What If You Wreck Your RV?

Traffic accidents involving RVs are relatively infrequent, but they still happen.  In addition, some of the places we go in our RVs can subject them to unusual risks.  Misjudging vertical or horizontal clearance can result in the loss of a roof air conditioner or an awning.  Moving an RV with a slideout extended can cause serious damage.  Of course prevention is the best remedy, so always be sure of overhead and side-to-side clearances before proceeding.  Another frequent RV mishap occurs when backing into a campsite.  You back into or over an unseen obstacle and cause property damage and/or significant damage to your RV.  Look before you back and, if there is any risk, have someone stand behind your RV and guide you.   Your vehicle liability insurance should cover the property damage, but not damage to your RV.  For that you need collision and comprehensive coverage

A valuable protection against the affects of damage to your RV is to have the right insurance.  Liability insurance is required to operate your RV on public roads.  That protects the other driver or the owner of property you might run into and protects you against their cost of repairs and/or medical expenses, but it doesn't reimburse you for damage to your vehicle.  For that you need Full Collision and Comprehensive coverage.  Collision coverage covers just that:  collisions.  You may collide with another vehicle, a pedestrian, or an obstacle.  Comprehensive usually covers things like glass breakage and good policies will cover accessories like awnings and antennas as well as wind and hail damage.  You will pay higher premiums for full coverage, but it may be worth it.  Considering the cost of even vintage RVs, full insurance coverage usually makes good sense if you can get it and if you can afford it.  Most likely you won't be able to get full coverage on an RV with a salvage title, even if it has been completely repaired and the cost of coverage on some older units may cost more than you're willing to pay.  The age and condition of the vehicle may also affect whether or not a company will insure it.

Insurance covered repairs for older RVs can sometimes be confusing or even problematic.  As units age it parts get harder to find, especially body parts.  A relatively minor accident might damage your RV so that is considered "totaled" by the insurance company.  That simply means that it will cost more to repair it than to replace it -- theoretically.  The question becomes, what is the value of your RV?  Some, but not all, can be found in the NADA Guides (www.nadaguides.com).  As units get older there aren't enough transactions to establish a NADA price.  When that happens the insurance company will have an appraiser set the value of your RV.  You will want to make sure the appraiser is aware of any special additions or modifications you've made that might affect the value.  If , for example, you recently installed a new engine or have made significant improvements or modifications that don't appear in the options list in the Nada Guide.  You may also find it very difficult or even impossible to find an exact replacement and will have to look for an alternative.  Before accepting that check from the insurance company, do some research of your own to determine the replacement cost of your vehicle.  If you can't find any exact replacements, get the cost of comparably sized and equipped units of the same age. You may be able to negotiate a better settlement from the insurance company.  Once you cash the check you absolve the insurance company from any further liability.  If yours is a rare model you may have to put some effort into establishing an accurate value -- and then you may have difficulty finding a replacement.

If  your vehicle is considered totaled there are several things  you can expect.  In most states the title will be marked "SALVAGE", which typically reduces the market and the price you could possibly get for the RV if you should choose to repair it.  Your insurance company will drop your full coverage and, even if you get it fully repaired, might not ever reinstate it, based on the fact that once totaled, it has no value, at least in their view.  You have the right to keep the vehicle and either have it repaired or dispose of it yourself.  If you do, the insurance company will deduct a "salvage value" from your payment.  You should find out what that deduction is before you decide to go that route.  You may want to keep the wrecked vehicle to scavenge accessories or parts to use on your replacement vehicle if the salvage value isn't too high, even if it isn't worth repairing.  If you chose not to keep the vehicle, the insurance company will sell it to a salvage yard and they'll come and take it away.  If you suspect your vehicle will be declared a total loss you'll probably want to do some research to determine what it will cost to replace it with a similar vehicle so you can be comfortable with the payout.  If yours is an older and somewhat rare RV it may be very difficult to establish or prove a current value.  In that case you might collect prices for the nearest comparable vehicles.  If the offer from the insurance company is way below what you believe it will cost to replace your vehicle you can negotiate with them.  That's where it is important to have some relevant research readily available to justify YOUR appraisal.  Rare or unusual vehicles won't show up in used car price guides so you may have to do your own research to find similar vehicles for sale or recent sales of similar vehicles to establish your own evaluation.  I had a vintage RV for which there were no local comparisons.  The only similar rigs I could find on the Internet were in Australia and the prices were significantly higher than the insurance payout on my "totaled" vehicle and were ignored by the insurance company in establishing the value for payout.

Why would you want to keep a damaged vehicle?   Normally, people have little or no interest in hanging on to a totaled vehicle but there may be times when it makes sense.  A particularly unique RV might be worth fixing regardless of what the insurance company says.  You may also have accessories and features you added that you might want to transfer to a replacement vehicle.  In that case you need to compare the cost of new items to the salvage value.  Also whether than even can be transferred to another vehicle. And don't forget to include the labor cost for removing them from the wrecked vehicle and installing them on the replacement.  You may think you can find a buyer who will pay you more than the salvage value claimed by the insurance company.  Be very careful here.  Most likely anyone willing to buy a salvage vehicle will have detailed knowledge about the salvage value and won't be likely to pay more.  Why should they?  Unless your vehicle is extremely rare and desirable, they can go buy another wreck somewhere else.  We kept a totaled sailboat.  The salvage value was low and, at least in our opinion, it could be repaired if we could find used replacement parts somewhere.  We also thought it would make a nice playhouse for our grand kids!

If your RV is truly unique and/or you REALLY like it, you might want try to get it repaired even if the insurance company decides it is a total loss.  You will want to be careful if you choose to consider this option.  Sometimes replacement parts are simply not available and you may have to wait years to find what you need in a junk yard.  Often the repair costs will be much higher than you might expect, so be sure to have a detailed, guaranteed estimate from a reliable shop so you know what it is going to cost.  You will have to live with a "SALVAGE" title, which will affect insurability and future resale value.  If you are unable to find replacement parts you may have to live with less-than-perfect repairs.  If you expect you'll want to keep and repair your wrecked RV, be sure to exercise your option to pay the salvage value right away.  If you accept full payment, the rig then belongs to the insurance company and you no longer have any rights to it.  You might be able to buy it back from them after the fact, but chances you'll be successful aren't very good and you will probably have to pay more than the proposed salvage value.

Your insurance rates are likely to increase when you file a claim.  Some companies offer "accident forgiveness" for the first one.   If not, your rates may stay higher for as long as 3 years.  You may want to consider that in your decision on whether to file or not if the damage is minor. I've seen premiums double because of even fairly small claims.

Sometimes having a vehicle declared a total loss is an opportunity for you to make some desired changes.  Chances are the insurance settlement will be higher than any trade-in value you might get from a dealer if you wanted to change units since it will be based on retail market value.  If you're lucky, it may even be more than you would get selling it privately before the accident.  It may be chance for you to up-size or down-size, depending on your situation, or to get a newer unit with features you want that your old one didn't have or you can be rid of some features you didn't like on the old rig. 

Safe motoring!

RV Stoves

RV ranges and stoves are designed to emulate the ones in your home.  Basically they look about the same, only smaller.  However, there are some differences you should be aware of.  Most RVs have a gas stove.  Some luxury units have an electric cook top instead. 

The first major difference you will notice is size.  Residential range/oven combinations are typically about 30" wide.  RV ranges are litte more than half that size, normally 17" wide.  This affects more than appearance and available cooking space.  The smaller oven means the burners are closer to the cooking platforms so getting even heating is more difficult.  You may have to experiment with your oven a bit to determine the right combination of heat and time to make it work to your satisfaction.  To get things cooked all the way through may require longer cooking at lower temperatures (to avoid burning the bottom).  Smaller burners on the stove top may mean longer cooking times as well as limiting the size of skillets or pots that can be used.

RV ovens don't normally have a light inside, at least not the older ones.  That means you have to open the door and shine a flashlight inside to see how things are going.  Each time you open the door you let heat escape so that is going to affect cooking times.  While some newer models are starting to include oven lights, chances are you aren't going to see them very often.  And they aren't something that can be added easily to an existing older oven.  They require heatproof wiring, fixtures and bulbs that are not readily available or easy to install.

Most RV ranges are powered by propane but a few luxury models may have an electric cook top.  Electric cook tops are very visually appealing but you have to to have shore power, an inverter with LOTS of batteries, a big solar system, or have the generator running to use it.  A gas stove can be used anytime as long as you have propane to run it.

RV range burners usually have to be lit manually while your gas stove at home probably has electronic ignition that lights the burner when you turn on the knob.   Most RV ranges are designed so the gas flows immediately to the burner when the knob is turned on and will continue flowing as long as the knob is on, whether the burner is lit or not.  Always have your match or lighter ready to light the burner as soon as you turn the knob to avoid releasing excess gas into the living space.  If too much gas escapes before you light the burner you'll likely blow yourself up as soon as you strike your match or light your lighter!  Some RV ranges will have pilot lights that will stay lit after you turn the burner off.  The knobs on these should indicate a "pilot" position as well as an "off" position.  You can take advantage of the pilot lights to make using the range more convenient while you're actively cooking, but is it a good idea to turn them all the way off between meals to conserve fuel and critical to turn them all the way off when traveling for safety.  Some newer and fancier RV ranges include thermocouples on the burners to prevent gas from flowing unless the burner is lit but most in use today do not.  Thermocouples are commonly used on older water heaters and refrigerators, but not on stoves.  The thermocouple generates a small electric current when it is heated and this current is used to operate a solenoid to open the main gas valve to the burner.  If the burner goes out, the thermocouple no longer generates any electricity, the solenoid closes, and the gas flow stops.  On a device equipped with thermocouples you usually have to push and hold a valve to allow gas to flow temporarily until the burner lights and activates the thermocouple.  Most modern water heaters and refrigerators use a computer board and sensors to control gas flow and ignition so you don't have to think about it or do anything other than turning on the switch.

Cleaning and maintenance is about the same as for your residential range.   And you will want to periodically clean the openings on the burners.  Using aluminum foil to line the bottom of the oven will reduce the frequency and effort of oven cleaning.  Most ranges have painted/ceramic or stainless steel finish.  Be careful when cleaning them and avoid using highly abrasive cleansers which can damage the finish.  If you must use cleanser, opt for soft scrub versions like BonAmi or Bar Keeper's Friend.  Scouring marks on stainless steel can sometimes be mitigated by carefully polishing it using fine steel wool.  Be sure to rub in  the same direction as the surrounding pattern.  The exterior of ranges and ovens can be refinished using appliance paint if they have become badly stained or if you just want to change the color.  Don't paint them with regular spray paint!  It won't stand  up to the temperatures.

If your RV range has failed you might find it easier and less expensive to replace it with an outdoor oven, such as those offered by Camp Chef and Coleman. These are propane powered, standalone units with 2 gas burners on top and a small oven beneath.  Since they require no hookups they are easy to use in a unit that doesn't have a functional range.  Since they aren't designed for indoor use, make sure you provide adequate ventilation when using one in your RV.  Or, even better, just cook outside, where its more fun anyway!

RV stoves and ovens are designed for cooking, not area heating.  They do produce a significant amount of heat.  Avoid using the stove or oven in your RV on hot days to avoid higher interior temperatures.  Cooking on cooler days may help warm things up inside your RV.  But do not use a stove or oven just to heat your RV!  They are not designed for that purpose and attempting to use them as heaters can result in dangerous, even life threatening, conditions.

An RV range and oven can provide a lot of service and convenience in camp.  If you consider its limitations and adjust your cooking and baking accordingly, you can enjoy nearly full residential functionality without too much frustration and they are a whole lot easier to use and a camp stove or a campfire.  They are usually ready to use in an instant and you usually have good control over the heat.

Happy cooking and baking!

End of Season

Is there EVER an end to the camping season?  Well, yes and no.  It is true that summer is the most popular season for camping, but you can camp in spring, fall, and even winter, when base camps support winter sports such as cross country skiing, snowmobiling, hunting, and ice fishing.

It is the middle of September and the "normal" camping season is winding down.  With the kids back in school, you've probably already done your "last harrah" family outing before summer ended -- or just maybe you still have time for one more!  It is likely that end of season sales on camping equipment already started back in July or August, but there might still be some bargains to be found.  It won't  hurt to check around at your favorite retailers.  You might find exceptionally good deals on anything that might still be left since they need to move it out quickly to make room for winter stock.  Always look for seasonal sales and "manger specials" at retail stores to get the best deals.  You may also see camping stuff showing up in garage sales and online as people wrap up their current seasons and dispose of unwanted gear before they have to find a place to store it.

Its just about time to be thinking about winter storage.  Tent campers probably already have their stuff safely tucked away after the last trip but it might be worth pulling it out and doing a quick inventory to make sure everything is clean and in good repair and properly stored.  Leaving things dirty while in storage for long periods invites additional damage.  If tents, canopies, or sleeping bags aren't thoroughly dry when put into storage they can be ruined by the time you get them out again.  Any cooking residue left on stoves, grills, pots and pans, and utensils will attract bugs, rodents, and bacteria that will make a real mess to be dealt with next spring.  Make sure you know where everything is so you don't have to go on a major hunt for it next season.  Now is also a good time to inventory your gear and supplies and make a list of any needed repairs, replacements, or additions.  That way you can spread the cost out over the winter months when there is no urgency.

You may not need or want to put everything in storage just yet, but it is still a good time to start thinking about it and planning for it so that when the times does come, you'll be ready.  For example, if you need to winterize the fresh water system on your RV you can start looking for good prices on Marine/RV antifreeze (the pink stuff) and stock up on it even if freezing weather is still weeks or months away.  When you winterize your RV, don't forget to drain the hot water heater.  It will save a lot of antifreeze if you have a bypass system to bypass the hot water heater when filling the water lines with antifreeze.  If your RV doesn't have one, you can purchase one for about $20 and can probably install it yourself.  Given  that the 6 gallons of antifreeze can cost $30, a bypass kit pays for itself right away, saving you both time and money.  It will also save time time when you de-winterize your rig next spring.

RVs and OHVs that won't be used for several months should be winterized and properly stored.  The degree of winterization required will depend on the climate where the vehicles are stored.   Some things, like checking fluid levels and makings sure cabinets are free from spills that would attract pets should be done not matter what kind of climate you live in but full winterization to prevent freeze damage is required if you live where you get freezing overnight temperatures.  Coolant should be checked to verify it contains enough antifreeze to protect the engines in RVs, OHVs, adn tow vehicles against expected low temperatures.  Coach water systems MUST be freeze protected in cold climates.  Any provisions that may be damaged by freezing should be removed and stored in a warm place.  Holding tanks on RVs should be dumped and thoroughly flushed before storage so foul odors don't permeate the furnishings during storage.  Then add RV antifreeze to the holding tanks to protect the dump valves.  Batteries should be kept on a maintenance charger or removed and stored where they won't freeze.  If possible, store RVs and OHVs in a garage or shed so they'll be out of the winter weather.  Lacking a suitable structure, consider purchasing an RV cover.  They only cost a few hundred dollars and are likely to pay for themselves in just a single season by protecting paint, decals, curtains, and exposed upholstery.  You may see people using ordinary cheap tarps to cover their RVs.  While this does block sunlight and usually protects against precipitation, they also trap moisture and are sometimes abrasive enough to damage the finish.  RV covers are made of  soft breathable fabrics that avoid these problems and are usually designed so they fit better.  Because they are designed to fit they are usually easier to install and their built-in anchor systems keep them in place during windy weather better than attaching a tarp with ropes or bungee cords.  By the way, if you MUST use a tarp, one simple way of anchoring it without damaging the vehicle is to fill empty bleach jugs with water (or, even better, old antifreeze) and hang them from the grommets on the tarp.  Be careful if you just fill them with water if you expect or experience freezing temperatures.   In a pinch  you can lower the freeze point a few degrees by adding salt to the water.  Plain water freezes at 32° F.   Salt water, fully saturated with salt (about 23% salt by weight) freezes at  -21° F.  If the jugs freeze they may crack and then the water will all leak out and your weights will become useless.  You may come out to find your tarp blown off or blown away.  Any crumbs or spills in and around your RV should be thoroughly cleaned up to avoid attracting pests.  You might even want to place some mouse bait in strategic locations to discourage the nasty little critters from taking up residence in your mobile residence.  I prefer using bait over traps.  Products like D-con not only kill rodents, but also contain a desiccant that causes their bodies to dry out instead of decaying and creating bad odors if they die inside the walls.  You may still have to dispose of their little mummified remains that are likely to be hiding beneath the bottom drawers or other out of the way places.

You will need to protect OHVs that have liquid cooled engines with the proper antifreeze.  It is also a good idea to drain the fuel tanks and the fuel lines and carburetors before storage.  Start the engine, turn off the gas, and let it run out of fuel so there won't be old fuel turning to varnish in th e carbuertor.  If, for any reason, you choose to leave fuel in the tank, treat it with a fuel additive like Sta-bil to minimize deterioration during storage. These simple steps of prevention can avoid costly service to get your machine running again next spring.  I've found it typically costs $80-$100 to get the gunk cleaned out of the fuel system.  So much better to drain the tank and run all the fuel out of the carburetor before you put your OHV into storage.  A light coat of oil on drive chains and other ferrous metal parts will prevent rust.

Fuel systems on RVs and OHVs that will not be used for several months should be drained or treated with a fuel additive such as Sta-bil.  You can usually drain the fuel tanks on OHVs pretty easily, then run the engine until all the fuel remaining in the lines and carburetor is used up.  Draining the large fuel tanks on other motor vehicles usually isn't practical.  Add enough Sta-bil for the tank capacity and top off the tank before storage.  A full tank will collect less moisture and condensation than an empty one, reducing the chance of water in the fuel line.

Propane powered camping stoves and lanterns usually only need to be cleaned before storage --  once the fuel canister has been removed.  Gasoline should be drained or treated with Sta-bil just like an OHV or vehicle engine.  Battery powered lanterns with removable batteries should have the batteries removed.  Rechargeable lanterns should be plugged in periodically to keep the batteries charged.   A convenient trick to to plug them into a timer so they aren't always being charged.  Overcharging can sometimes damage the batteries.

Proper storage will avoid unnecessary damage during the off season and make getting ready for your first out next season a lot easier and less expensive!

Tent campers will also need to store their tents and other equipment.  Tents and sleeping bags should be clean and dry before being stored.  Sleeping bags should not be rolled tightly.  Hang them so they can air out an restore loft if you can.  If not, pack them loosely in "stuff sacks".  Try to repair any damage before you put things into storage.  Make sure your pots, pans, utensils, dinnerware, and silverware are clean.  Remove perishable food and medical items before storage and, if your stuff will be stored will be stored where it could freeze, remove any liquids that might freeze.  Clean all your tools and coat metal surfaces with a light coating of oil to prevent rust.  This is also a good time to check for damage and make a list of those that need repair or replacement.   Drain fuel from gasoline stoves and lanterns.  Remove batteries from battery powered gadgets and store the batteries indoors.  You might want to include mouse bait near where  you store your stuff to minimize the chance of rodents infesting things.

After you've got all your gear and equipment taken care of, you can turn your attention to yourself.  You'll probably be facing an extended vacation from your favorite outdoor activities, especially if you live in northern climates with four real seasons.  Some people have enough winter activities that they don't miss camping, but many people will be getting a serious case of cabin fever long before Spring arrives and you can once again enjoy  your outings.  There are a number of fun and productive things you can do during the off season.  I find it is a good time to inventory, repair, clean, and detail my RV, camping and OHV equipment.  It may a good time for installing upgrades to your equipment.  You can also organize your photos and notes from last season's outings and begin making plans for next year.  Plan a regular exercise program to help stave off holiday weight gain and stay in shape so you'll be ready when Spring finally arrives.

And don't forget the end of season sales!  Even though some may have started months ago you may still find good buys on  closeouts of seasonal merchandise.  It is great time to try out new gadgets, replace damaged or outdated gear, or stock up on things you use often.  It might also be a goo time to look for bargains on ebay, craigslist, and at garage sales and thrift stores.

End of season is a good time to review this season's activities.   Remember, enjoy, and perhaps document notable outings.Organize and make notes on the photos you took during your trips.  Review the "to do"lists from each of your recent outings to make sure you've taken care of everything that needed attention.  Perhaps this upcoming "off season" will be a good time to take care of some postponed repairs or upgrades.  Sometimes not taking as many trips will leave a little more in the budget for desirable improvements you wanted to make to your RV, OHV, or camping equipment along with the time to do them.  And that is a fun way to stay connected to your camping needs when the weather doesn't lend itself to your usual activities.

Rest easy!

Road Trips

Road trips are traditional ways for many people, including families, to visit relatives and tour different parts of the country.  Some people take road trips just for the fun of it too.  The high cost of gasoline has put a damper on some road trips, but they can still be a comparatively economical way to travel, especially for families.  While traveling in a large RV may consume lots of fuel at ridiculously high prices, leveraging the cost across several family members makes it fairly reasonable.  Say you have an RV that gets 7 mpg and you have a family of four.  That calculates to 28 passenger miles per gallon.  Another advantage of traveling by RV or making camping part of our trip is savings on food and lodging.  Instead of constantly forking out big bucks for over-priced food and hotel/motel rooms, you can stay in campgrounds and cook in camp, usually saving  a lot of money.  For example, a family of four is likely to pay around $30-40 for a meal even in a fast food restaurant and closer to $60-80 or more in a nicer sit-down establishment.  Four people will probably need at least 2 rooms each night at a very conservative estimate of $50/room per night or $100 a night.  A week on the road could easily cost a family of four $700 in lodging and $900 in food.  Compare that to staying in campgrounds at under $40 per night (for all four people) and preparing most meals in camp and probably spending about the same you would for food at home and the cost comes way down.  We found a small private campground on a recent trip where we were able to get tent site for just $7.00 when the cheapest motels in the same area were way more than $50 a night.

But cost savings are not the only reason for taking road trips and camping along the way.  The experience itself is the major factor.  You and your traveling companions will share many sights and activities along the way -- if you plan properly.  If you hit the road with little or no planning you may still have a fun and spontaneous trip, but even that means a certain amount of preparation.  There are many attractions along our major highways, and even more a short distance off the main routes if you take time to look for them.   A lot of the preparation for a spontaneous road trip is mental.  Give yourselves permission and allow time to explore things along the way.  Plan to stop for ice cream or visit a road side fruit stand or just take time to stop and read some of the historical markers along the way.  In today's world our focus is often so much on the destination that we fail to enjoy the journey.

While RVs are often the most convenient way to take a road trip, you can take one in your family car or by motorcycle.   You will have to plan on finding gas stations or rest areas for necessary rest stops but fuel costs will most likely be substantially reduced.  You will want to pack your car so that you have convenient access to drinks and snacks along the way.  You will probably want to keep sweaters and jackets handy too, in case you run into inclement weather.  Sunglasses are essential for bright days.  You'll probably want to have a camera ready to capture special sites and outstanding views along the way.  If you have young children you will want to plan games or other activities to keep them occupied.  The entertainment systems available in many modern vehicles, including DVD players can turn "are we there yet" to "are we there already?"

Not all highways or even sections of the same highway are the same.  Some places are overflowing with areas of historic, scenic, and/or geologic interest.  In these sections you may have trouble allocating enough time on a trip to accommodate all the things you want to do and see.  Yet there may also be long stretches of road with little or nothing to see or do.  I have driven I-5 through the Central Valley of California many times and while there are interesting side trips available if you plan ahead or watch for them, cruising for hundreds of miles along a mostly flat, mostly straight freeway is going to tax the attention span of even the most intense observer.  I once drove across Iowa.  Miles and miles of cornfields and flat as a table as far as the eye could see.  Having grown up in the Rocky Mountains, driving across Iowa reminded of the old song "Too Much of Nothing".  My apologies to fans of Iowa.  The drive from Salt Lake City, Utah to Portland, Oregon follows much of the old Oregon Trail and while there are occasional historic markers along the way, it has been said that modern travelers will find much of it just about as lonely as did the pioneers in the 19th Century and I found that to be true.  I also found gas stations to be few and far between!  When you encounter stretches of road like this it will behoove you to have planned for it.  You may need in-vehicle activities, especially if you're traveling with children and you need to schedule regular rest stops for relief and to stay alert.  The options today far exceed those we had when I was a kid or when we were raising our kids.  We were pretty much limited to reading (which doesn't work for some people as it makes them car sick), playing games (like I Spy, the Alphabet Game, and counting license plates), singing songs, and telling stories.  Card games could be fun for everyone but the driver.  Today you have additional electronic options like books on tape, live Internet access, and portable DVD players.   Something that is usually fun for everyone is watching the information signs and billboards along the highway to find interesting places to stop for meals, snacks, or short visits.  Some billboards can be quite entertaining.  When I was a teenager we took several trips across southern Idaho and the highlight of the trips were the Stinker Service Station signs.  The front side had  picture of a skunk and typically advertised the location of the next Stinker gas station but it was the back side we always focused on.  Each one had a unique and amusing saying on it.  For example, in the middle of nowhere was one that said "Lonely Hearts Club Picnic Grounds"; another said "Just think: If you lived here you'd be home now"; yet another in a lonely stretch of road proclaimed "Its uncanny; there are no restrooms in this area".  They were always fun and apropos.  When traveling these kinds of roads, try to keep your gas tank full whenever you can.  You don't want to already be 100 miles from the last gas stop before you discover you can't reach the next one before running out of gas!

Access to services is another consideration along lonely sections of highway.  Know how far you can go on a tank of gas and plan to stop for gas  to make sure you don't run out in the middle of nowhere.  If your vehicle has a trip meter you can reset it at each gas stop so you know at a glance how far you've gone to help you gauge when to get more fuel.  Lacking a trip meter you'll need to jot down the odometer reading and do a little math to keep track of when you'll need gas next.  Gas stations usually come up fairly frequently along Interstate highways, but you can go for 50 or 100 miles or more between gas stations on some of the older highways.  In today's economy and with a lot of travelers sticking to the freeway system, many remote stations have gone out of business so even if you've been able to buy gas at roadside stops or small towns before, they might not still be there.  And, of course, expect to pay extra for fuel in remote locations.  Certainly supply and demand pay an important part of setting the price, but consider the transportation costs and other overhead are probably higher, forcing a higher price.  Food services may also be thinly scattered along lonely roads, so plan your meals and bring along plenty of snacks to tide you over.  And don't forget to bring PLENTY of drinking water.  Some folks like to limit fluid intake to minimize restroom stops, but that isn't really a very good idea.  Dehydration can cause some rather unpleasant consequences, including fatigue and grogginess, not good things when you're driving.  You may also want to toss in a gallon or so of extra water (or antifreeze) in case you spring a leak in your vehicle cooling system in the middle of nowhere.  Speaking of cooling system repairs, it is a good idea to carry some radiator hose repair tape.  It is in no way a permanent solution but it may help slow leaks long enough for you to reach civilization where you can get real repairs.  Pay attention to the signs that let you know how are it is to the next rest area so you don't end up trying to "hold it" too long, which has painful and sometimes very unpleasant and embarrassing results.  You might be tempted to pull over along a rural stretch of road and take advantage of some convenient trees or bushes in an emergency, but in most places it is illegal and is always unsanitary.  Much better to plan your stops to take advantage of the many very well equipped rest stops you'll find along most highways.  Also, make use of restrooms whenever you stop for gas or food.  Adapting one of the "old men's rules" from the movie "As Good As It Gets", never pass up a chance to use the restroom!  Remember the days when you reminded the kids to go to the bathroom before getting in the car?  Might be a good time to re-implement that rule -- for kids of ALL ages.

Most of us are accustomed to purchasing fuel with credit or debit cards but you may very well find remote locations that only accept cash, so be sure you carry a little with you for emergencies.  The same thing may apply to buying food.

Napping in the car is sometimes a fairly good way to help the time go more quickly in boring sections of the trip.  Some people enjoy napping in the car; others can't get comfortable.  Of course it is NOT an option for the current driver so trade off every couple of  hours or so!  If you begin to feel tired or sleepy, pull over at the next safe opportunity; get some fresh air and stretch your legs.  An occasional stop like this will take a lot less time than recovering from an accident!  Passengers will want to reserve nap times for uninteresting sections of the highway.  On most long trips there are plenty of them, so staying awake when there is something beautiful or interesting to see makes a lot of sense.  Most rest areas or road sides where you can pull off are relatively safe but if you notice any unsavory activity keep going until you find a place you feel more comfortable.

Hotels, motels, and campgrounds along the way can provide a welcome respite from driving.  In a pinch you can pull into a freeway rest area and snooze for a bit in your vehicle if you get really tired, but having an actual bed, even if its a sleeping bag in a tent, will be more restful and overnight stops give you something to look forward to.  Sometimes you can choose places with several amenities to enhance your stay (pool, wi-fi, hot tub, sauna, restaurant, even golf).  Even if there is not a restaurant in the hotel there will usually be a number of eating establishments nearby offering you a choice.  We like to seek out small, local cafes where the "home cooked" meals are often superb and reasonably priced.  "Country" breakfasts seem to be especially good values and are sometimes offered all day long.

Road trips can also be educational in ways that are a lot more fun and personal than reading it in school or watching it on the History Channel.  One time we chose to take Highway 49 instead of I-5 up through central California.  Highway 49 follows the route of the "49ers", early California gold prospectors, and there are dozens of historic sites along they way where you can get hands on exposure to how the miners worked and lived.  There are many such routes in different parts of the country that highlight local history or geology.  It will take you a little longer than zipping up the freeways, but we've found such variations to be well worth the extra time.  Not only are they interesting and educational, we found the trip to be less stressful and a lot more fun.

Trip out!

Thundersnow

Thundersnow?  Say what?  What the heck is that?  Well, it is thunder during a snow storm.  It doesn't happen as often as regular thunderstorms, but it DOES happen occasionally.  Because it is rather rare, and because we normally don't go camping in winter weather, it is unlikely you will encounter it during an outing.  But you might and it would be good to know what -- if anything --- to do when it happens.  One good thing about thundersnow, besides being rare, is that it usually doesn't last very long.   The meteorological conditions that create thunder don't usually occur in really cold weather.

Normal thunderstorms are the product of very tall, narrow columns of clouds.  Rising warm air and falling cool air create an increasingly powerful cycle of wind within the column.  Static electricity builds up between opposing currents in the cloud until it has sufficient charge to arc to the ground or to other clouds.  Winter usually doesn't produce the right kind of temperature differences to spawn thunderstorms but it can happen on occasion.  It isn't absolute temperatures but differences in temperature that can cause thunderstorms.

Normal snow storms usually come from wide, flat cloud systems so they don't usually generate lightning and thunder.  But occasionally rising warm air will disrupt the normal cloud formation and create bulges or tall columns capable of creating lightning and thunder and thundersnow is born.

I have personally only seen a thundersnow once or twice, even though I grew up in southern Idaho where we had some rather severe winters (-26°F at least once and one February where the high never got above -6°F for two weeks).  The first thundersnow I saw was on Christmas Eve in Salt Lake City a couple of years ago.  At first I thought the flashing of the lightning was just fluctuations in street lighting, but real thunder soon confirmed it was a rare thundersnow.  It was rather exciting and quite beautiful.  We experienced another brief bout this past winter in southern Utah County, a few miles south of Utah Lake. I suspect the proximity to reasonably large bodies of water may have had something to do with creating the temperature differences needed to generate thunder.

If you should get caught in a thundersnow in camp, you should take all the precautions you would for Camping In Snow and Camping In Thunderstorms.  You are very likely to encounter the potential risks -- and beauty -- of both.

Be safe!

Camping in Lightning

No one except ardent storm chasers would deliberately go camping in a lightning or thunderstorm.  However, weather being what it is, any of us could get caught in a thunderstorm while camping just about any time.  Even if there are no storms in the regional forecast you might still get thunderstorm and lightning in the mountains.  Many mountains are large enough to create their own micro-climate and very local weather.  I have had my RV caught in a lightning storm.  It doesn't have to mean the end of an outing.  We just need to take appropriate precautions and sit back and enjoy the show!

Lightning can present a marvelous light show, and sometimes scare the heck out of people!  It can be exciting and fun to watch -- as long as it doesn't get too close and if you are in a safe and comfortable place.  I like watching a good lightning show, as long as I'm in a safe place.  I like hearing the thunder roll.  When I was growing up in Idaho, my grandfather said it was the sound of potato wagons rolling by.  Not too threatening.  Being in an RV is generally pretty safe.  Even if lightning should strike your RV or even close to it YOU should be protected by the vehicle structure.  By the way, it is NOT the rubber tires that protect you.  Think about it.  Lightning easily arcs through 10,000-30,000' feet of air.  Do you really think it can't jump the 6" or so through rubber from your steel wheel to the ground?  The lightning WILL make its way to the ground, no matter what.  It is just a matter of the path it chooses.  It is the steel structure around you that protects you when you are in a vehicle.  If lightning does strike the vehicle it travels through the structure instead of through your body.  Of course, you could get zapped and even be injured if you are touching the structure at the time, so avoid touching window and door frames during an electrical storm.  That's also why your mother told you stay off the phone during an electrical storm.  Lightning striking a telephone pole somewhere miles away could send high voltage down the phone line.  Guess that gives cell phones one more advantage, although lightning may strike the cell towers and knock them out it won't travel back through your cell phone.  The other risk to you inside your RV is if you are parked under or near a tall object that may attract lightning and part or all of the object may explode or topple and damage your RV or set it on fire.  If you are camped in the kind of campgrounds most people prefer, with lots of trees, you probably don't have worry too much unless you happen to be parked near the tallest tree or some other high artificial structure like a flag pole, light standard, or antenna .   And although you may be safe inside your RV, it may suffer negative consequences from being struck or nearly struck by lightning.  Sensitive electronics may be damaged or a strike on a distant power pole might send surge of devastating voltage down the line and through your power cable if you're connected to campground power.  A surge protector is good way to protect your RV against this hazard.  They aren't cheap, but they are less expensive than repairing the damage from voltage surges.  Camping World offers a wide variety of surge protectors.  If you get one be sure to get one that corresponds to the power requirements of your RV.  BTW, if  you spend most of your time boondocking instead of connected to campground power, you probably don't need a surge protector since your generator isn't likely to create the kind of surges that can happen on commercial power grids.

Lightning, like any other severe weather, is going to present a bigger problem for tent campers than for RVers.  Your tent simply isn't going to provide you as much protection against any weather as an RV will.  Should lightning strike nearby you could be peppered with shrapnel or flaming debris, neither of which is going to be much deflected by tent fabrics.  Once again, if your tent is set up in a campground with lots of trees about the same height your probability of a near lightning strike will be reduced  However, if you're near a tall tree, light post or radio tower, they could "attract" lightning.  In reality, objects don't attract lightning.  Simply being the tallest object around makes them the location of the shortest distance for the lightning to jump from clouds to ground.  Lightning rods are used to protect structures from lightning strikes.  They reach higher than the structure an are grounded so the charge is conducted directly into the ground without damaging the structure.  The Empire State Building gets hit by lightning about 100 times every year.  So much for "lightning never strikes twice in the same place!".  The hail and heavy rain that often comes with thunderstorms is going to have more impact on tents than RVs.  You might want to seek protection for yourself and your companions under a sturdy rigid canopy or get inside your vehicles during hail and heavy rain.

Lightning can be a definite hazard for hikers, climbers, skiers (yes, lightning does sometimes strike in winter), boaters, and equestrian and OHV riders.   If you happen to get caught on a hill top or out in the open  in a flat area, YOU could very well be the highest object around!  You will usually get some warning of an approaching electrical storm from the sound of thunder.  You can tell how close the lightning is by counting the seconds between when you see the lightning flash and when you hear the thunder.  I was once within about 100' of a lightning strike.  Instead of "thunder" I heard an explosion simultaneous with the lightning.  I thought someone had bombed the computer center where I worked!  When lightning strikes a tree, the rapid vaporization of sap and moisture may cause the tree to literally explode, sending wooden shrapnel and flaming debris in all directions.  To estimate how far away lightning is, count the seconds between the flash and when you hear the thunder and divide by 3 to get the distance in kilometers or by 5 to get the distance in miles.  If it is closer than 25 or 30 seconds, take immediate steps to protect yourself.  Get off that hill top or out of that flat clearing and seek protection in a cluster of trees all about the same height.  If there are no trees around, try to get down into some kind of depression like a sand wash or creek bed.  Lacking any of these, lay down flat on the ground to minimize your height.  Don't stay too close to an OHV as it may become the tallest object around the the most likely target of lightning.  If lightning strikes it, it could send shrapnel or flaming projectiles in your direction if you are too close.  When entering any low lying area during a storm always be aware of and watch out for flash floods.  Avoid contact with water, which can also increase conductivity and the likelihood of becoming the object of a lightning strike. Even if the rain is several miles away, flash floods can sweep down creek beds and washes with amazing speed and devastating, even deadly, force.  When I worked in the construction industry we would shut down outdoor operations whenever lighting was within 2 miles of our work site as a safety precaution.  Out on the flat surface of an ocean or lake just about any boat could easily become the tallest object around and therefore the most likely contact point for lightning.  The tall masts on sailboats are especially susceptible.  Boats can be equipped with systems similar to lightning rods on buildings to conduct any electrical discharge safely to ground bypassing the components and occupants of the vessel.

One way to avoid being subjected to possible lightning strikes is to monitor the weather forecast and stay out of areas where thunderstorms are likely.  Lacking access to weather reports (shame on you!  Portable radios are small and inexpensive so you should always take one with you when camping) keep an eye on the sky.  Learn to discern the types of clouds that are prone to produce lightning and observe from which direction approaching weather comes and watch for early lightning strikes and take cover before it comes anywhere near you.  When observing clouds you will want to look for shape, color, and movement. Massive, dark, roiling clouds are often home to thunderstorms. High altitude clouds, and white, wispy clouds might bring showers but lightning is unlikely.  Here is a link for Predicting the Weather With Clouds.

Lightning isn't usually a direct threat to highway driving, at least not to the occupants inside vehicles.  If the vehicle is struck by lightning it will be conducted around the occupants by the steel body of the vehicle without injuring them as long as they are not touching the body.  The vehicle itself may not fare as well.  Modern, computer-controlled vehicles are likely to suffer severe damage to the electronic components but the electrical systems in older vehicles are not completely immune to lightning damage.  Lightning may pose an indirect threat as well.  A lightning strike may fell trees, street lights, or power poles across the road to block traffic and knock out traffic lights.  The heavy rain that often accompanies electrical storms may make visibility difficult and make roads slick.  Heavy rain or runoff can flood roadways and even a fairly thin layer of water on the pavement can seriously reduce traction.  Wet pavement has a co-efficient of friction about half that of dry pavement.  That means its about twice as likely for you to loose traction and control and will take twice as long to stop.  As water accumulates on the roadway, vehicles traveling at high speeds can begin to "hydroplane", riding on top of the water instead of the tires actually touching the pavement, causing the driver to lose control.  Whenever you are driving in rain, turn off your cruise control. If the cruise control is on and your car begins to hydroplane - when your tires loose contact with the pavement your car will accelerate to a higher rate of speed and when they once again gain traction you take off like an airplane.  Read more at Snopes report on using cruise control in the rain.   Flooded roadways can also conceal dangerous pot holes, washouts, and debris.  If you drive into a low spot, it may even be deep enough to cause your car to temporarily float, reducing traction and steering to zero and you'll go where ever the water chooses to take you.  Submerged debris may damage tires, suspension, and oil pans.  Suddenly submerging a spinning radiator fan in deep water may cause it to break or bend and damage the radiator.  Metal fans are usually pretty sturdy but a lot of modern vehicles have plastic or fiberglass fans that will virtually disintegrate when suddenly striking water.  Water splashing up under the car is sometimes intrusive enough to interrupt power to the ignition system, causing the engine to stall.  If you must drive through deep puddles, drive slowly.

Lightning can strike distant power lines and send a dangerous surge through electric and phone lines.  If you usually camp with electric hookups it is a good idea to equip your RV with a good surge protector to prevent damage from power surges.  They aren't cheap, but they're a lot cheaper than replacing all the damaged wiring and electrical and electronic equipment that will be ruined without them. 

The thunderstorms that create lightning often generate hail as well.   Drops of rain are caught in the updraft, freeze, fall down only to be caught up again and again until they grow to heavy to rise again.  The higher the winds in the updrafts, the larger the hail grows before falling.  Hail the size of peas or smaller is fairly common and usually doesn't cause much damage.  Dime and even nickel sized hail is not unusual.  I once had the aluminum roof of my motorhome pelted by nickle sized hail and afterwards the texture resembled that of a golf ball.  Larger, golf ball, baseball or even softball sized hail has been recorded.  Any ball-sized hail is very likely to do severe damage, especially to windshields and car tops.  Any hail large than peas is likely to be a problem for tents.

There are a lot of myths about lightning.  Some are just that, myths without any real merit, but some have an element of truth behind them.

Lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place.  FALSE!  This a a common misconception, probably based on the fact that a lightning strike often damages what it hits so that it is no longer there or at least no longer the tallest point around.   Thus, if lightning strikes a tall tree, the tree will probably be destroyed so it can't be struck again.  But for more permanent objects, multiple strikes are fairly common.   For example, lightning strikes the Empire State Building in New York City more than 100 times a year.  Why isn't it damaged?  It has a big lightning rod on the top that is wired all the way down through the building into the ground so all the energy is safely conducted into the earth without actually passing through the structure itself -- or the people inside.

Being struck by lightning is always fatal.  FALSE.  In fact, the mortality rate is only 10-20%, although the 80% who survive often suffer long term effects.  It is often thought it causes severe burns, but unless the victim is in contact with something like a metal object that "concentrates" the current, the brief surge doesn't usually last long enough to heat up the tissue.  The damage is usually due to something called "electroporation" in which the high voltage actually makes holes in your cell membranes, seriously damaging nerves and muscles.   Not that the technical difference makes any difference to the victims.  This could lead to pain, weakness, and bruising.  Another common casualty is hearing.  Lightning always produces thunder, although when lighting is close it sounds more like a violent explosion, so at least temporary hearing loss is a fairly common result of being near a lightning strike.  If you are struck by lightning, the thunder will occur simultaneously with the lightning flash, usually with sound something like a couple sticks of dynamite going off next to your ear!

The "30/30 Rule".  Definitely a kernel of truth here.  This rule says if there is less than 30 seconds between when you see the lightning flash and hear the thunder, take cover and then stay inside at least 30 minutes after the storm has passed and you stop hearing thunder.  While some folks may consider this overkill, it is generally good advice.  Better safe than sorry!  When I worked in construction we were required to shut down outdoor activity whenever there was lightning within 2 miles of our construction site.

Someone struck by lightning becomes electrically charged and touching them can injure you.  FALSE.  The actual contact with lightning is very brief, usually only a fraction of a second, and it does not leave behind a residual charge that would be dangerous to rescuers.  The human body is not an effective electrical capacitor (a device that stores electrical energy).  This is significantly different from the circumstances surrounding accidental electrocution from power lines.  The human body does conduct electricity.  A victim may still be in contact with a live line so it is essential that would be rescuers make sure the power is turned off or the wire is no longer in contact with the victim before touching them.  Since lightning strikes are momentary, you would only be in danger if you were touching the victim at the exact time they were struck.  You are in no danger from residual electricity by touching them after the strike is over.

Rubber tires insulate you from being shocked by lightning.  FALSE.  The protection you enjoy being in a vehicle comes from the metal frame around you which conducts any charge past you instead of through your body.  That means when riding on a motorcycle or other rubber-tired vehicle you may still be a target for lightning if you happen to be the tallest point around.  Think about it.  Lightning can arc thousands of feet through the air, why not few inches through rubber tires?

In the United States your odds of being struck by lightning in any given year are about 1 in 500,000 or about 1 in 6250 in an 80-year lifetime.  Your probability of being injured in a vehicle accident on the way to or from your camp site is much higher, in fact about 10-20 in 100,000, about a hundred times more likely than being struck by lightning!

Enjoy the show!

Portable BBQs

Portable BBQs add a lot of convenience for camping.   There are a large number of options to choose from, ranging from small, disposable, table-top charcoal units to fancy gas powered grills designed primarily for residential use.  Some RVs have BBQs built in to an outside compartment.  You can usually find a place (cabinet or roof pod) to bring along a small portable unit if it isn't built in.  You might be able to tote a home BBQ if you have space in the bed of a pickup or in a utility trailer but portable units can usually go just about anywhere in any vehicle.  Portable BBQs are modest in size and all fairly simple in design but they do require a certain amount of maintenance to keep them in optimum working order.  Charcoal grills only need to be cleaned periodically.  And that means removing the ashes and burned on grease from the bottom as well as brushing and cleaning the cooking surface itself.   Give your grill grid a good scrubbing with a BBQ brush, then rub it down with  a wad of newspaper for the finishing touch.  There are aerosol cleaners designed specifically for BBQ grills to help remove burned on grease.  Gas BBQs have burners that also need to be cleaned when you clean out the debris.  Usually all this takes is a good brushing along the sides of the burners where the perforations for the gas are using a wire brush.  Sometimes you may still have problems getting adequate gas flow after cleaning the burners.  This is often caused by spider webs inside the gas lines and fittings.  For some reason spiders seem drawn to these locations.   It may be the cozy physical configurations but some theories say they are attracted by the repulsive smell of the gas itself.  By the way, that nasty smell isn't the propane.  It is a chemical added to make it smell so leaks can be detected.  Regardless of why spiders do it, their webs and nests will restrict gas flow.  You would think the pressure of the gas would just blow it out, but it doesn't.  Tubing can be cleaned using a special brush usually available where ever BBQs are sold.  It looks like a screen door spring, about 1/4" in diameter and 12-18" long with a small patch of bristles about the size of a dime at one end and a handle on the other.  In addition to cleaning the tubes you may have to clean or replace the orifices.  These are brass fittings with the right sized opening for proper gas metering.  If they get plugged or even partially closed off with spider webs, grease, or debris, or enlarged by wear or abusive cleaning, they will not function properly.  The best way to clean them is with compressed air.  Using a metal probe often damages them and makes them unusable.   If you distort or enlarge the hole, you will have the replace the orifice.  If you must use more than compressed air to clear a clog, use a wooden toothpick or a piece of soft wire, not a hardened tool like an awl or an ice pick.  I've seen skilled folks use the RIGHT SIZE drill bit to clean an orifice.  If you resort to this procedure, anchor the orifice securely and squarely on the table of a drill press so you can drill straight and true.  Trying to drill it with a handheld drill is pretty much a recipe for failure.  A hand held drill will wobble slightly in even the steadiest of hands and it takes only a tiny wobble to ruin the orifice.   It may also introduce shavings into the piping and you run the risk of drilling into your hand!  Just trying to hold the orifice steady while you drill it will be difficult and very likely painful.  Sometimes soaking an orifice in vinegar will be enough to remove deposits.

Most portable BBQs are fueled by gas or charcoal.  Alternate heat sources include wood, electricity, and sunlight.  Contrary to some beliefs, gas BBQs actually emit less carbon dioxide than charcoal, so don't feel guilty if you choose gas over charcoal for convenience.  For really "green" grilling, choose a solar grill.  You can find plans on the Internet to build your own inexpensive grill or by one ready made. Some even "store" heat for after dark cooking, but for the most part you'll have to limit your cookouts to time with plenty of sunshine.  You will probably have to buy it on line and they aren't cheap.  Expect to pay $100 to $400, plus shipping.  Speaking of prices, better quality BBQ grills not only last longer but are more environmentally friendly than cheap ones and are less likely to leave undesired contaminates on your food.  Many people prefer the smoky taste of charcoal.  To ensure the best taste as well as minimize air pollution, avoid using charcoal that contains a lot of coal or other additives.  The best charcoal for grilling is natural wood charcoal.  By the way, did you know the famous Kingsford brand of charcoal was a byproduct of Henry Ford's early auto factories?  Ford collaborated with Kingsford to convert waste wood scraps from building Model T's and Model A's into a viable consumer product:  charcoal.  Together they promoted BBQs during outings using automobiles.

Most portable gas BBQs are designed to run off the small, 1-lb propane cylinders.  They are small, light weight, easy to transport, readily available, and easy to attach to the BBQ.  You can get adapters, such as so called "Extend-a-flow" kits for motorhomes, to run your portable BBQ off the large tanks on your motorhome.  Adapters also also available to connect portable BBQs and stoves to removable trailer tanks and standard portable propane tanks.  Having a larger tank reduces the chances of running out of gas while cooking a meal and bulk propane is usually cheaper per gallon than the small cylinders.  Portable gas grills are typically about 1' to 1 1/2' wide, about 1 foot deep, and about 10-12" tall  with the legs extended.  You can also buy single use charcoal grills for camping.  They usually include the charcoal in a heavy aluminum foil tray.  They are very convenient but as is often the case, convenience comes at a price.    They are intended to be disposable -- used once and tossed.  But it might be worth it to avoid hauling around a bulky BBQ and a bag of charcoal if your space is limited and you don't plan to grill multiple times in an outing.  Be careful where you set them.  The trays get very hot so they can damage wooden or plastic tables.  An ideal place to put them is on the grill of one of the permanent standup BBQs you sometimes see in parks and campgrounds.  Lacking one of those  you might have to put them on the ground.

Charcoal is favored by many camp chefs over gas for the smokey flavor it adds to foods.   EZ light charcoal contains an accelerant which may affect the taste, but usually it should burn off before you are ready to cook.  Likewise, charcoal lighter fluids can affect the taste so use them sparingly.  The charcoal lighter will typically burn off long before you're ready to cook, but to be completely safe, use standard charcoal briquets and light them using crumpled newspaper or kindling.  If you do use any accelerant, be sure to allow enough time for it to burn off before you start cooking.  Hickory, cherry, and other wood chips may be added to enhance flavors.  A "charcoal chimney" can be used to get your charcoal going faster without accelerants.  Put a wad of paper in the bottom (a good use of old newspaper), add the amount of charcoal you need, and light the paper.  In about 20-30 minutes your charcoal will be ready to cook with.  Wood chips may even be used with gas BBQs to enhance flavor but be sure to check grill manufacturers restrictions and the instructions that come with the chips.  Charcoal is also the preferred fuel for Dutch oven cooking but you can also use a dutch oven in a campfire or in the coals from a campfire.  And advantage to charcoal for Dutch ovens is it is easy to put glowing briquets on the lid.  Use about 1 briquet for each inch of diameter of the oven.  If  you are cooking on a campfire, use coals from the fire to approximate the number of briquets.

For better tasting food as well as for health reasons, you will want to keep the grill surfaces clean.  Most of the time you can use a BBQ brush to clean away the burned, greasy deposits left behind by the last use.  Fire up the grill and let it get hot to soften and loosen or burn off the deposits, then brush away the residue using a grill brush.  For more complete removal of greasy residue, rub the grill with a wad of old newspaper.  Just make sure the grill isn't too hot or the flames so high that the paper catches on fire!  An occasional cleaning with a commercial grill cleaner will help keep it in tip top shape, but be sure to wipe it down well before using it so your hamburgers or steaks don't taste like grill cleaner.  If you are particularly concerned about removing all the grill cleaner residue, wash it with warm soapy water and rinse and dry it thoroughly.  Avoid using ordinary household cleaners on the grill.  They may leave an unpleasant taste and sometimes even toxic chemicals!  You can use cooking spray on the grill or brush it with cooking oil to help keep food from sticking, although the grease that comes out of a lot meats will be enough by itself.  The grease that drips out of meats as they cook creates much of the smoke that gives that BBQ flavor whether using charcoal or gas.

Lighting your BBQ.   Gas BBQs can be lit using a match, a long handled lighter, or a built in igniter.  If your BBQ doesn't have an igniter or it is worn out or broken, you can usually buy a universal replacement igniter kit and install it yourself, eliminating the need to track down matches or lighters to get your grill going each time.  As mentioned above, the best way to light charcoal is using a "charcoal chimney", which uses some wadded up paper to get the charcoal started.  Charcoal lighter fluid is another popular way of lighting charcoal but personally I don't like the smell it adds to the charcoal (and my food).  "Matchlight" charcoal is pre-treated with charcoal lighter to make it ignite easily so you don't need to carry charcoal lighter.  Avoid using gasoline to start your charcoal.  It is more likely to create unpleasant odors and taste than approved charcoal lighter fluids which are supposedly designed to burn away cleanly.

BBQs are mostly used for cooking hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks, and chicken but you can also roast other meats and vegetables like corn and bake potatoes on them quite easily.  With the addition of a griddle you can do pancakes, eggs, or French toast. You could use them like a stove to prepare other foods in pots and pans but your trusty Coleman stove is usually a better choice for that with burners that are designed to apply heat directly to pots and pans and with more precise controls for setting the best cooking temperature.

BBQs can be difficult to use in windy conditions.  I've experienced situations where even with a wind screen around the cooking surface, the breeze through the burner compartment prevented sufficient heat from reaching the grill to cook hamburgers.  Typical wind screens attach to the top of the BBQ or stove to block wind from the cooking surface and the food thereon.  You may have to improvise to block the wind from whipping through the burner compartment -- or give up and cook on your RV stove or over the campfire until the wind dies down.  Sometimes just being on the leeward side of your RV or some other structure is enough to get you and your BBQ out of the wind.

We sometimes use our trusty R2D2 (washing machine tub fire pit) to cook burgers etc.  I fitted an old BBQ grill with a pipe I can slide into the center agitator tube of the R2D2 and we use regular firewood -- no treated wood -- for the cooking fire.

Throw another shrimp on the barby, mate!

Is There Anyone Who SHOULDN'T Go RVing or Camping?

There are few reasons anyone who wants to shouldn't be able to go RVing or camping.  There may be some restrictions on certain activities or locations based on diagnosed medical conditions or physical disabilities, but for the most part, the only people who shouldn't go RVing or camping are those who don't want to.

If you have a medical condition where you are told to avoid flying or other high altitudes, you will want to restrict your RVing and camping to elevations that are safe for you, but it doesn't mean you have to sit at home!  There are plenty of beach venues that literally put you at sea level so elevation would not be a problem.  Allergies may be sometimes used as an excuse to not go camping but with modern medicine and careful choice of destinations, most allergy related problems can be mitigated.  If you or someone in your group have been given restrictions on physical activities due to injuries or illness, avoid strenuous tasks like hiking, cycling, or chopping firewood.  There are still many fun and beneficial things you can do around camp.  Anyone on dialysis will need to stay close enough to home or their dialysis center to maintain their schedule.  You may need adjust your plans or have special equipment to accommodate the needs of people in your party with physical disabilities.

If you have zero experience RVing or camping, seek out experienced companions to get you started.  I would not recommend taking off on an unassisted camping trip if you've never been camping before.  There are certain activities that can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing or ignore prescribed safety precautions.  My father-in-law singed off his eyebrows trying to light a furnace in his micro-mini motorhome by not following the lighting instructions properly.  Lighting camp stoves and lanterns is generally a pretty safe procedure, but it can sometimes be a problem for the novice.  Even building a simple campfire safely requires some knowledge and practice.  Setting up tents and awnings requires a certain amount of skill.

Does advancing age mean you've got to give up camping?  I sure hope not!  I've seen plenty of active retirees in their 70s and 80s and 90s enjoy the RVing and camping experience.  My own grandmother traveled with my Mom and Dad and younger sister in their mini-motorhome until she was in her 80s.  She found it quite comfortable and a lot less stressful than being left at home.  It helped that they involved her in  tasks around camp that made her feel useful was well as welcome.   At 75 she enjoyed riding on the back of my enduro dirt bike (yes, it had footpegs to carry a passenger).  You may reach an age where it would be a good idea to leave the driving to someone else, but that applies to other activities too, like routine grocery shopping.  My Mom just turned 90 and although she still holds a valid driver's license and keeps it up to date she has voluntarily stopped driving.  Although she passes her driving tests with flying colors, she is uncomfortable that her eye sight and reaction time aren't what they used to be and would rather not take any chances. But she still enjoys trips to the beach or the forest with other family members at the wheel.  As avid dirt bikers, my wife and I strongly subscribe to the idea that "You don't stop riding (or camping) because you get old; you get old because you stop riding (or camping)."

Physical disabilities may impose some restrictions on what you can do, but just falling under ADA rules doesn't mean you have to stay home.  I saw an OHV activist climb out of a wheelchair to ride his ATV in a pro-OHV parade.  And no, it wasn't an ATV accident that put him in the wheelchair.  Tow vehicles and motorhomes can be equipped with wheelchair lifts and other adaptations to make them accessible to disabled persons.  The aisle space in older RVs may not accommodate wheel chairs, but in newer models with slide-outs it will be less of a problem, although unless the unit was designed with wheelchair access in mind you may still encounter tight spots.  In a pinch (pun intended) you might be able to buy a narrow wheelchair like those used on airlines that may be able to negotiate the tight spaces inside an RV.  Some folks find they can navigate inside an RV either using a walker or cane or just the cabinets and walls of the RV for support.  Assist handles might be installed to facilitate getting in and out of an RV and negotiating the aisle and bathroom.

Allergies may impose some restrictions on where you go, but they certainly don't have to shut down all camping activity.  While it would be unwise to knowingly plant yourself in the middle of batch of vegetation that triggers your allergies, there is enough variety in outdoor environments that just about everyone should be able to find a place where they can avoid severely unpleasant reactions.  If I were allergic to bees I wouldn't visit a honey farm!  Modern allergy medication used correctly can usually relieve most of the symptoms.

Some people view pregnancy as imposing many restrictions on mothers to be.  But it certainly doesn't have to be that way and it doesn't have to put a moratorium on your camping!  My wife continued RVing and camping with the family and even riding her dirt bike through most her her pregnancies, until just a few weeks before delivery.  Of course you don't want to take an unreasonable risks for either the baby or the mother, but routine camping shouldn't be a problem unless there are already extenuating circumstances that limit the mother's activities.  As a kind of extension of camping during pregnancy, you don't have to stop camping when the baby comes.  Bring him/her along!  We did, and all our kids LOVE RVing, OHVing, and camping to this day.  Be aware that you will need to attend to the special needs of baby.  Make proper preparations and allow adequate time for addressing their needs and you'll --  and they'll -- be fine.  Supercross star James "Bubba" Stewart got his first motorcycel ride on his dad's lap when he was only about 2 days old!

So, unless you're under doctor's orders to avoid camping or you absolutely hate being in the outdoors or hate traveling or hate campfires, there is no reason why you shouldn't go camping.  Even if you get car sick it doesn't mean you have to stay home.  Just take appropriate medication and avoid reading while riding and you should do fine.

Time for that getaway!