your vehicle (car, truck, RV, boat, OHV) for lights.  This isn't something you would want to do unless it was a serious survival scenario since ripping out lights and wiring is pretty destructive and you probably won't have any way to recharge the batteries once you've run them down.  Speaking of batteries, you can use batteries and 0000 steel wool to start a fire.  Sometimes even a couple of flashlight batteries provide enough current and even a partially discharged car or motorcycle battery may still have enough juice left to light up the steel wool.  Steel wool doesn't make a good torch but it is excellent tinder to start your fire or light your torches.  I've seen demonstrations of using an ordinary D-cell flashlight to start a fire.  Carefully break the bulb so you don't damage the filament.  When the light is turned on, the filament will be hot enough to ignite well-prepared tinder.  Why would you destroy a good flashlight?  Well, you might need a fire for warmth or cooking or you may need torches that will last longer than the flashlight batteries.  Personally I'd probably save my flashlight and use it to look for other ways to start my fire.

Light up!

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Camping Uses For Twine

Ordinary binders twine is an excellent resource for many camping tasks.  It is inexpensive -- a ball of over 500 feet is around $4.00 at home and garden centers.  If you have livestock, save the twine from hay bales.  The uses for twine in camp are endless, from tying up bundles of wood to holding up your pants if your belt breaks (been there, done that!).  You can use it to replace or repair broken ropes on tents or add extra support or tie downs as needed.  You might use it to sew up tears in tents, awnings, packs, or clothing.  You can use it to lash pieces of wood together to make rustic or emergency camp furniture or shelter.  You can string it out to mark the limits of your camp site, something that is sometimes helpful for setting reasonable boundaries for your kids to roam freely or to discourage unwanted visitors.  You can use it to tie tarps together when you need a larger one and to anchor tarps to trees and vehicles to create canopies for shade or weather protection or just to secure them over equipment so they don't blow away.   You can use it for a temporary clothes line.  You can even twist strands of twine into larger ropes if you need something stronger or separate it into individual strands you can use as thread.  Twine is inexpensive and takes up little room in your RV or camping boxes.  Even a small, softball sized ball of twine will be enough for many uses but it often comes in a soccer-sized ball that makes it very cost effective and will probably last you for years and years of camping and  home use.  I have even found packages of 3 small spools of light weight twine at Dollar Tree, so it certainly doesn't have to be expensive.  Just one of them is sufficient for most camping applications.

                                                            5-Ply Natural Biodegradable Jute Twine 1 lb. Tube

If you find yourself in a survival situation, you probably won't have a big ball of twine with you.  In this case it could be helpful if you know how to make your own emergency cordage.  Most of us don't have the knowledge, skill, or tools to spin our own yarn or ropes, but in an emergency you might make due with vines, weeds, or long grasses, which can be useful for tying sticks together to make a shelter.  It is possible to make string or rope from smaller fibers, but it is time consuming and not something most of us would be able to accomplish in a survival situation without a lot of practice beforehand. Here is a link for How To Make Your Own Rope.  They make it sound pretty easy, but I wouldn't want to bet my life on this skill without having practiced it first.  Having a ball of twine in my rig or my pack would be a LOT easier and faster!

You can use twine or other cordage to bind sticks together to make a shelter and to create camp furniture.   You will also find it handy for tying up sleeping bags, sleeping pads, tents, etc to keep them from unrolling.  You will probably use it for tying loose objects onto your pack or maybe just your belt when you need to keep them handy.

If you're going to be successful using twine or any other type of cordage, you'll need to have some knowledge and skill tying knots.  Most of the basic knots you will find useful are the same ones taught to Boy Scouts, so you could find information on how to tie them in a Boy Scout manual.  Or you can find lots of good instructions and videos on the web.  Here is a link to instructions for many popular Boy Scout knots. You may be surprised by how many different kinds of knots there are -- way to many for me to delineate here.  There are different knots for different uses.  For example, you use a different kind of knot to connect two ropes together depending on whether they are the same or different diameters.  One of the most commonly used knots is the square knot.  It is easy to tie and holds very well.  Another very common knot is known as the "granny knot".  It is something a lot of novices end up tying when first trying to tie a square knot and do it wrong.  You want to avoid using a granny knot because they don't hold very well.  Take the time to learn the right way to tie knots and to learn some of the kinds of knots you may need to use.  If you are tent camping or using awnings where you need guy ropes, you will want to learn how to tie a taut line hitch.  This knot holds well but allows you to adjust the tension as needed to keep your tent or awning tight.  Taut line hitches or a variation called a "truckers haul" or "truckers knot" are useful for tying down OHVs, tents, awnings, tarps, etc.   It not only is easy to tie and untie and easy to adjust, it works a little like a block and tackle to give you a mechanical advantage to pull things tight.  I have seen variations of ways to tie this knot but they all yield the same results:  easy to tie and untie, secure, easy to adjust, and a good way to pull the rope tight.  Here are some of my favorite knots for camping and sailing.

Tie one on!

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Bungie Cords

Bungie cords are very handy and have many uses when camping and boating.  You'll find dozens of uses for them in your RV, toy hauler, boat, and around camp.  You can wrap them around sleeping bags, tents, tarps, and awnings to keep them under control when they're rolled up.  You use them to secure items inside your RV or trailer so they don't bounce around on the road.  You can even use them as belts or suspenders.  You can use them for sail ties on sailboats and to secure loose gear from bouncing around on any boat.

                                                            Image of Keeper 06014-10 Bungee Cord,multicolored,13" L,pk10

Finding a good place to anchor bungee cords in a motorhome or trailer is often difficult.  Sometimes you can use existing brackets for curtains or shades, but as often as not, those brackets aren't designed for the loads you'll be putting on them and you may break or bend them, or pull them out of the wall.  Ordinary cup hooks can be used where you have solid place to screw them in but I prefer to use marine eye straps or rope guides.  They fasten on with two screws and have no open ends sticking out to catch things on.  They're more expensive than cup hooks, but they are also sturdier, more secure, and easier to use.  You can get cup hooks at any hardware store.  You may have to go to a marine supply store for eye straps/rope guides or order them online.  I've used both plastic and stainless steel versions and both provided satisfactory service in my RVs.

                                                         Rope Guide,Narrow Saddle,5/8"Rope Dia

Have a cabinet that keeps coming open on the road?  You may be able to secure it with a bungie cord.  Sure, it takes a little extra time every time you need into the cabinet, but compared to the time it takes to gather up all the stuff that might fall out on the road and clean up the spills, its nothing.  Just wrap a bungee around 2 or more cabinet door handles to keep them closed.

Bungie cords come in many sizes.  Most bungie cords are about 3/8" in diameter and typical lengths are 6", 12", 18", 24" and 36".  Mini bungies are usually bout 1/8" in diameter and about 4"-6" long.   If you need a different length you can usually cut a bungee down to the size you need, reinstall the hook, then tie a new knot in the end.  Some bigger bungies, like those used for securing loads on pick up trucks, are about 1/2' in diameter and several feet long.  They all have hooks on both ends and may come with either plastic or wire hooks.  I have tried both plastic hooks and wire hooks and I like the wire hooks better.  I find the plastic ones are often too large and clumsy to be easy to use. I prefer the wire hooks.  They fit in more places and I've found them to be more durable than the plastic ones.   Wire hooks will sometimes bend under stress, but plastic hooks may break.

Bungie cords usually last a fairly  long time but if you stretch them very tight and leave them that way for a while, they will stretch out and lose their usefulness.  They can be used outdoors, but extended exposure to sun and weather will also significantly shorten their life.

Bungie cords are really helpful for anchoring tarps and awnings.  I use them to secure the lower edge of awning extensions on my RV awning.  The top of the extension slides into the accessory rail on the awning or attaches to the awning roller with special hangers and "S" hooks.  Using long bungies from the bottom edge to tent pegs driven into the ground keeps the extension taught and where I want it instead of flapping in the breeze.  If you're making your own awning from tarps, bungies are the fastest and easiest way to anchor them.    Pulling a tarp taught with rope or twine works too, but bungies provide some shock absorbing capability that keeps the tarp taught without over-stressing it and pulling out the grommets.  Rubber tie down straps serve a similar function for securing a tarp over load on a vehicle.  They are usually about 1" wide and 1/4" thick with "S" shaped metal hooks on both ends.  They are usually stiffer than bungie cords, making them more difficult to use but more resistant to stretching out and getting loose.

Bungies are good for securing light loads on your OHV.   I keep one or two in my fanny pack or fender bag with my tools in case I need to tie something down out on the trail.

You can adapt bungie cords to replace a lost or broken belt or fashion suspenders to hold your pants up.  Perhaps not the most fashionable of accessories, but very functional.  You might use bungies as a sling for a broken arm or to secure bandages.  In a dire emergency, a bungee might be used as a tourniquet.  Be aware that current medical thinking only recommends the use of a tourniquet in extreme situations where there is no other way to control life-threatening bleeding.  Where you once were told to release the tourniquet every 15-20 minutes they now say to leave it.  Releasing it may allow contaminated blood from the isolated limb back into the system and cause severe problems.   Always label a tourniquet with the date and time it was applied.

In summary, bungie cords are one of the most versatile and useful accessories you can add to your camp kit.   I try to keep a good supply on hand -- in my motorcycle trailer, in my RV, and in my tent camping stuff.  You can find them at department, hardware, and camping stores.  Sometimes I find packages of them at my local dollar store and it is a really good  $1.00 investment.  Each packages usually contains 2 each of 3 different lengths.  I always like to stock up and buy several packages when I find them there.  There is always someplace to use a bungie cord.  I have a dedicated rack in my enclosed motorcycle trailer where I hang a bunch of bungee cords and keep an ammo can filled with bungies in my motorhome.

Bungie cords can be used for sail ties on a sail boat, but I strongly suggest using true sail tires made of nylon straps.  The hooks on bungie cords can make holes in the sail and become rather nasty instruments of pain if they strike your body when they go flying around as they often do when released.  One of the advantages for using bungie cords to secure loose items is that they will stretch and can absorb some movement without letting objects go.

Tie one on!

ICE your Cell Phone

Hold on, don't head for the freezer just yet!  ICE stands for In Case of Emergency.  Some of the newer smart phones already have an ICE function where you record your emergency contacts, but you don't have to have a pricey phone to make it easier for emergency services responders to reach your emergency contact.  Just add "ICE-" in front of the name of your emergency contact. It costs you nothing but a minute or so of your time could be a lifesaver in an emergency. 

Having an ICE-number in a cell phone is especially important for elderly people and adolescents.    It could also be very important for RVers and other campers who might find themselves in an emergency situation far from home.  Elderly people may be prone to memory problems, especially during the trauma of an emergency situation, and under-age children may need your permission to get treatment.  Emergency services personnel don't need your permission to treat minors with life-threatening emergencies but your child may have to suffer a long time waiting for other treatment, even for painful injuries, if they can't reach you right away. 

The idea for standardizing "In Case of Emergency" contacts in cell phones started with a paramedic in Australia.  Instead of having to search through a cell phone address book hoping to find a listing for "Mom" or "Dad" or "Home" or try to guess which names might be a good emergency contact, having an "ICE-name" in your phone can save a lot of time.  Time might be critical if the victim has some medical condition or allergy that might affect treatment and could greatly speed up treatment for underage patients. 

Be sure to tell your emergency contact that you have designated them as such and provide them with any special medical needs (prior surgeries, medications, allergies, current diseases like cancer, diabetes, hemophilia, or high blood pressure). 

Putting ICE on your cell phone is free and easy and could save your life!  ICEing your cell phone is really a very hot thing to do!

ICE it!

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Preparing Meals In Camp

Meal preparation in camp should always be at least easy and convenient.  Ideally it should be downright fun!  You definitely don't want meal preparation to be time consuming or onerous and interfere with your planned activities.  If we do it right, meal preparation can and should be fun.

Preparing meals in camp, whether you're camping in a tent or on a boat or in an RV, will be a little different than your normal routine at home.  When cooking in an RV you usually have a range that is similar to the one at home -- but somewhat smaller.  Cooking on a boat you may have to deal with having your galley rocking.  When tent camping, you'll likely be cooking on a Coleman stove or campfire, unless you opt for one of the newer portable ranges that gives you  stove resources similar to those you would have in in RV.  But even then, or when cooking in an RV, the differences in size and performance will require some adjustments to your normal procedure.  No matter what you're cooking on, it is going to be different than your gas or electric range and oven at home.

Camp cooking should be fun!  After all, we go camping for fun, so cooking should be fun too and usually it is.  One of the things that will make it more fun, especially for the primary cook, is for everyone to participate.  Plan your meals with that in mind so you have appropriate and productive things for everyone to do.  Plan simple meals that don't require a lot of elaborate preparation or cleanup.  Take advantage of outdoor cooking opportunities (BBQ or campfire) to add variety and distribute the labor.  Cooking on a campfire can be fun and quite an adventure and is a good way to involve many family or group members.

Your first step toward successful camp cooking starts even before you leave home.  That is to plan an appropriate menu.  Think "simplicity.  Plan simple meals that will require minimum preparation:  hotdogs, hamburgers, sandwiches, foil dinners, stew, chili, cold cereal, etc.  One of our traditions is to have donuts for breakfast the first day in camp.  Yes, I know, it isn't the most nutritious meal, but we aren't exactly making a habit out of as rarely as we get to go camping and it lets us get going quick!

Setting up your camp kitchen or RV or boat galley properly will have a big effect on the efficiency -- and fun -- of camp cooking.  RV cabinets and counter tops are much smaller than their residential counterparts so you may not be able to have everything at your fingertips like you are used to having at home.  You may have to get things out in advance and have them staged "at the ready" so you don't waste time and energy digging in the backs of cupboards for what you need.  Have your utensils and all ingredients needed for the current meal gathered up and ready to use.   Boat galleys are often even more limited than RVs plus you probably have to deal with the boat rocking while youre cooking.  When tent camping, all your stuff is going to be in a back pack, duffle bag, tub, or chuck box so the same practice applies, perhaps even more so.  Set up your camp kitchen so all ingredients and necessary cooking implements are organized for easy access.   Have a dishpan ready for rinsing or soaking dishes, spoons, etc.  Make sure your campfire is properly formatted for cooking or that your camp stove is fueled and ready to go.  You may need to set up a wind screen around your stove or even around your campfire on windy days.

When preparing meals in an RV or on a boat you will want to be as efficient as possible.  That means more than just minimized use of the stove to conserve fuel.  You need to reduce use of water consumption, generation of trash, and restrict how often and how long you open the refrigerator.   Also, conserve your time.  You need so think carefully about how long it takes to prepare each dish and schedule cooking times to try to get everything ready at the same time.  Avoid messy dishes that make for a lot of cleanup.  All of that comes down to planning.  First, plan your meals in advance, way in advance.  By planning your menu long before you hit the road you can make sure you have all the right provisions and you have a chance to organize them so they'll be handy and easy to use on the road.  You may even want to pre-measure some ingredients and put them in labeled plastic bags so they're ready to use.  Sometimes  you can also pre-mix dry ingredients to reduce preparation time.  You don't want to have to search through cupboards or boxes of supplies to find a bottle of cooking oil after you've already lit the stove.  If you are accustomed to cooking at home, you probably have routines that work for you there but you may have to make adjustments when cooking in an RV.  A smaller stove may mean you can't cook as many things at the same time as you do at home and the smaller burners may mean it will take longer.   Think about what things can be prepared first without becoming unappealing if they sit for a while.  Baked potatoes hold their heat pretty well but mixed veggies cool pretty quickly, so keep things like that in mind when you structure your meal preparation.  Sometimes you can augment your cooking resources by shifting some of it, like steaks and burgers, baked potatoes and corn on the cob, to an outside BBQ or to the campfire.   This also lets you share the work by recruiting a companion to take charge of that part of the meal and outdoor cooking can even be fun.   And always plan ahead. If you're planning on having baked potatoes for dinner, you might want to wrap them in aluminum foil and tuck them in the coals of your campfire an hour or so before dinner time.  A potato baked in the campfire for an hour makes an tasty side dish.  A potato baked in the campfire for 3 hours makes an excellent hockey puck!  Taking advantage of the campfire also helps you conserve propane and creates some opportunities for several people to participate in some old fashioned pioneer type experiences.  You can let everyone cook their own hotdogs but you'll probably need a designated burger flipper to do hamburgers on the grill or campfire.

Mealtime when tent camping is usually quite a bit different than at home.  You may find yourself having to prepare your meals in adverse weather -- rain, wind, even snow.  Never try to cook in your tent.  That is a recipe for disaster!  If you;'re in a campground with canopies or pavilions, try to take advantage of them to protect you and your food from the weather.  If all else fails you might be able to stretch a tarp between some trees or poles or anchor it to the roof of your vehicle to give you a little shelter from the storm.  Just make sure it is high enough that it won't melt or catch on fire when you're cooking.  Depending on how much shelter you have around your camp kitchen, you may have to exercise special care to avoid getting rain in your flour or pancake mix or blowing debris adding unwanted variety to the taste and texture of your creations.  Rain falling into a frying pan filled with hot oil can be especially hazardous.  Water is heavier than oil and will sink to the bottom of the pan where it quickly becomes superheated and can virtually explode, scattering hot, possibly, flaming, oil all over the place.  As with cooking in an RV,  your cooking space is limited and planning is key to success.  You will most likely want to plan different meals than you usually prepare at home, choosing things that are appropriate to the season, are easy to prepare, serve, and clean up.  And, again, take advantage of campfire resources when you can.  As you gain experience cooking in camp you may discover you want to upgrade from a 2-burner stove to a 3-burner stove or perhaps even bring more than one stove.  Extra cooking facilities is especially helpful (and necessary) when you are cooking for larger groups.  How you organize your camp kitchen will have a significant effect on how convenient preparing meals will be.  Plan ahead and have ingredients well organized and close at hand. Some campers find it helpful to build a "chuck box" to organize their kitchens.  This is a tried and true option, one that goes back at least to American pioneer wagon trains and the chuck wagons on cattle drives.   For a modern variation, check out the little kitchens in the back of teardrop trailers. Lacking a chuck box or room to transport one, organize your provisions and utensils logically in plastic tubs.  Use dividers or smaller containers inside large tubs to protect individual items and make it easier to find what you need when you need it.   If everything is simply tossed into one large tub you'll find yourself digging through a foot or two of odds and ends to find a spoon or a spatula. Proper storage of foodstuffs is especially important.   No matter how careful you are, things are likely to get spilled in transit.  Loose ingredients like flour, sugar, and salt, get all over everything if the bag or box breaks . Escaping liquids will seep through and into unprotected packages of dry ingredients and soon you'll have to pretty much throw everything out and start over.   Proper storage can prevent a lot of problems.   Make sure caps are tight on all containers, then store bottles of liquids in their own plastic storage boxes so if they crack or the cap comes off, the contents will be contained and the rest of the bin or cupboard not contaminated.  Keeping dry ingredients in their own sealed plastic containers protects the packages from damage, prevents them from being contaminated by external spills, seals them from environmental moisture so they don't absorb moisture from humid air, and keeps the bugs out.

Campfire cooking is a fun way  to prepare your meals in camp.  But it requires proper preparation, special equipment, and careful procedures.  Get your fire started about an hour before you want to start cooking.  It is best to cook on the coals, not the flames.  You can even cook most meats directly on or over the coals without the need of a grill or pan.  Special equipment might include a grill, "pot dangler", or cast iron skillets and pots.  For a pioneer type experience, cook your meat or bread on a stick like you would hotdogs or marshmallows.  Twist bread is easy.  Start with a stiff dough, roll it into a rope shape, wrap it around a stick, and bake it over your campfire.  Keep an eye on what you're cooking.  Temperatures in a campfire are much different and more likely to change without warning than the temperatures on your stove at home or even your trusty Coleman stove in camp.  Check out these Ten Commandments for Campfire Cooking for more helpful tips.

 No matter what you are cooking or where, clean up as you go instead of setting dirty dishes and utensils aside to be washed later.  Usually cleaning things right away avoids having to deal with scrubbing dried or cooked on residue and will save you a lot of time in the long run.  And, since you probably have limited items, it may make things you need available when you need them again instead of having to stop and clean them before you can use them when you need them.

Tin foil dinners, such as hobo stew, are handy ways to have tasty, nutritious campfire meals.  They can be assembled from basic ingredients (usually meat and vegetables) and cooked right on the coals.  We like to make ours up ahead of time at home, sometimes even pre-cooking the meat in the microwave before wrapping them in foil.  They don't take up a lot of room in the fridge or cooler, they don't spill, they are really easy to cook on the campfire, and they really taste great!  And they don't dirty up a lot of pots and pans.

If you're camping in a developed campground, there may be a roofed area that will at least get you out of the rain or snow but usually these are open-sided so you may still have to deal with the wind.  Sometimes each site has its own canopy; sometimes there are larger shared pavilions.  If your camp site doesn't have one you may want to set up your own portable canopy, maybe a dining fly or an EZ-up.  I've seen campers set up tarps to protect their campsites, stretching them high enough between the trees and leaving a small opening in the middle so they can even have a protected campfire.  That will help keep rain out of the hot grease in they frying pan, but having anything overhead brings its own risks, so be careful!   Tarps will sometimes collect significant pools of water in low spots.  Eventually the weight may cause the tarp to tear or pull loose, dousing everyone and everything beneath with copious amounts of cold rain water.   Monitor water accumulation and periodically dump the pools before they dump themselves in the most unpleasant and untimely way.   Some additional tarps hung along the windward side may help shelter you from the wind.  Exercise special care when cooking under a canopy.  An unexpected flareup could catch your roof or walls on fire!

Meal schedules are likely to be modified when camping.   Hey! One of the reasons we go camping is to get out of the daily 9-5 grind!  The variety of activities and the potential for unforeseen circumstances to impact mealtimes pretty much dictate you have to be flexible.  Most times that isn't a problem, unless you make it into one.  You will find it is best not to try to maintain a fixed meal schedule tied to the clock when camping.  Don't worry about setting an alarm clock.  Have breakfast whenever you finally roll out of bed in the morning.  Although some people don't usually eat breakfast at home,  normally do try to start each day camping with a more or less nutritious breakfast (donuts the first morning are one of the more fun and less nutritious breakfasts).  Lunch works just about anytime you might think of as "mid day", but it doesn't have to be at a specific time.   Wait for a natural break in activities.  And have dinner in the evening after you've finished your day's activities and are ready to settle in for the night.  Having dinner at that time also lets you cook on the campfire, if you like, then just relax around it after dinner.  You meal schedules should be more governed by the sun, your body rhythms, and your activities than by the clock.  However, if you find benefit in keeping a regular schedule, by all means do so!  People with special diets or medical requirements may need to keep to a fixed schedule.

Clean up is far more important in camp than at home.   It is ALWAYS a good idea to clean up as you go, but if you don't keep up with it in camp there can be larger consequences than you normally experience at home.  Dump some water into pots and pans a soon as you're removed the food so they can begin soaking right away before stuff dries and bakes on.   If you're cooking on a campfire, you may want to leave the pots and pans on the fire with water in them for a while to loosen deposits, but don't let them boil dry.  Dispose properly of scraps before they can attract pests.   Even in an RV, you are likely to be surrounded by more potential pests than you have at home and when cooking outside you are smack in the middle of their environment.  Flying and crawling insects are usually among the first to arrive, but larger (and more dangerous) critters like raccoons and bears may also be drawn to unattended (and sometime attended) scraps.  While unwanted creatures are less likely to be a problem in an RV, spills and scraps left around contribute to unsanitary conditions and may produce unpleasant odors that are hard to escape or eliminate in the small space inside an RV.   Cooking fumes and odors can also be a problem in an RV, so try to maintain adequate ventilation.  Open some strategic windows and take advantages of the fan in your range hood (if you have one) to expel odors as quickly as possible.  Roof vents, especially those with fans than can be used to evacuate air from inside the coach, are also helpful in getting rid of odors before they saturate carpet, curtains, and upholstery or cling to walls and windows.   Give cloth upholstery a shot of Fabreze and vacuum them now and then to minimize the accumulation of cooking odors.   Clean interior glass and vinyl surfaces to remove the build up of film from cooking fumes.   Meal preparation in camp should at the very least always be easy and convenient.  Ideally, it should even be fun!


Presentation is often a big part of meals at home.  My wife can whip up some frozen corn dogs and make it look like a gourmet meal.  Options for elaborate presentation in camp are probably going to be much more limited than at home, but you may still want to spiff up some meals.   And remember, just eating off paper plates around the campfire or at your RVor picnic table is perfectly acceptable.  Fancy dinnerware or serving containers are definitely NOT required when camping.  Consider that billionaire William Randolf Hearst served all condiments in their original containers at his "ranch" at San Simeone (better know as Hearst Castle), even when entertaining VIPs like politicians, Hollywood celebrities, and even royalty.   If you do want to add some decoration, sometimes you can put some wild flowers in a plastic cup for a centerpiece at dinner (just be sure picking the flowers isn't against the rules where you're camping!).  A single candle, even a little votive light, can add a touch of ambiance to the table without taking up much room in your cupboards and if its a citronella candle it will help keep insects away.   Even a little LED faux candle looks nice and you can often get them at dollar stores.   And they don't present a fire hazard if used in tents.  I've seen RV advertisements in magazines and displays at trade shows with lavish flower arrangements and even live plants.  That is OK for a trade show or a commercial, but, personally, I don't think it is very practical for real  camping.  I would prefer to give the space and weight consumed by such items to things that add more convenience or functionality.  In most places we go camping, the location itself provides more than enough "eye candy".   You can always do something fun like learn fun and spiffy ways to fold paper napkins or add a little pretty garnish to your meals.  Sometimes you may even be able to find suitable garnish in the wild (one of my favorites is water cress), but be sure you know what you're picking and that picking it isn't prohibited or the food is contaminated.

Now you're cooking!

Monday, December 30, 2013

Leveling and Stabilizing an RV

Much has been said about the need for and the benefits of leveling your RV.  Gas absorption refrigerators used in most RVs need to be pretty level to work properly.   Modern refrigerator designs are less sensitive to being level than some earlier models but should still be level for optimum performance.  "Why?" you might ask.  An off-kilter fridge allows the liquid coolant to pool in unintentional low spots, blocking circulation.  You need level work surfaces like counters and tables so your dinner doesn't slide into your lap.  You need a fairly level bed so you don't roll out or slide off the end -- or wake up with a mouth full of bile because you were sleeping with your head lower than your stomach. Yccch!

Leveling and stabilizing are not always the same thing.  Hydraulic leveling systems do both at once.  If you don't have hydraulic levelers, you need to both level your RV, by digging holes for the high side wheels or using blocks under the low spots and then stabilize it with stabilizing jacks between the body and the ground.

There are several options for leveling an RV.   First, always start off by parking on a fairly level site whenever you can.  In primitive campgrounds or open camping areas this may mean jockeying your rig around a bit to find the best spot.  Developed camp sites should be graded to be fairly level.  If you have hydraulic levelers, they will compensate for some pretty uneven ground, but you may create a safety hazard if you aren't properly prepared.  If the rear wheels are lifted off the ground to level a motorhome, the parking brake becomes ineffective and the unit may roll off the jacks.  I've seen this happen more than once.  Use chocks to block the front wheels whenever there is chance weight on the rear wheels will be reduced -- and ALWAYS start with the RV as level as possible. Sometimes, if the site is level enough, you don't need any additional leveling, but you may still want to use jacks to stabilize your RV.

There are many devices to assist you in measuring how level your RV is.   One of  the simplest and least expensive is a pair of bubble levels.  They are usually about 2-3" long and come with self-adhesive tape to mount them to most hard surfaces.  Park you RV on a level place or use a carpenter's level to make sure the RV is level.  Put the carpenter's level on the floor or a counter top.  Since most tables are removable or adjustable, they are not the best indicator of whether the whole unit is level. Once the RV is level, install one bubble level on a vertical surface parallel to the front of the vehicle (usually the dashboard on a motorhome).   Install the other on a side wall, usually just below the driver's side window.  Both should be where the driver can easily see them when parking.   Another clever device that is particularly helpful when you're using leveling blocks has wedge-shaped slides on each corner of a bubble level.  You place it on a countertop then adjust the slides until the bubble is level and read how much each corner needs to be raised to level the RV.

Finding the most level initial spot for trailers is usually a little more difficult since leveling the tow vehicle doesn't necessarily mean the trailer is level.  Here again, bubble levels come in handy. You can buy very large bubble levels to install on the front of your trailer where you can see it from the tow vehicle so you can at least find a spot that is nearly level side to side.  Usually you can easily adjust the front-to-back leveling using the tongue jack after you've disconnected the trailer from the tow vehicle.

For years I've used a device called a clinometer to help with finding the most level spot.  These are sometimes used in off-highway vehicles like rock crawlers to help the driver gauge angles to avoid roll-overs etc.  They have floating indicators inside that show the tilt side to side and front to back.  The displays is similar to an artificial horizon in an airplane.  Simply maneuver around the campsite until you find the spot where both the side to side and front to back indicators are most nearly neutral.  The clinometer should be mounted where it can be easily seen by the driver but where it doesn't interfere with normal views of the road or interfere with other instruments or controls.  These are most helpful in motorhomes.  Making sure the tow vehicle is level doesn't ensure the trailer is level, but it might give you a starting point.  You might have your tow vehicle perfectly level and still have the trailer hanging at a rakish angle out back.

Once you've found the most level spot, you may still need to make adjustments to ensure your RV is adequately level.   The easiest way to do this is with automatic hydraulic leveling systems. You only need to activate them and they will automatically raise each corner of the RV until it is completely level.  With a manual hydraulic leveling system you'll have to operate levers to adjust each jack but they usually have indicator lights to tell you which one still need to be raised higher.  When all he lights are out you should be level.  If you are parking on soft ground, be sure to put "jack boots" under each jack before raising the RV.  Even fully automatic systems will lower the jacks and pause so you have an opportunity to place jack boots under the jacks before starting the jacking process.   The jack boots create a larger footprint to prevent the jacks from sinking into the ground. Even if the ground feels hard to you, it is a good idea to use the jack boots anyway.   I've seen the jacks on large motorhomes sink 6-8" into ground that feels hard as pavement to walk on or drive tents stakes into.  Vibration from movement inside the vehicle or running the generator may contribute to sinking.  Manual hydraulic levelers are functionally similar, but instead of electronic sensors that check how level an RV is and control activation of individual jacks to bring up the low corners, the operator controls each jack using switches and has to monitor the degree of levelness using bubble levels or indicator lights on the leveler control panel.   A single bubble level with a circle in the center can be placed on any solid level surface and monitored.   When the bubble is centered in the circle, the unit should be level.  This type of level is often used to check how level the refrigerator is.   If you don't have hydraulic levelers, there are usually a couple of options for leveling your RV.  In primitive areas you may be able to dig holes under the high wheels to lower that side or corner.  You'll have to estimate how deep you need the holes, dig them in front or behind the tires, then drive into the holes; repeat as needed.   Digging holes can be a problem if  the ground is wet or you get rain while parked in the hole.  On pavement or other hard surfaces you'll need leveling blocks or jacks of some kind to raise the low side or corner.  To use leveling blocks, place them in front of the tire on the low side/corner and drive onto them.   Make sure the blocks are large enough to support the entire footprint of the tire, front to back and side to side.  If you have dual wheels, use equal blocks under both tires and maintain equal weight on both tires by making sure the top of the blocks under both tires are at the same height.  You can buy plastic leveling blocks that look something like Legos.   They can be stacked to create various heights and to lock them to each other. Home made leveling blocks can be constructed from dimensional lumber (2x6 or 2x8).  Pressure treated lumber will be more resistant to moisture and rot.  One end can be beveled to make driving onto them easier and reduce the chance of the tire pushing them out of the way.   Several blocks can be stacked flat to create 1 1/2" incremental height adjustments.   Another option is to cut the blocks into wedges and fasten several together to make them wide enough for the tires.  This gives you a continuous wedge from zero to six or eight inches, depending on what size lumber you start with.  Note:  finished dimensional lumber is actually 1/2" smaller than its designated size in each direction.  A 2x4 is actually 1 1/2" by 3 1/2".  Manual stabilizing jacks are mostly seen on travel trailers as the weight of motorhomes is usually too great for them to be effective.  Hydraulic or scissors jacks may be used to lift a low side or corner while you install and adjust blocks or stabilizing jacks.  Stabilizing jacks are typically the shape of a 4-sided pyramid  and usually have a large bolt and nut in the middle that can be adjusted to achieve the proper height.   Some height adjustment can be obtained by turning the bolt, but it is much better to use a real jack to lift and lower the vehicle and use the stabilizing jacks only for stability.  There are special scissor jacks designed for leveling and stabilizing travel trailers that are permanently mounted to the unit.  I've seen these used on small motorhomes, but the extra weight of the engine and drive train sometimes makes them difficult to operate and they might not be strong enough if extensive lift is required to level the unit.  Anytime you can establish a solid link between the body and the ground your RV will be stabilized and won't bounce like it does resting only on the suspension.

RVs equipped with air bag suspension can sometimes be leveled by adjusting the pressure in individual bags.   I once had a Pace Arrow with this feature.   The classic front-wheel drive GMC motorhomes also had this feature.  While this is a lot more convenient than kneeling the mud to place leveling blocks, using the air suspension does not stabilize the unit like hydraulic levelers do.  The body can still bounce on the suspension.  The amount of lift is also somewhat limited so you need to be pretty level to start with.  Unless you are particularly sensitive to bouncing (or especially rowdy!), leveling with an air suspension option is usually quite satisfactory, but you will still get some rocking on the suspension from moving around inside and/or from cross winds.  Hydraulic stabilizing jacks brace the frame directly to the ground, taking the suspension out of the equation.

Bubble levels mounted on the dashboard and on the wall to the left of the driver are inexpensive and are easy to use to find the most level spot on a camp site.   The larger ones can be used on the front of trailers where they can be seen from the driver's seat of the tow vehicle . Clinometers provide a quick estimate of positioning while parking.  I read of an RVer who mounted an inexpensive ($1) torpedo level on the running board of his Class C motorhome.  He could open the door and check the front-to-back level status and make drive forward or back before he shut off the engine.  If you find yourself in camp without any levels, you can still check how level your RV is by putting some water in a cup, bowl, or pan and setting it in a counter or table top.   When the water is equidistant from the top of the vessel all around, the vehicle is level -- assuming the surface you put the vessel on is level. For that reason I suggest using a fixed countertop.  Tables, which are usually removable, and cup holders may be out of kilter even when the vehicle itself is level.

Home made leveling blocks are inexpensive and can be easily customized for your particular use.  They are usually made of 2x6's or 2x8's and beveled on one end so the tire will roll up onto them instead of pushing them out of the way.  The most common pattern is to cut several blocks and stack them as needed for additional height.   You might add a short extra block on the top  board to serve as a chock to prevent you from driving off the blocks.  An alternate design is to select several pieces of 2" lumber together until you have a total width slightly wider than your tire tread, then cut the blocks diagonally and fasten them together to create two wedges.   This gives you a continuous slope for adjustment instead of going up in 1 1/2" increments you get with stacking blocks.  The only downside to this type of blocks is that they are somewhat large and it is sometimes difficult to find a place to store them.  But they give you smoothly adjustable height for precision leveling.

Always chock your wheels.  You never know when someone might bump the parking brake and release it.  I've even heard of small pets hitting the parking brake and releasing it on some units.  Because uneven compression of soil can let blocks or jacks shift, vehicles sometimes have a tendency to roll if the wheels are not blocked.   Travel trailers with tandem wheels sometimes use a wheel lock that consists of two wedges that clamp between the tires.  An adjustable screw or clamp between them tightens and holds them into place.  This locks both wheels and keeps the trailer from rolling in either direction.  While it would be safest to chock at least one wheel both front and back, in most situations you only have to worry about a vehicle rolling in one direction so placing chocks on the downhill side of tires in contact with the ground is usually sufficient.   Some leveling block systems include chocks that hold the tires in place on top of the blocks.   The blocks themselves need to be significantly longer than the footprint of the tire in order to have room for chocks.

Note: leveling blocks used under the tires (and air ride levelers) will NOT stabilize the body.   To stabilize the body, use stabilizing jacks under each corner as described above.  Hydraulic leveling systems usually do stabilize the body by bracing the frame directly to the ground.   If you level your RV only using blocks under the wheels or finding a sufficiently level place to park, the body will still have a tendency to bounce on the suspension whenever there is movement inside or a breeze outside. Scissor-style leveling jacks used on many trailers also provide stability by bracing the frame to the ground.  Your RV may be perfectly level when parking in a developed camp site, but without stabilizers between the frame and the ground, it may still be subject to an annoying bounce or tilt due to wind or to movement inside.  I once found myself parked with the broad side our Class C motorhome facing a strong wind.  I spent most of the night lying the shaking and pitching cab-over sleeper trying to figure out what to do if we got blown over!  Of course stabilizing your RV may negate the value of the bumper sticker that says "If this camper is rocking, don't come knocking!"

Stabilizers in the form of Straight jacks or scissor jacks are sometimes attached to each corner of a travel trailer.   You will need a total of 4.  Sometimes you can used the tongue jack of trailer to stabilize the front and just two jacks on the rear.  Jacks can assist in minor adjustments in leveling and will connect the body to the ground to prevent it from bouncing on the suspension. Manual stabilizer jacks are not usually used on motorhomes, mostly because of the added weight and reduced clearance.   Portable stabilizing jacks can be used on any RV.  They consist of aluminum jack frames with adjustable steel bolts in the tops.  The adjustable bolts let you adjust the height of the jack until it firmly supports the RV frame.  Stabilizer jacks and jack stands are not designed to lift the weight that is often needed to level a vehicle on uneven ground.  They are only intended to stabilize the body to the ground to prevent bouncing.

                                       Straight stabilizer Jacks        Scissor Jacks

                                         Atwood Trailer Stabilizer Jack 17.75" Long - 650lb                        Eaz-Lift's Olympian 24" Scissor Jack

                                                                 Stabilizer Jack Stands
                                                                       Camco Olympian RV Aluminum Jack Stands, 2-Pack
                      

Making sure your RV is level and stable will allow you to enjoy your stay, safe from pooling coolant in your refrigerator, free from rolling out of bed, protected from objects rolling off the table, and relieved of bouncing due to wind outside or movement inside the vehicle.

Level out!