RV, Camper, and Boat Mattresses

 Mattresses used in RVs and boats are usually pretty similar.   However, many boats have a v-berth in the bow as a sleeping area and those require specially shaped mattresses to fit into the pointy end of the boat.  Some folks like to use some kind of anti-moisture tiles under the mattress so that any water that accidentally gets into the boat doesn't get soaked up by the mattress.   The cab over beds on truck campers also frequently benefit from anti-moisture tiles. Of course, if the amount of water exceeds the depth of the tile (usually about 1/2" - 3/4") the mattress will still get wet.  Most of what is given below for RV mattresses also applies to boat mattresses.

RV Mattresses.  RVs are intended to provide us most of the creature comforts we enjoy at home, including a comfortable bed.  I'm sure we all agree that getting a good night's rest is essential for safe, enjoyable, successful travel and outdoor activities.  Most RV beds are pretty comfortable, or at least start out that way.  But not all RV mattresses are created equal nor hold up as well.  Cheap mattresses will break down faster than better quality products and no one sleeps well on a thin or broken down, lumpy mattress.  Mattresses in used RVs can be a mystery.  Some may be OEM, some replacements.   Replacements may be upgrades or even downgrades so you don't know what you're getting.  In addition to original quality, use and care will also affect performance and longevity.  If the previous owner was very large or for some reason carried heavy cargo on the bed, the mattress may not last long.  Are RV mattresses really that different from the residential mattresses you use at home?  Sometimes they are.  For one thing, you can save weight using a thinner or lighter mattress so many RVs come with sleep systems that are often considered inferior to the one on your bed at home to reduce weight and cost.  If you're used to an extra thick and comfy mattress at home, you might find the thin pad in some RVs disappointing.  For another thing, they are sometimes different sizes than the standard sizes used at home.  For example, what you might take for an ordinary double bed in some motorhomes is actually a 3/4 size mattress at 48" wide, compared to 54" for a standard double mattress.  If you don't think 6" makes much difference, try sleeping two people on  a 3/4 size mattress!   RV King and Queen mattresses are usually not the same size as their residential namesakes.  Some RVs use a corner bed to save space and they'll often have the exposed corner cut off to provide more aisle space.  The cut corner usually doesn't affect sleeping unless someone quite tall sleeps on that side of the bed and their feet hang over, but if you replace it with a mattress that doesn't have the cut corner it can both droop and can get in the way of getting past the bed, which is usually the path to the corner bathroom in the other rear corner of the RV.  Sometimes you can add support under the extended corner, but it might mean banging your shins when you go by.  RV Queen and RV King mattresses are usually a little shorter than standard residential models.  If there is room and you can sacrifice a few inches of walking space you can usually upgrade to residential size mattresses, but you might need to extend the platform so the mattress doesn't sag where it hangs over the edge.  If the existing mattress already goes from wall to wall, there won't be room for a larger one.

There are many reasons why you might want to replace an RV or boat mattress.   As mattresses age, the cover fabric may deteriorate and tear, padding may get compressed or shift, springs may collapse or break, or the mattress may become stained or soiled so that it is unpleasant and perhaps unhealthy to sleep on.  Boat mattresses, often subjected to excess humidity, can develop mold and mildew that makes them unhealthy as well as unpleasant.

You can buy replacement mattresses from RV stores like Camping World or you can have them custom made.  Any good upholstery shop should be able to order and cut foam to fit your RV and make a suitable cover if you don't have a local mattress maker.  Having a custom made foam mattress may be less expensive than you might think, especially if you can use an off-the-shelf mattress cover instead of having one custom made. If the cover is slightly smaller it still might work but it could make the mattress bow in the middle.  If it is too big you can usually fold it over and tuck it under to make it work -- or, if you're handy in the sewing department, you can alter it to make it fit to your satisfaction.

You can even buy famous brand name mattresses, including Serta and Sleep Number beds, to fit most RVs.  Be sure to measure your mattress to be sure you're getting one that will fit right.  The "Queen" and "King" beds in some RVs are NOT the same size as standard Queen and King beds at home, although sometimes standard mattress can be made to work.  When measuring for a new mattress, measure the platform, not the old mattress.  The shape and dimensions of the old mattress may have been distorted by use and by temperature and humidity or the old mattress might already have been a replacement that may or may not have been sized right.

If your old mattress is breaking down and is no longer comfortable to sleep on, you can either replace it with a new mattress or consider adding a mattress topper.  A mattress topper will usually be a lot less expensive and often gives very satisfactory results.  A mattress topper is not the same thing as a mattress pad.  Toppers are usually much thicker and made of foam.  Pads are mostly made of cotton.  You can buy memory foam mattress toppers and it is pretty easy to cut the foam down if it is larger than your mattress.  An electric knife is very good for cutting foam.   You may have to alter the cover for the mattress topper to fit the reduced size -- or just tuck it under.  We added a 4" memory foam topper to the rather skimpy RV mattress in one of our motorhomes and it made for a very comfortable bed.  With a good topper over an older mattress that is breaking down you probably won't notice the diminished performance of the original mattress.  Your sleeping comfort will be mostly determined by the topper, with the original mattress simply providing a cushioned foundation.  Given that a topper sells for around $100 and new mattress can cost more than $400, a mattress topper is a very attractive option. A 4" topper changes a skimpy 4"mattress into a comfortable 8" thick sleep system.  We have even used memory foam toppers in the v-berth in our sailboats.

Some people find foam mattresses too hot to sleep on since they are not good conductors of heat and often don't allow the kind of air circulation that is possible in an innerspring mattress.   If you're one of those people, use a cotton mattress pad over your foam mattress or topper.  Feather beds are an attractive alternative for some people (unless you're allergic to feathers!).

A simple mattress pad may solve issues with sensitivity to foam.  Pads made of cotton usually provide the most neutral solution, insulating you from the temperature attributes of the foam.  Some people like the luxurious softness of a "feather bed".  If you find yourself already out on a trip when you discover your mattress seems to hot or too cold, you can probably make do with an extra blanket between the bottom sheet and the mattress.  Even an itchy wool blanket would be OK since it would be under the sheet -- unless you are particularly sensitive or allergic to wool, in which case I would wonder why you'd have a wool blanket in the first place.

Air mattresses can be a lightweight alternative to replacing a mattress if you can find one to fit.  In addition to being very light weight you can adjust the firmness to fit your personal needs.  But, some people find the plastic surface hot or cold to sleep on.  This can usually be overcome with a mattress pad and still enjoy the benefits of an air mattress -- low cost, light weight, infinitely adjustable firmness.  If you opt for an air mattress, be sure to carry a repair kit so you can fix any leaks that might crop up in camp. It really isn't fun waking up on flattened mattress!  Quality air mattresses are generally pretty sturdy if they aren't punctured or otherwise abused.  Since you can't change the shape of an air mattress they won't fit in v-berths on boats.

Sleep well.

Tent Lighting

There are many good options for tent lights these days.  Some years back, candles, a kerosene lantern or a trusty Coleman gas lantern or flashlights were about the only choices.  Anything with a flame is a potential hazard in a tent, although a Coleman or kerosene lantern, if used cautiously may be OK and will also serve as a heater.  Kerosene gives off fumes that are offensive to some people and somewhat toxic.  A propane powered propane lantern will be almost odorless but will still consume oxygen.  Always provide adequate ventilation when using a flame powered lantern inside your tent to avoid suffocation.  Keeping a window on opposite sides about 1" is usually about right.  Ordinary handheld flashlights are kind of cumbersome to use and the narrow beam isn't very good for area lighting.  Fortunately today they are many battery powered lanterns that work very well and are very safe to use in a tent.  For optimum battery life, choose an LED lantern.  Rechargeable lanterns are good if you have a way to recharge them in camp or on the road.  Many offer charging via 12-volt plug that fits a standard car cigarette lighter.  Solar powered lanterns are great, as long as you remember to put them outside in the sun regularly to recharge.  Might not be so good if you get a lot of rainy days  or stay in the shade where you go camping.  You can even get battery powered lanterns with remote controls so you can turn the light on and off without having to get out of your warm sleeping bag.

Some tents have loops sewn into the top of the inside of the tent or built into the framework for you to hang your lights on.  If yours doesn't, you can usually use a clip like those used to fasten accessories to RV awnings or ID badges to your pocket or lapel, to secure your light by clipping them to a seam or tent pole.  Another option would be to sew your own loop inside the roof of your tent.  Be sure to seal the stitching with seam sealer or you'll probably get a drip when it rains.  While it would be ideal to make the loop from matching tent fabric, it may be hard to find.  A scrap of denim from an old pair of jeans will do the trick.  And, since it is very small, and mostly out of sight, will most likely not be at all offensive.  Some tents come with matching bags for tent stakes and you may be able to steal a strip of fabric from one of those to make your loops.  Another handy way to secure lights is using a spring type paper clamp.  You can also use ordinary binders twine to tie them up just about anywhere you need a light.

I've had one of my favorite tent lights for years, long before LED lights were available.  It is very small, about 1 1/2" x 3/4" x 4".  It runs on AA batteries and has both a spot light and a flood light mode.  Its light weight and small size makes it ideal for hanging from the top of a tent and the flood light mode does a fair job of illuminating a pretty large area.   The spot light is handy for looking inside packs or illuminating trails after dark.  It fits easily in a pocket or in pouch on your back pack.  These days I'd opt for an LED version to get better battery life.  I also have a pocket sized LED light, with both spot and flood light modes.  Again, it is small enough and light enough to hang from the top of the then and the LED bulbs do not generate enough heat for it to be any danger to tent fabric, even if it is hung directly from a fabric loop at the top of the tent.  I bought mine at Harbor Freight.  They are often on sale for $2.99, but even at the regular discount price of $3.49 they are a bargain.  Hey, the advertised retail price of $7.99 isn't bad, considering the functionality and utility of this handy LED light.  Quite often you can even find coupons in the Harbor Freight ads to get one for free!

I have a new possibility I am looking forward to trying out.   It is a remote controlled above ground LED pool light.  It has a magnetic base that would normally attach to the steel walls of a Doughboy type pool,  but it also came with a steel plate that would go on the outside of a plastic pool so it could be used when there are no steel walls.  I plan to use the steel plate on the outside of my tent so the magnet has something to stick to. The remote control should be a nice convenience.

If you end up using your Coleman lantern in your tent, make sure to keep it away from the tent fabric.  It will probably be kind of heavy to hang from the top of the tent, but even if you have a very sturdy tent or sturdy frame to hang it on, be sure to keep it away from the fabric.  Since heat rises, having it within a few inches of the tent roof could damage the roof or even cause a fire.  Better to set it on something, like an overturned bucket or an ice chest.  That keeps it away from the roof and will usually provide better heat distribution.  And, as mentioned before, be sure you have adequate ventilation.  Coleman lanterns put out quite a bit of heat.   A Coleman gas lantern was all a friend with a camper van used to heat his van on chilly nights.

Candles have been used for hundreds of years in residences and in tents and are still a viable option, if you use them wisely.  The open flame means you have to exercise extra care to avoid setting your tent on fire.  Using a lantern style candle holder (also known as candle lanterns) is one way to minimize fire danger while retaining a nostalgic appearance and economical operation.  They provide a little protection against the open flame coming in contact with fabric or other flammable materials if they get knocked over or pushed up against the side of the tent.

Modern LED lights offer many useful advantages.  Battery powered LED lights run cool so there is little danger of them starting a fire even if they come in contact with tent fabric.  LED bulbs use far less electricity than incandescent counterparts making batteries last a LOT longer.  A visitor once left a single 12-volt light on in the bathroom of my RV and it totally drained two large deep cycle batteries in afternoon.  Contrast that with an 17 LED lantern powered by 4 " D" cells I inadvertently left on in barn over night.  Not only did the lantern still work the next day, the batteries held up for 3-4 months afterwards.  Solar lanterns are available too.  Just remember to put them out in the sunlight every day to recharge.  You can even get camping lanterns with remote controls so you don't even have to get out of our sleeping bag to turn them on or off.

During the day, you may be able to take advantage of natural light.  If the tent fabric is light enough, it may allow enough light in that you won't need any artificial light.  Opening windows and doors will also let light in, but if you use a tarp over your tent for shade or extra rain protection, you might still need artificial light during the day.  You may be able to lighten up the interior of a double wall tent by temporarily removing the rain fly.

At night you might want to light up your tent inside so it can be seen to avoid someone running into it with a vehicle or even walking into it in the dark!  LEDs would be best for this since you wouldn't have to worry too much about the batteries running down if you need to leave them on for several hours.

Light it up!

Automatic Transfer Switch

What is an Automatic Transfer Switch and why should you care?  An Automatic Transfer Switch automatically connects your generator to the RV 120-volt system when you start the generator.  Without one you have to plug the shore power cord into the generator receptacle.  Depending on the location and access to the power cord and the receptacle, plugging it in can sometimes be somewhat onerous.  I've seen arrangements where the receptacle is in the back corner of a very small power cord compartment that is only accessible through a 5"x5" door, making it quite difficult (Hah!  Nearly impossible!) to reach, even after pulling all the cord out of the tiny compartment to get to it.  Pulling all that cord out and stuffing back is a nuisance and especially messy and difficult in bad weather. Plugging into the generator receptacle is virtually impossible with 25' of fat 30 or 50 amp cord in the way.  I've seen way too many RVers complain their generator wasn't working when the only problem was they hadn't plugged their power cord into it!  An Automatic Transfer Switch eliminates that problem.  But they do add one more possible point of failure.

An Automatic Transfer Switch is a nice addition to any RV with an on board generator.   Having an automatic transfer switch means you don't have to go outside in bad weather and wrestle with the power cord to connect your generator.  All you have to do is fire it up when you get to camp and the switch does it for you.  The switch has two inputs:  the shore power cord and the generator.  It has one output, connected to the 120 volt breaker panel.  The default position of the switch (when there is no power from the generator) is for the shore power cord.  Once the generator begins to deliver power, a control circuit in the transfer switch will switch to generator power after about 30 seconds. The 30 second delay is designed to give the generator motor time to "settle in" before putting any load on the generator.  If yours doesn't settle down and run smoothly in 30 seconds or less you should have it tuned up.

If you decide to install a transfer switch on your RV, be sure to purchase one rated to match the RV panel capacity and power cord connection -- 30 or 50 amps.   A 50 amp switch could be used on a unit with 30 amp power but you'd just be paying extra for something you don't need.  NEVER use a 30 amp switch on an RV with 50 amp service.  Doing so could result in an overload condition that could burn out the switch and even lead to a fire.  If you add an automatic transfer switch it might be a good idea to retain the original generator receptacle connection so have a fall back if the switch fails.  I had a switch fail and ended up spending almost as much to bypass the switch as I spent to install it -- and lost the use of my generator for several days on the road before I arrived where I could purchase the necessary parts for the bypass.

Automatic Transfer Switches start at about $50.00 for a 30 amp model.  50 amp version will cost more.  You can buy even more expensive models that may have a heavier duty cycle and might last longer but I would carefully compare the features, warranty, and life expectancy before spending a lot more money.  Unless you are using your RV extensively where the switch will get a lot of use, the lower priced models will usually be adequate for most people since our RVs normally only get occasional use.

Check whether you have access to the wiring and a place to mount the switch before you buy.   No sense spending money on a switch you can't use.  It is ideal if the power cord compartment is large enough and you have good access to install the switch there.   It makes the installation fairly easy.  If there is room there you usually have access to all the connections you need to install the switch.   I had to install one near the breaker panel under the bed in one RV because there wasn't enough room or good enough access for the installation in the power cord compartment.  The door was only 5"x5" square and there was barely room to stuff the power cord in the compartment.  Decide where you're going to mount the switch and make sure there is sufficient room for it and some sturdy structural component to mount it to.  It should NOT be mounted to just paneling.  You will need access to both the wiring from the power cord and the wiring from the generator as well as a way to run wiring from the switch to the breaker panel.  If you have to run any extra wire, make sure you use at least 10 gauge wire for all connections for a 30 amp switch.  For a 30 amp feed the black should be hot, white should be neutral, and green or bare copper is ground.  Check with an electrician to confirm wire sizes and colors for a 50 amp installation and note that a 50 amp power cord has 4 conductors where the 30 amp cord has only 3.  A typical 50-amp cord as three 6 gauge wires and one 8 gauge wire.  You'll probably need a little professional help figuring out the correct wiring for a 50 amp switch.  The first one I installed didn't work.  I had my installation checked by an electrician and found that I'd hooked up the wrong "hot" wire from the generator to trigger the switch.  Didn't know there was any difference but there was.

Most switches will come with very good wiring diagrams that anyone who can change a residential switch or outlet should be able to follow to make the connections.  Basically you disconnect the shore power cable from inside the cable compartment and connect it to the power cable terminals on the switch.  Then remove the generator receptacle and connect the generator wiring to the generator terminals on the switch.  Alternatively you could splice into the line between the generator and the receptacle, leaving the receptacle connected.  That way, if the switch fails you can still plug the power cord into the receptacle until you can get the switch repaired or replaced. Then connect the panel terminals to where the power cord was previously connected in the cable compartment and you should be good to go.  A word of caution if you choose to the splice option.  You may have serious problems if you plug in the shore power when the generator is running using the receptacle or start the generator with the shore power plugged in!  Don't know how you could ever have the cord plugged intothe generator receptacle and the shore outlet at the same time.  Everything should be OK as long as there is nothing plugged into the receptacle.   Also, during installation, be sure the power cord is disconnected and the generator off until the switch is completely installed.  If you have to extend any of the wires, be sure to enclose any splices in a proper electrical box, never just twist or solder them together and tape them up.  If you are not comfortable doing 120-volt wiring, have it done by a licensed electrician or a qualified RV technician.  If you have to run any new wiring instead of simply using existing wires, make sure you use wiring of the right gauge for the application (30 or 50 amp).  If you have to splice into existing wires, the splices should be contained in a proper electrical junction box.  The connections inside are usually made with wire nuts and you should use stress relieve fittings where the wires pass in and out of the box.  I did have some trouble getting a 50 amp switch to work and enlisted the aid of a licensed electrician to help me troubleshoot it.  Turns out I had chosen the wrong leg of the 4-wire feed from the generator to connect to the switch.  Hooking up the other leg instead solved the problem. 

Switch on!

Camping Weather

What is camping weather?  That depends on who you are and what kind of camping you want to do.  For most people camping weather is a nice, sunny but not too hot summer day,   A few hardy souls go camping in the winter and brave the snow and cold on purpose, but most people prefer milder weather for their outings.  Most folks think of camping as a summer activity, perhaps spilling over into warm days of spring and fall.  Daytime temperatures in the 70s and low 80s Fahrenheit are quite pleasant.  If it gets warmer or colder than that, human beings begin to get pretty uncomfortable.  Lower temperatures are sometimes acceptable if you're going to be involved in strenuous physical activity that will keep you warm.  Temperatures in the 60s are often ideal for OHV or horseback riding or even strenuous hiking if you're dressed for it.  Higher temperatures are enjoyed by people involved in water sports where they can frequently cool down in the water.  But sitting around camp when its over 100°F or below 60°F isn't anyone's idea of fun.  A good rain storm can be fun -- if you're prepared and can stay dry while you watch it from a comfortable place (in your tent or RV or under some kind of awning or canopy or other protected spot).  Most of us wouldn't choose rain as ideal camping weather.  But sometimes it does catch up with us even when we try to avoid it.  Some folks go out in winter, setting up a base camp for other activities, such as skiing, ice skating,  ice fishing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, or snowshoeing.  But most of us don't think of snow and freezing temperatures as ideal camping weather.  And you need an RV that is specially equipped to handle freezing temperatures if you're going to be camping in winter.  That means heated plumbing and holding tanks as well as a well insulated coach and a large enough furnace (or auxiliary heat) to keep you warm.  Staying warm when tent camping in winter mostly means dressing right and having a warm enough sleeping bag.  Tent heaters may help, but exercise caution to prevent them from damaging and/or igniting your tent and maintain sufficient ventilation to prevent suffocation.  Because tents don't have a lot of insulation, it is difficult to keep them warm.  Tent heaters will consume large amounts of fuel and a significant amount of heat will simply be lost through the tent fabric.  That being said, I was quite surprised how much colder it was outside my tent when I crawled out bed one morning on a scout outing with one of my boys.  It was very noticeably warming in the tent. and that was with little or no breeze.

How do you keep track of the weather while camping?  Well, first of all, keep an eye on the sky.  The shape, color, and movement of clouds can give you a pretty good idea of what is coming.  These days we also have great electronic resources such NOAA weather radios and weather apps on our cell phones.

Modern weather forecasting takes advantage of many tools not available to our ancestors.  Radar, satellite images, and computer prediction models help create ever more accurate forecasts.  I've heard that there are already computer models than can predict the weather with 100% accuracy, but it takes about 48 hours to run a 24 hour forecast so until efficiency improves they are of little use.  I have been pleasantly surprised by how accurate the 7-day forecast is usually is on weatherbug.com.  By the way, the further out the forecast, the less accurate it will be.  The U.S. Weather Service used to publish a 30 day forecast, but dropped it because the accuracy wasn't as good as they had hoped.  It would be a good idea to check the 7-day or 10-day forecast for your route and destination before you take off on each trip.  That way you can plan better for clothing, appropriate meals and refreshments, and activities.  If its going to be cooler or stormier than you planned you might want to switch your menu from hamburgers and hot dogs cooked on the campfire to some nice home-made chili heated up inside your cozy RV!

No matter what the forecast when you leave home, it is probably going to change before you get back unless you're going to be gone only a very short time.  With that in mind it is a good idea to keep an eye on the weather while your away.  Local radio stations and NOAA weather radio broadcasts can provide useful information but knowing how to interpret signs in the immediate area may be a more direct and more accurate measure of what to expect.  Many locations, especially mountains and large bodies of water, have their own micro environments that can create their own weather that probably won't show up on the weather service forecast.  Local sources, such as rangers and residents may have some insight into local weather you won't get from the radio or TV forecast.  Clouds and their behavior are one of the best predictors of weather.  High, thin, cirrus clouds almost always mean good weather.  Low, dark, roiling clouds often mean rain or storms.  Uniform gray clouds might deliver showers but most often don't.  Find out from which direction your weather normally comes and monitor the skies in that direction.  Barometers display changes in air pressure.  High pressure usually accompanies fair weather, low pressure is identified with stormy weather. If the barometer is rising, it is normally a predictor of good weather where as dropping barometric pressures may mean an approaching storm.  Strong winds and other violent weather often occur along a "front" where two masses of air of different pressure and temperatures collide.

Old weather sayings, often accredited to sailors, shepherds, or farmers, often have some basis in meteorlogical fact.  One of the most popular is the old rhyme:

     "Red at night, sailor's delight
      Red at morning, sailor take warning."

This apparently originated in England where most of the weather comes from the west.  "Red at night" is often caused by dust particles in the air, indicating dry air and probably high pressure is approaching from the west and, therefore, good weather on the way.  "Red at morning" on the other hand means the dry air has already passed and wetter, cooler weather may be on the way,.  A morning sky that is a deep, fiery red can indicate that there is high water content in the atmosphere. So, rain could be on its way.

Another with some merit is "No weather is ill if the wind is still."   Calm winds, especially with clear skies, are normally associated with areas of high pressure, indicating good weather.  However, remember too, "the calm before the storm".  Thunderstorms often develop even though surface winds are low.  In addition, there is the "eye of the storm" where winds and clouds are clear smack in the middle of a large storm like a hurricane or typhoon. In that case you may just have time to catch your breath before the next round of nasty weather descends on you, often with winds changing direction.

Some people believe their own joints can predict the weather.  There may actually be a sliver of truth behind this one.  Changes in barometer pressure can affect body fluids,  A drop in barometric pressure may trigger pain due to swelling in joints as the internal fluids slowly react to the change in pressure.

My grandmother used to say "Sunshiny showers won't last half an hour."   If the sun is shining while it is raining, there is a very good chance the rain clouds will indeed pass by quickly.  Of course the timing may be affected by whether the sun is peeking through ahead or behind the storm but either way rain from scattered clouds isn't likely to continue for very long.

Another folk tale is that you can tell the temperature by crickets' chirps.   Apparently this actually works.  If you have the patience, count the number of chirps in 14 seconds and add 40 to get Fahrenheit temperature.  Sorry, don't have the formula for Centigrade wihtout all the normal conversion calculations!

These days you can buy your own weather stations to have in your home or take with you camping.  They can measure local conditions and give you an instant forecast.   I've tried a couple of them and while I found the measurements of temperature, humidity, and wind speed and direction fairly accurate and useful, I didn't find the forecast particularly accurate.  If  you install your own weather station, be aware that it may take some time -- perhaps even a few weeks -- for it to calibrate itself to your local conditions so it can give an accurate forecast.  That being said, portable weather stations may not have time to acclimate themselves as you travel but is is always good to have instruments to at least measure temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure.  You may find knowing wind speed and direction helpful too, if only to know whether or not to light a campfire and on which side to sit if you do. 

One of my favorite weather station anecdotes is that of the "Weather String".   Tie a string outsdie your window.   If you can see it, the sun is out.  If it is wet it is raining. If it is moving the wind is blowing.  If it is frozen stiff it is cold.  If you can't see it it is either dark (night time) or foggy.  As silly as that may sound, there is some value in simple weather tools.  Many rural airports still rely on the old fashioned wind sock to give pilots an indication of wind speed and direction so the weather string as a wind measuring device just might not be too bad an idea.  Those cute little colorful windsocks designed to hang on your awning may actually be of some use in measuring wind direction and velocity.  Very often, an RV's monitor panel will include a barometer and thermometer.  The thermometer usually only displays inside temperature so you may want to invest in an indoor/outdoor thermometer.  RV stores sometimes have clear thermometers that mount on the outside of a window so you an easily read outside temperature from inside your RV.  Some even include a humidity gauge.  Those placed on dual pane windows will be more accurate than ones stuck on single pane glass, because both temperatures may be more affected by the heat coming through the glass.  Knowing the outside temperature will help you plan outdoor activities, dress appropriately, and give you some indication of whether you need to take measures to deal with freezing temperatures.  If you buy an electronic indoor/outdoor thermometer you will need to find an appropriate place to mount the outside sensor.  You want it where it will not be in direct sunlight or affected by vehicle systems (furnace, fridge, hot water heater, generator, vehicle engine or exhaust).  One good place on newer RVs with slide outs is in the channel surrounding the slide out.  If that doesn't work for you or you don't have slide outs, look for a spot that is protected from the sun but gets adequate exposure to outside air.  Some possibilities might include the side of the RV right under the rolled up awning or anyplace it will not be in direct sunlight, like on the back side of a bumper.  Avoid wheel wells because water, snow, and other debris kicked up by the tires will affect the reading and probably damage the sensor or knock it off.

Smart phones often have weather apps or you can get weather apps for them.    Of course you must be within range of a cell tower for it to work, but it is sometimes surprising how far coverage reaches out into camping territory.

NOAA weather radios and local radio stations are a good source of current weather forecasts.  However, be aware that there are often micro weather environments around mountains or large bodies of water that create their own weather, which may differ drastically from the regional forecast.  Locals and frequent visitors are usually a good source of weather lore.  As with any radio you have to be within range of the transmitter to receive a signal.  NOAA transmitting stations are designed to provide as broad coverage as possible but you might still have trouble in steep canyons or behind large mountains.

In several areas where I've lived, the weather by-word is "If you don't like the weather, just wait a minute".  That is certainly more true some places than others, but weather can and often does change frequently just about everywhere.  With that in mind, it is a good idea to be prepared when you're camping.  Keep rain gear handy and be prepared to wait out occasional bouts of stormy weather with appropriate refreshments and indoor activities.  Since things usually cool down when it rains, hot beverages and related snacks are a comfortable treat during stormy weather, something you might easily forget when planning a summer trip.  Given the large variety of micro-environments that we can encounter in our travels, expect the unexpected.  Campers often like to go to the forests and the mountains.  Mountains often make their own local weather which might not conform to regional weather forecasts.  In that case, electronic forecasts aren't going to be as much use as being able to recognize what is likely to happen based on local conditions.  For that you need experience -- or access to someone with experience.

You may have heard the term "keep a weather eye".  In general it means to keep a careful watch on a situation without involving your full attention.  Obviously it was derived from actually watching the weather, most likely by sailors.  It is excellent advice for campers.

Be weather wise.

Dual Sport OHVs

Dual Sport OHVs refers to off highway vehicles that have been enhanced to meet street legal requirements so they can be used both on and off road.  A few OHVs are available from the dealer or factory as dual sports but most times you have to install the modifications yourself -- or have your dealer do it to make an off road vehicle street legal.  Whether or not a particular vehicle can even be made street legal will depend on local (state) regulations and representations of the manufacturer.

Why would you want a dual sport vehicle?   Sometimes it is convenient to be able to ride your off road machine on public highways.  You may want to ride to a store to pick up supplies or parts.  Sometimes there are no connecting trails between OHV routes you want to take.  Having a dual sport machine allows you to legally ride on the highway from one trail to another.  There are even organized dual sport rides that are specifically designed to include both on and off road segments.   Sometimes you may just want to add lights to an OHV that has none, just in case you're late returning from an afternoon ride.  I was once with a group of about a dozen or so riders who ventured further than they had planned and didn't get back to camp until after 10:00 pm.  We only had about 4 bikes in the group that had headlights so we had to space them out to each lead a few unlighted bikes.  It was slow going and very frustrating and sometimes even frightening for the riders that had no lights.  One of my Desert Rat buddies added a heavy duty lighting coil to his dirt bike to power a 55 watt automotive halogen driving light for a head light.  Man!  That thing really lit up the desert.   Fellow riders dubbed it the "bush burner.  You can buy universal light mounts that clamp to the front forks allowing you to mount just about any kind of light you want.  I've also seen some innovative lights that mount beneath the handlebars to increase illumination on bikes with an ordinary headlight or add lights to one that has none.  Note that neither of these lighting solutions would qualify for street use.

Making an OHV street legal mostly involves installing proper lighting and a horn but highway rated tires are also a requirement.  Ordinary dirt tires are NOT street legal. There are specially designed  "D.O.T" knobbies that are street legal and still provide pretty good off road performance.  Die hard off roaders generally prefer the performance of real off road tires but unless you're a serious off road racer you probably won't notice the difference.  Speedometers are also usually required for a machine to be street legal.  That makes sense, since you must obey posted speed limits when operating your OHV on the street.  You also have add brake light switches to both the front and rear brakes.

The first step in conversion is usually installing a "lighting kit".  There are configurations that are especially designed to fit many of the most popular OHVs, making installation somewhat easier.  If there isn't a kit made to specifically fit your ride, you can probably get a universal kit and make it work.   You can have it installed by a mechanic or, if you are a fairly good back yard mechanic, you can probably do it yourself.   Even kits made specifically for a given machine will most likely require you to do some drilling and maybe some cutting and you will probably have to provide your own hardware (nuts and bolts) for at least some of the modifications.  The kit should include a brake light and switch, turn signals, and a horn.  Some kits also include a headlight.  If your ride already has a headlight, you might be able to use it.  Some off road units come factory equipped with dual filament headlights, but only the low beam is hooked up. The conversion kit will include a high/low switch and wiring to make use of both filaments.  If your machine already has a headlight that operates when the engine is running there will be modifications to the factory wiring to run the power for the headlight through the high/low switch provided in the kit.  The little battery on many OHVs,  especially dirt bikes, if they have one at all, isn't powerful enough to run headlights which consume a lot of current.  If you have a battery, the horn, turn signals, and brake light will be connected to the factory installed battery.  If you don't have a battery, your kit should include a small battery pack to power these items.   Sometimes you have to add an   upgraded lighting coil to the magneto in order to generate enough power to run headlights on machines that weren't factory equipped with them.  The lighting coil may or may not be part of your lighting kit, so be sure to determine if you need one and if it is included.   The installation of a brake light switch usually involves removal of one of the "banjo" joints in the hydraulic system so you will have to bleed the brakes after the switch has been installed. You should have brake light switches on both the foot band hand brakes.  Speedometers aren't usually part of lighting kits so you may have to purchase one separately.

The entire installation of a lighting kit should only take a couple of hours, if you know what you're doing and have had some practice, but if you haven't done one before, allow yourself a lot more time.  Even though I've installed lighting kits on more than one dirt bike,one I installed recently took most of an entire Saturday.  Admittedly that included a trip to town to buy some bolts I needed to fasten on the rear fender modification that contained the brake light and onto which the rear turn signals mounted.  Some aspects of the installation can be rather tedious and working the new wiring harness through tight spaces can be time consuming and frustrating.  Make sure the wiring isn't going to get pinched or come in contact with hot surfaces like exhaust pipes.  Secure it to the frame with zip ties to keep it in place where you want it.  And take care not to pull any existing connections loose.  The second identical  installation only took a few hours.

Most of the dual sport machines I've see were motorcycles, but ATVs and side-by-sides are also sometimes candidates for being made street legal, especially if you plan to use them around a farm or ranch.  

So-called "Street Legal" OHVs may have special restrictions when they are operated on public highways.  For example, in Utah, an ATV that has been converted can only be operated on 2-lane roads and at the lesser of the posted speed limit or 45 mph.   While this may seem like an arbitrary limitation, consider the fact that a number of ATV riders have been killed operating their ATVs on pavement.  For one thing, the off-road type tires grab the pavement differently than highway tires do and can result in unexpected sensitivity to steering and to imperfections in the pavement, causing the vehicle to swerve or flip.  D.O.T. rated tires will help improve on pavement performance but will still not be as stable as regular street vehicles.

Converting on OHV for dual sport riding will take some effort -- and/or expense.  But I'm sure you'll discover it is well worth it.

Make it legal!

RV Cabinets and Closets

RV designers face a difficult task of balancing available space, cost, and usability.  You can't usually do much about the overall floor plan, but you can sometimes make smaller improvements to existing closets and cabinets to improve convenience and usability.  Interior storage areas include closets, drawers, and cabinets.  Exterior storage areas are usually called compartments.

Tent campers don't usually have a lot of cabinets to deal with, but some of the suggestions given in this article might  be applied to a "chuck box", that is sometimes useful to tent campers as a portable kitchen.

How you organize your stuff in your RV cabinets and compartments will make a big difference in usability.   Adding a permanent or temporary extra shelf inside can make retrieving items more convenient, especially in large or deep cabinets.  Plastic bins to corral small items are quite helpful.  Without them small items tend to shift during travel and may come tumbling out in an avalanche when you open the door when you get to camp or simply get lost in a jumble of stuff in the bottom.  Plastic shoeboxes are a convenient size to corall lots of the stuff we squirrel away in our RV cabinets.  You ca also use cardboard boxes buy plastic is more durable and does a better job of containing spills if something gets broken.

Adding lights to dark closets or cabinets is a fairly easy and inexpensive upgrade.  Automatic lights in closets are particularly useful.  They can be hard wired into the vehicle's 12-volt electrical system or battery powered.  They are usually controlled by a plunger type switch that turns the light on when the door is opened and turns it off again when the door is closed.  Closet light kits are sometimes available from RV stores.

Battery powered LED lights are really easy to install in just about any closet or cabinet and do not require any wiring.  They can usually be attached using double-sticky tape so you don't even need a screwdriver.  My preferred choice are "tap lights", which are turned on or off by simply tapping the lens but  versions with normal switches are also available.  The only down side to tap lights is that shifting contents inside the cabinet could turn them on during travel and run down the batteries.  Fortunately, LEDs don't draw a lot of power so if they do get accidentally turned on occasionally it probably won't be much of a problem.  Mounting the lights high in the cabinet minimizes the chances of contents striking them and turning them on accidentally and gives you the best illumination.  You usually get best coverage inside the cabinet by mounting them inside the front of the cabinet.  The little LED lights that look like a light switch are good option for closets and large cabinets.  They are extremely bright and the switch, which is like a normal household light switch isn't as likely to get flipped by shifting contents.

Deep cabinets can benefit from the addition of sliding drawers, bins, or shelves.  Some luxury RVs come with sliding shelves or drawers in outside cabinets.  This is especially useful since these large spaces tend to accumulate a lot of stuff and it can be difficult, frustrating, and time consuming to have to dig through multiple layers of stuff to find what you're looking for.  Another good candidate for sliding shelves are the deep, narrow "pantries" in some units.  Having the space to store canned goods etc is a real boon -- until you have to try to grab that can of chili from the very back of the top shelf!  Adding sliding shelves to these cabinets is fairly easy and not too expensive, unless you opt for fancy self-closing slides and expensive hardwood shelves.  Simply cut a shelf just wide enough to fit through the open door and slightly shorter than the depth of the cabinet.  You will sacrifice about 1" of height for each shelf, but the gain in access and convenience is well worth it.  To make it easy to pull the shelves out, drill 3/4" or 1" hole in the middle at the front of the shelf or cut the shelf short enough to add a handle.  You may be able to find pre-finished shelves that closely match existing wood or stain common pine shelving to match.  You might want to add a not-slip shelf covering to help keep contents from shifting and rattling.  You could also add plastic bins to further contain small items or group like items for convenience and containment to prevent shifting during travel so cans don't fall out the back when you slide the shelf open.

Speaking of plastic bins, they can be used to good advantage in just about any cabinet to group and contain items.  Translucent bins or baskets with holes you can see through will let you glimpse the contents without having to remove them from the cabinets.  Bins can sometimes be stacked which gives you more options for organizing and accessing items.  Instead of having to move a half dozen bottles to get to what is behind them you can just move one bin, get what you need, then put the bin back in place.  Another benefit of using plastic bins is they will often capture spills to they don't spread throughout the cabinet or drip out the door.  I wish I had been using plastic bins when a bottle of green food coloring tipped over and spilled in one of my galley cabinets.  It leaked out and left permanent streaks down the face of  the otherwise pristine and beautiful oak cabinet.  It is also a lot easier to clean sticky spills from a plastic bin than it is to scrub them from a cabinet shelf.  Being able to take the bin out and thoroughly wash it with hot water is much nicer than scraping and scrubbing in the confined space of the cabinet.  In the worst case scenario you can always throw the contaminated bin away and replace it with a sparkling clean new one.  Plastic bins are almost essential for storing extra motor oil and other automotive chemicals in your outside compartments.  The bins make getting things out much easier and they are much easier to clean when something spills.  Confining spills will help prevent contamination of other contents.  It can be really nasty if your fresh water hose gets soaked in spilled motor oil or antifreeze, but storing potential offending liquids in plastic bins can prevent this from happening.  Of course, it is better to keep your water hose in a different place than oil and antifreeze -- if you have enough room to do that.

Cabinet hardware (hinges, latches, and pulls) do eventually wear out or break down or may be damaged by accidents or abuse.  This is especially true of the light weight plastic catches often used in RVs.  They are pretty easy to replace, if you can find an exact replacement.  Finding and exact match for cabinet hardware on older units may be a problem and you may have to adapt new hardware to solve the problem.  Avoid damage in the first place by NOT slamming doors or otherwise abusing the hardware.  Store heavy items only on bottom shelves where they can only slide against the door and not catapult into it.  Using non-slip shelf lining will reduce sliding too.  Take a second or two to make sure there is nothing in the way before closing the door.  Anything that interferes with the door closing completely and smoothly could damage the hinges, latch, or the structure of the door itself.  That includes things that protrude past the shelves or get caught between the door and the frame.  As always, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  You can probably get replacement hardware for newer units at your local RV store or through the dealer or manufacturer, but you'd have to be really lucky to get an exact match for older units.  For them you may have to scour junkyards for units of near the same vintage. Sometimes you can find matching hardware even in different brand vehicles than yours if they're about the same vintage.  You might even find suitable replacements at your local hardware store or home center.  If you can't match hardware exactly, one option is to replace all the hardware so everything still matches.  Fortunately, hardware isn't terribly expensive.

Normal wear and tear will affect hinges and latches and many problems can be resolved by tightening hinges and adjusting latches. If the screws have pulled out you may be able get them to hold again by inserting a wooden match or toothpick into the hole and reinstalling the screw.  If that doesn't work, sometimes a larger size screw will solve the problem.  You can also get kits to repair screw holes.  They consist of a cone-shaped tool for enlarging the hole and several wooden cones.  You ream out the hole and glue a cone into it, then drill a small pilot hole in the cone and reinstall the screw.  This works pretty well  in solid materials like cabinet and door frames but not so well in paneling.  One way to solve stripped screw problems in paneling is to use molly bolts, that have components containing a threaded nut that expand behind the paneling.  Some have spring-loaded "wings", others are slotted cylinders that collapse and spread out as the bolt is tightened, gripping the paneling from behind.
 
Some extra large cabinets may benefit from adding more shelves.  Make sure you don't create small spaces that will be difficult to get things in and out of.  Shelves may be added permanently or installed so they rest on rails and can be easily removed if you need a taller space.  Wire racks can often be found in houseware departments that can be used for temporary shelves.  I've even seen folks make shelving from styrofoam insulation slabs to hold light weight items like clothing.  Adding a shelf to a very tall cabinet can often double the usable space.

Non-slip shelf lining can help keep items from moving around during travel and reduce rattles.  Keeping things from sliding around as the vehicle moves will help prevent damage to the contents and the cabinets and minimize unwelcome noise.  Be creative in protecting and securing your items.  One woman used colorful socks around glassware to prevent them from constantly banging into each other during travel.  Another cut holes in styrofoam blocks to anchor her fancy glasses.  Non-slip shelf lining can also be cut into smaller pieces to pad cookware to reduce rattles and prevent damage to the Teflon coating on pots and pans.

Some catches and latches aren't up to the task of resisting the forces of contents shifting during travel and pounding the door.   Weak latches will allow stuff to fall out during turns.  You may be able to upgrade the latches to something more substantial.  You can also limit movement of contents inside cabinets using spring-loaded braces like those designed for refrigerators.  Sometimes you can tie adjacent door handles together with mini-bungee cords to keep both cabinets closed.  Another option are the "baby-safe" devices used to prevent little children from opening cabinet doors at home.  Of course proper loading of cabinets to minimize weight and possible shifting is always a good idea.  I have seen some creative owners install "thumb locks" for positive latching.  These require drilling only one hole.  The latch swings up inside the cabinet to secure the drawer or door.  Done right they even look OEM professional.

Top-hinged outside cabinets are more convenient to use if there is a latch to hold the door open while you are accessing the cabinet.  If your RV doesn't have these convenient latches they are fairly cheap and easy to install.  Often they can be screwed to the side of the RV but the preferred way to attach them is using pop rivets.  Take care to properly align the latch before you being drilling.  Some latches may simply catch the edge of cabinet; others are designed to reach over the lip and catch inside the frame of the door.

Some cabinets have gas assisted struts to hold them open.  If these become worn, bent, or damaged they may have to be replaced.  If your RV doesn't have them and you would like to add them, they are usually fairly inexpensive to buy and not too difficult to install.  Sometimes the screws attaching them to the cabinet and/or the door may get loose.  If the hole is stripped so the screw won't tighten, try sticking wooden matchstick or toothpick in the hole with the screw to take up the slack.  Badly stripped holes might be repaired using  special plug kits, available at home centers and hardware stores. They consist of wooden cones and an auger to shape the holes to fit the cone.  Glue the cone into the hole and let it dry completely, then drill a pilot hole slightly smaller than the diameter of the screw and reinstall the screw.  Note, this will only work if the screws go into wood to hold them.  Some exterior cabinets may have thin aluminum or fiberglass skins.  To repair stripped fasteners in these, replace them with molyscrews.

When loading  your cabinets, try to put light items in the upper cabinets and keep heavy items (like canned goods) in the lower ones.   This has several advantages.  For one, it will be less stressful on your body lifting light items than heavy ones into overhead cabinets.  A second major advantage is light items will be less likely to become  unguided missiles if a door come open during unexpectedly violent maneuvers.  And finally, by avoiding putting too much weight in overhead cabinets you decrease the likelihood that the cabinets will come loose from the wall and or ceiling.  Overloading overhead cabinets often leads to failure of the support systems and then you face a serious and potentially expensive repair.

RV closets sometimes have special closet rods that use proprietary clothes hangers to keep articles from falling off the rod from rough roads or unusually violent maneuvers.  If yours does it can be tedious to switch hanging garments from their normal hangers to the special hangers and back for each trip.  To keep hangers secure on a standard closet rod I've found a clean, dry car wash sponge fits well between the top of the rod and hangers and the ceiling and will hold the hangers in place without adding too much weight or interfering very much with hanging or removing clothes from the closet.  If your RV is short of dresser drawer space, as many are, you might want to add one or two plastic drawers at the bottom of the closet.  Unless it is unusually short, there should be space available underneath the clothes you hang in the closet.

Make it better!

Boondocking in a Boat

Boondocking in a boat.  Ever heard of it?  Probably not.  You generally don't take boats into the same kind of "off road"environments where campers and RVers venture out into.  However, in many ways, dropping anchor anywhere except in a formal marina could be considered to be a similar activity.

Boaters could go boondocking on shore too.  They might use their boat to reach an island or other remote location to set up camp where the experience would be identical to boondocking in a tent.

Any sailor who has ever participated in an ocean voyage has essentially spent some time boondocking on the open sea.  Anytime you are away from accessible utilities like power, water, and sewer services, you are for all practical purposes, boondocking.

Many of the considerations, preparations, and conservation needs of boondocking in an RV will also apply to boondocking on a boat.  You pretty much have the same needs for self sufficiency -- water, food, sanitation, power, and protection from the elements.  If you venture out on ocean voyages you could very quickly find yourself much further from any source of supplies or other assistance than you would ever experience on land.

Bon Voyage!

Boondocking In A Tent

Boondocking in a tent is kind of redundant.   Tent campers usually don't camp where there are hookups like there are for RVs.  For the most part tent camping is about the same no matter where you set up camp.  However, there can be a little difference between tent camping in developed campgrounds and venturing further into the wild.

Tent camping in a developed campground usually means you will have a nice, level, often grassy spot to set up your tent, a fire pit, and a picnic table.  Some more luxurious campgrounds may have individual canopies for shade and to get you out of the rain.  Developed campgrounds usually have bathrooms with flush toilet and even showers.  Many also have an outdoor sink where you can do your dishes.  Almost all developed campgrounds have water faucets located within a short walk of each campsite.  Fancier resort style facilities may have lots of amenities like swimming pools, gyms, sports courts, laundries, and even restaurants.

Boondocking in a tent occurs when you set up in a primitive campground or graduate to dispersed camping where you might be camping on pristine ground.  You may have to clear the ground of rocks and sticks to make a good place to set up your tent.  When boondocking in a tent you will most likely have to build your own fire ring unless you use an existing site or you use only a gas stove or portable BBQ.  You will have to provide for your own sanitation needs.  That might mean using a port-a-potty or a 5-gallon bucket or digging your own latrine.  If you dig a latrine, make sure you are at least 100 feet away from any water source (lake, pond, stream, spring, or well).  You will probably have to bring enough water with you to meet all your needs (drinking, cooking, cleaning) for your entire stay.  Water from lakes and streams, if available, may be of questionable quality.  When in doubt use proper water purification techniques before drinking or cooking with water of unknown purity. Boiling water will kill any harmful bacteria but it won't remove toxic chemicals.  Water near old mining activity is sometimes contaminated by cyanide, which is often fatal when ingested.

In even a primitive campground you may find an existing fire pit and a fairly level prepared site for your tent.  However, if you are dispersed camping you will have to prepare your own tent site and may have to build your own fire pit.  It is always a good idea to use dispersed camping sites previously used by someone else when possible.  Not only will it be less work for you, it is less damaging to the environment than intruding onto another pristine area.

Boondocking in a tent can be a lot of fun.  It often gets you away from light and noise pollution and gives you an opportunity to have a more pioneer like experience.

Enjoy the boonies!

Boondocking In An RV

Boondocking is usually used to describe camping "off grid".  While technically you are "off grid" when stopping in a rest area or Walmart or Cracker Barrel parking lot, or any non-hookups camp site (like a primitive  Forest Service campground), the term normally conjures up visions of remote, unimproved campsites.  Boondocking requires greater care in conserving resources than is needed when camping in developed campgrounds that offer at least some services or amenities.  Many basic Forest Service campgrounds at least have toilets and community water faucets and often have a dump station nearby.  When you go completely "off grid" in dispersed camping areas offered by the Forest Service and the BLM you are totally dependent on the self contained features of your RV and on the resources you have brought with you.  That is truly boondocking!  If you fill up your holding tanks or run out of water you're going to have to make a trip to a facility where you can dump your tanks and purchase water.

I have heard that  in New Zealand they use the term "freedom camping" and I find that to be an excellent descriptive name for the activity.

If you decide to go boondocking, one of the first things you need to do is choose a place to go.  There are many good open camping places on BLM and US Forest Service land in Western United States, even some along prime ocean beaches! For your first outing or so I suggest you choose a place that is either close to home or close to developed facilities in case your boondocking experience goes bad.  It might also be a good idea to tag along with an associate who is familiar with local boondocking opportunities so they can help your locate a good spot and get the most out of your trip.  You want a place that is accessible to your vehicle and offers the kinds of activities or experiences you are seeking.

Once you get there the major requirement for successful boondocking is conservation of resources.  You will need to conserve,water, battery power, and fuel and minimize filling of holding tanks.  You may also need to conserve provisions since you'll probably be some distance from anyplace you can buy additional supplies.

There are many ways to conserve water, which also helps minimize filling of holding tanks.  Some common examples are reducing waste by saving the water you run while waiting for the shower to warm up and use it for other purposes, such as pre-rinsing dishes or pre-washing extra dirty hands.  You might also use it for washing camping equipment as needed in camp.  Another trick is to use paper towels or old newspapers to wipe dirty dishes instead of rinsing them.  At home you probably leave the water running while you're scrubbing your hands, washing your body in the shower, and brushing your teeth.  To save water, turn the water off except when you are actively using it.  Rinse off, then turn off the shower while you're soaping or shampooing, then turn it back on to rinse off the suds.  You'd be surprised how much water you'll save by simply turning it off when you're not actively using it.  If there are restrooms available anywhere near your primitive campsite, take advantage of them whenever you can to reduce filling of your black water tank.  Yes, I know some of the pit toilets in remote areas are really nasty, but tolerating a few minutes there can avoid long term exposure to really foul odors you will encounter in your RV if your black water tank overflows.  If you are germophobic, carry some hand sanitizer to clean the toilet seat as well as your hands.  Conserving water will automatically reduce filling of  holding tanks.  To make a little extra room in your gray water tank, drain off a bucket or two to put our your campfire each night.

Battery power will be another critical resource, especially in cold weather when you;'ll need it for your furnace.  Some older furnaces don't have fans, but most modern ones rely on 12 volt power for both the computerized control boards ad well as the 12 volt fan to circulate the hot air.  Match your schedule to the rising and setting of the sun to reduce your dependence on artificial light and use lanterns or flashlights after dark whenever possible to minimize battery drain.  Replacing general power hungry incandescent bulbs with LEDs in as many fixtures as possible will reduce power consumption.  But be aware that LEDs may not be suitable for all locations.  You may need brighter light for reading and other work areas, but they are ideal for RV porch lights and general interior illumination.  Bright, good quality LEDs still tend to be somewhat expensive, about $10 per bulb, but inexpensive alternatives are showing up.  I recently purchased 20 LEDs made in China for about $20.  Turns out they are not bright enough to replace ALL the bulbs in my RV, but even replacing half of them will make a difference in battery drain.  I've seen a single 12-volt incandescent bulb completely drain an RV house battery in just an afternoon when it was inadvertently left on in a bathroom.  Using the LEDs for general lighting when you don't need concentrated light on a work area will save quite a bit of battery power.  Incandescent bulbs are essentially a dead short using a high resistance wire as a filament between the hot and ground sides.  The reason it glows is that it gets very hot.  You will use your furnace more on cool nights and unless it is a convection type furnace without a fan, the fan can run the batteries down.  It is ironic that when the batteries get low the fan tends to keep running after the burner has shut off, blowing cold air.

Conservation of fuel is another consideration.  Topping the list is propane, used for heating and cooking.  Minimize your needs by designing menus that require little cooking or cook on your campfire as much as you can.  Reduce heat loss to keep furnace consumption as low as possible by eliminating drafts in your RV, keeping doors and windows closed as much as you can, and using insulating bubble foil on all the windows.  Your furnace may blow cold air if you run out of propane or if your batteries get low.  Be sure to check both propane and battery gauges so you can identify the problem and take appropriate action.  Either motor fuel or propane may be used to power your on board generator, depending on the configuration.  Those that use motor fuel usually tap into to fuel tank higher than the engine fuel pump port to prevent you from using up ALL your gas running the generator.  You may be able to increase your propane supply by using an "Extend-a-stay" kit that allows you to attach an external tank to your motorhome.   Note:  Extend-a-stay kits will provide vaporize propane for appliances but NOT liquid propane for a propane powered generator. Since most travel trailers already have removable tanks, they only need bring along extra tanks to swap out.  Many travel trailers and some diesel powered motorhomes use propane powered generators.  In any case you'll want to minimize generator usage.  That doesn't mean avoiding it altogether because you will need it to run the A/C in hot weather and to recharge batteries in any weather.  But don't leave the generator running when it isn't needed.  And make sure to keep it properly tuned and adjusted.  A clogged air filter or worn spark plugs can significantly affect both performance and fuel economy.  And, of course, make sure you have enough fuel in or for your vehicle to get back to civilization.  Top off  your tanks as close to your destination as is practical.  If there is any chance you won't have enough fuel to get back, bring along an extra 5 gallon can or two of fuel.  If you are riding OHVs you may be able to commandeer fuel you brought for them to get you safely home.  On one occasion I even dumped a few gallons of pre-mix into the gas tank of my pickup truck when it ran out of gas before we reached a gas station on the way  home from the Mojave Desert one trip.

An often misunderstood requirement for successful boondocking is choosing a good location.    Certainly you CAN just drive out into the forest or desert but choosing an appropriate location will make your trip more comfortable and more fun.  Location can affect many aspects of camping.  For example, a shaded campsite can reduce A/C needs in hot weather and a sheltered location can reduce heating costs in cold weather.  Even more important is whether the campsite meets your camping and other recreational needs.  We developed a list of several good staging areas for our dirt bike outings in the Mojave Desert.  Each one was conveniently located to give access to a number of possible trails while providing sufficient space for our Desert Rat group, an unofficial organization of family oriented, recreational riders.  You will also want to consider environmental factors such as proximity to land fills or feed lots that could contribute unpleasant odors or being downwind of agricultural fields, gravel pits, or construction sites that may yield blowing dust.  If anyone in your party has specific allergies you may want to avoid locations where plants or chemicals that might trigger their symptoms are plentiful.  Access to the location is sometimes assumed or overlooked -- until you find yourself stuck or trapped and it is too late.  So seek locations that are easy to get in and out of.   You may encounter height, length,and weight restrictions on some roads or in some campgrounds so check things out before you find yourself someplace you can't get out of.  While there is a certain appeal to boondocking in pristine areas, using campsites that have been previously used often yields several advantages.  One is that they most likely have good access if they are often used.  You may also be able to easily find the most level spot by observing where previous visitors have parked.  Another benefit is that they often have existing fire pits, which reduces your level of effort in building a safe campfire and minimizes environmental impact on pristine natural resources.

While I've recently seen several claims in RV magazines that the majority of RVers (somwhere around 3/4 as a matter of fact) usually stay in developed, often full hookup campgrounds,  I personally find boondocking to be a more authentic form of camping.  Camping on a paved parking area with water, electricity, and sewer connections is convenient but, at least to me, it somehow lacks the adventure of camping in the open desert or remote forest.  Of course,  our affinity for dirt biking also pushes us toward dispersed camping areas since there are very few full hookup campgrounds with direct access to OHV trails.


Boondock, not boondoggle!

RV Porch Lights

Most RVs come from the factory with at least one outside light near the entrance.  They are usually fixtures with a single incandescent bulb, but LEDs are becoming more popular.  Some may have integrated switches so you can turn them on as needed from outside the vehicle, like for finding the right key and the key hole in the dark and finding the step so you don't fall flat on your face!  If your RV doesn't have a convenient porch light, one can be added fairly easily.  You will want to mount it on the side of the door where the handle is.  You can usually mount the light at the same level as the bottom shelf of an inside cabinet.  This allows you to tap into power already supplied to the under cabinet lights and to hide the new wire you run to the outside for the porch light.  The bottom shelves of most RV cabinets are hollow. You gain access to the hollow space by prying up the top of the shelf inside the cabinet.  Take care not to damage the paneling, which is fairly thin and easily crunched.  Once you have the panel off you can see where to hook up the wiring for your new light.  You can drill a hole through the back of the hollow space inside the shelf all the way through the outside skin to run your wire.  Most porch lights are designed for surface installation.  You will want to run a strip of butyl tape ("dum dum" tape) around the outside edge of the fixture before you screw it to the outside wall.  A bead of Dap or silicone caulk where it contacts the wall will provide further protection once it is fully installed.  Also squirt some sealer into the hole around the wire.  This both prevents air and water intrusion and helps keep the wire from chafing on the edges of the hole.

RV porch lights are ideal candidates for conversion to LEDs.  You don't need a lot of focused light like you would on a work area for reading and having LEDS bulbs significantly reduces the battery drain if the light is left on for a long time.  A guest once left the light on in our RV bathroom (standard incandescent bulb) and the coach battery was dead in just a few hours.  I've used LED step lights for several years now, leaving them on day and night for days at a time without running down the batteries.  Converting most lights to LEDs is as simple as changing the bulb just get the right size to replace the current incandescent bulb.  LED equivalent sized bulbs may come in a variety of "colors" and intensity.  Some may have a soft, yellowish tint, others may be bright white.  Be sure to get ones that will work the way you want them to for each application.

The porch lights on some RVs are controlled by a switch inside the RV.  This makes it convenient to turn off the lights at bedtime, especially in bad weather, but it leaves you in the dark when you approach the unit at night unless you leave the light on while you're away.  A really convenient and fairly inexpensive (under $20) solution to this problem is to install a battery operated, motion sensor LED security light near the door.  You can also get solar powered versions, but be aware that installing them in the shade of an awning (which may shade the solar panel even when the awning is rolled up) may reduce the effectiveness of the solar capability.  LEDs draw little power so you shouldn't have to change the batteries in a battery powered unit very often.  There are hard wired 12-volt versions, but they require running power from somewhere inside the vehicle whereas the battery powered lights can be easily mounted anywhere and are self contained so you don't have to drill any extra holes in the skin of the RV.  They don't have to be very bright or provide the kind of broad coverage you might want for other lights that you would use to illuminate the campsite or even the patio area for night time activities  They just need to give you enough light to find the right key and the key hole and to make it so you can see the step.  Once you have the door open you can always turn on the regular porch light if you need things brighter.  A motion sensor light is a very friendly "welcome home" when you approach your rig after dark and can provide a level of security by illuminating the area when someone else approaches.  Would-be burglars are often deterred by lighting that might reveal their activities and identity and send them seeking a more secluded target.  I found a suitable light on sale at Harbor Freight.  The bracket installed easily with 2 screws (provided) and the fixture can be quickly removed from the bracket to avoid losing it while traveling or having branches knock it off in close quarters.  Having that light turn on to greet us as we approach the door a night feels very friendly and is very convenient.  If you want to leave your standard porch light on while you're away, consider changing the incandescent bulb to an LED replacement which will draw considerably less current from your batteries.  An easy, convenient, and inexpensive way to add outside LED lighting is via "tap lights".  These fixtures are normally designed for use in closets and cabinets so you'll probably want to mount them so you can remove them in bad weather or while you're on the road.  I've even found some at my local Dollar Tree, making them VERY inexpensive.  They run on 3 AAA batteries, which last a long time with the LEDs.  If you're not worried about weather you can stick them to the side of your RV near your door with double-sticky tape that is usually included.  Substitute Velcro for the double-sticky tape if you want to make them removable.

You may find it useful to install outside lighting at other locations besides the entrance, and only a few RVs have secondary lighting as original equipment.   You can use the above procedure to install outside lights just about anywhere you find it useful.  Some typical places are on the front of trailers to assist in connecting up to the tow vehicle in the dark, near water fill and other utility locations, and near an outside shower.  Extra lights under the awning can make outdoor might time activities more practical.  12- volt lights for general camp ground illumination can usually be tapped into existing wiring for under cabinet lights as described in the first paragraph above making installation fairly simple.  Most RVs have at least one 120 volt outlet somewhere on the outside of the rig so it is convenient to use under the awning.   You can usually run a light weight extension cord from this outlet to a string of patio lights attached to the awning or to other area lights, assuming you have 120 volt power from hookups, generator, or inverter.  I prefer to use 12 volt lighting rather than run 120 volt lighting from an inverter.  Incandescent bulbs, being essentially a dead short, draw a lot of current and could suck down batteries pretty quickly.  120 volt LED bulbs would help mitigate this problem.

Lighting on the front of a trailer can illuminate the hitch and make hooking up or disconnecting at night a whole lot easier and safer.  Once again you can often connect to existing wiring inside the bottom shelf of a front cabinet.  I like to use lights with a built in switch so I can turn them on and off as needed without entering the trailer.

A few RVs have extra outside lighting but this is usually something that is left to the owner to install since individual needs can vary dramatically.   I added a couple of high intensity flood lights salvaged from an ambulance to my enclosed motorcycle trailer, one at the rear over the ramp door and one on the side under the awning so I have good illumination for after dark dirt bike repairs.  Such lights would not be necessary or appropriate for all users.  For convenience I hooked them up using residential style 3-way switches, including one waterproof exterior switch.  The biggest downside I've found with these lights is replacing the bubs.  They are very specialized, hard to find, and rather expensive but, fortunately, are very well made and designed for years of high stress use.  If you are inclined to cook on the outside BBQ you might find it useful to install an extra exterior light over the area where you will be cooking.  If you like to play games on the "patio" in the evenings you might benefit from various kinds of awning lights.  If you have an outside shower you might want a light there in case you need to rinse off after dark.  Extra porch lights along the side of your RV can provide additional campground illumination.  I have a 500-watt Halogen flood light I can mount on my RV ladder when I need to light up a lot of campground, but big lights like that often intrude on surrounding camp sites so be careful about using them.  My 40' Holiday Rambler had a pair of bright 120 volt lights on the curb side that did a good job of illuminating our campsite.  I added the sockets and bulbs from a pair of 12-volt, 55 watt halogen driving lights in the same housings so I didn't have to run the generator just to light up my campsite.  The 120 lights could still be used when the generator was running or I was connected to shore power.

Having lights that illuminate the steps on your RV can be really helpful at night.  Some fancy rigs with automatic electric steps have automatic lights.  If your rig doesn't have lights you can add them pretty easily.  I did mine using an amber LED clearance light.  I have run it continuously throughout a 3-day weekend 24 hours a day, without running down the battery.  You will need to find a source to connect the 12 volt positive line to and a good metal ground.  You can usually ground it someplace on the step.  Put the switch in a convenient place near the door.  If you want to put it outside so you can turn it on when come home to your RV late at night be sure to use a waterproof switch.   I like to use an illuminated switch that indicates when the light is on.

Installing wall mounted lights to illuminate outside cabinets is pretty much counter productive.  The light around the open door will just make it seem darker and harder to see inside the cabinet.  If you need to see inside cabinets at night and your cabinets are not lighted, it is really easy to install LED "tap" lights.  These are small, battery powered lights that attach with double sticky tape and are turned on and off by tapping the lens.  Or just use a flashlight.  Some of the higher end rigs have automatic lights in the outside cabinets like the ones in the closets.  Automatic lights can be added, but it may take some ingenuity to find a way to run the wiring and the switches can be temperamental.  Doors that are hinged on top sometimes use mercury switches, which can be difficult to find these days due to the environmental concerns about mercury poisoning.  Plunger type switches can be used on just about any door, but getting them properly adjusted can be tricky  If just one isn't adjusted right, the draw from an incandescent bulb can drain house batteries in surprisingly short time -- and you probably don't have any way to see if the light is on inside a cabinet.  Using LED replacement bulbs is one way to minimize current draw but LED replacements are still fairly expensive:  around $10 per bulb for good quality.  You can find less expensive LED bulbs on the Internet but reports and personal experience have shown they don't live up to expectations.  Users have reported early and frequent failures (one even said NONE of the bulbs in his shipment worked!) and insufficiently bright lighting.  All the ones I've tried worked, but I found that incandescent bulbs provided much brighter illumination.  I even bought a few of the more expensive LEDs and found that the blue-white light wasn't very appealing and they still failed to match regular bulbs for overall illumination where needed for work or reading .  However, the power consumption and the heat generation of LEDs are indeed far less than incandescent bulbs.  Using a combination may be the best solution:  LEDs where nominal illumination is adequate to save power and incandescents in work areas where you need good lighting to save your eyes.  A really easy solution to cabinet lighting, both indoors and outdoors, is an LED "tap light".  They typically run on 3 AAA batteries and attach easily with double-sticky tape.  Simply tap the lens to turn them on or off.

Light 'em up!