Wecome To RVs and OHVs
and how they work together to provide wholesome family fun and great learning opportunities.
Many posts are intended to familiarize novice campers and RVers with RV systems and basic camping and survival
skills. But even experienced RVers and campers will enjoy the anecdotes and may even benefit from a new
perspective. Comments, questions, and suggestions are encouraged. The organization is pretty much by date of publication because of how blogspot works. Please use the SEARCH option below to find what you are looking for.
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Wednesday, December 6, 2017
Water Sports for Campers and RVers
Porta-pottys For RVers, Campers and Boaters
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
Find Hidden Storage in Your RV, Camper, or Boat
The pickup truck we often tow our enclosed motorcycle trailer with has a place under the hood for a second battery (usually used to supply power for a camper). Since we don't have camper on it at this time, it makes a convenient place to carry extra bottles of oil, antifreeze, and/or windshield washer solvent.
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Refinishing Formica RV, Camper, and Boat Tables and Countertops
Many RVs, especially older ones, have Formica tables and countertops. While there is some appeal to upgrading to more modern and luxurious materials, such as granite or composite solid surface, these are usually cost prohibitive for the average RVer. Exotic materials like granite or even ceramic tile may also add a lot of unwanted and unnecessary weight. The added cost will almost never increase the trade-in or resale value. If you plan to keep your RV a long time the pleasure you get from using them might be worth the investment, but you might also enjoy less expensive alternatives too.
If you have faded Formica, you may have gotten discouraged looking for solutions to restore the color and shine on the Internet. Mostly what I found in my initial search was that it could not be restored, but had to be sanded and painted or the faded Formica ripped off and replaced. Some folks recommended various waxes and furniture polishes, but in my own attempts, none of them worked. A good aerosol furniture polish made it look good while it was wet, which was encouraging, but as soon as it dried (in minutes) it was back to its old dull, faded color. Not an acceptable solution.
Then my wife suggested trying the SC-1 detail spray we use on our dirt bikes. And wa-la! Instant success! We had a badly faded walnut grain Formica table in our nearly 50 year old sailboat. I thought I was going to have to paint it or get a new one. But the SC-1 brought it back to like new condition with just a single application! So far it has lasted 5 years and still looks good!
A second trick for restoring old table tops is to replace missing or damaged edge trim. It is easier than you might think. The edge trim was long gone from our boat table, exposing the rough edge of the plywood it was made of. I bought some iron-on walnut edge tape at my local home center, sanded the old edge, and ironed on the tape, trimmed it with a razor knife, then sealed it with a good clear coat and now instead of ugly old exposed plywood the edge is a nicely finished walnut that matches the restored Formica table top. You can also get iron on edge tape in the form of white Melmac for edging shelves. I didn't want to take any chances ruining my wife's good iron so I picked up a used one at a thrift store for a couple of bucks. You can probably get away with using your regular household iron if you are careful with it. Use a thin cloth like a dish towel between the iron and the tape.
Of course, if you want or need to change the color of a table or countertop or if the surface has been physically damaged by scraping or badly stained beyond redemption, you can still paint. Sand the old surface to remove any contaminants and smooth out imperfections, fill any holes, then clean it with rubbing alcohol or acetone, the paint according to the paint manufacturer's instructions. A gloss paint will be shinier and easier to clean but a semi-gloss will hide imperfections better and still look good. Satin or matt finishes should be avoided as they will be more susceptible to dirt and stains and harder to clean.
Replacing Formica provides a new countertop that should last many years. It usually requires removing the old Formica, properly preparing the surface, and gluing on new formica. Getting really tight seams and corners requires a bit of practice and expertise so you might want to have this done by a professional for best results. Sometimes you can apply new Formica over old but it is more common to remove the old, worn out material. For a more temporary solution you might get away with installing self-adhesive vinyl tile over the old Formica. The vinyl tiles are fairly easy to cut to fit and the self-adhesive style avoids the tedious task of applying adhesive. You might even get some short-term satisfaction covering old, ugly Formica with Contact paper but it probably won't be very durable or last very long.
Another option for RV tables is to simply replace them. Most of them are removable and can be easily replaced by a new table, available at most RV stores. Or you could custom design and make your own if you have the DIY skills and tools to do so. Butcher block cutting boards can sometimes be found in a size to match smaller tables, like the ones in front of an RV sofa. Some tables have interesting or even useful designs like road maps. Replacement tables can be had for $30-$100 and you can even order them custom made to your specifications. Custom made tables can run into the hundreds of dollars, depending on size, material, and features you specify. Brand new, ready made tables can be purchased at RV stores, usually for less than $50. I have always admired ones that had a good U.S. map image on them.
There is no need to live with ugly tables or countertops. With a little creative effort they can be restored to give new life to your RV, camper, or boat.
Happy restoring!
Sunday, November 12, 2017
Some Cool Alternate Hot Weather Activities
When the hot summer weather arrives, camping and dirt biking in dry, desert or even mountain environments gets to be a little more than uncomfortable. During the hot summer months in southern California we sometimes opted to drive a little further than our usual Mojave Desert haunts to more mountainous regions where it was a little cooler. However, for REAL relief from summer heat, you might want to consider water based activities like swimming, fishing, and boating.
For desert camping in the summer we often brought along a kiddie pool and a 55 gallon drum of water. Obviously you won't be swimming a plastic pool less than a foot deep, but it does let you get wet enough to cool of on hot days. At first we took a lot of hazing from bring it along but eventually it was really a lot of fun to see big, burly bikers cooling off in our little pool. The only downside I recall was that it seemed to attract every sweat bee within miles!
Water activities usually provide opportunities for cooler recreation -- swimming, boating, or just lying around the beach (and taking advantage of the water to cool off now and then). For that reason, and because I've always liked sailing, we have recently acquired a 24' Venture sailboat, complete with outboard motor for windless days and a trailer to get it to and from the lake. It is small enough to trailer and for two of us to comfortably sail but has a large enough cabin to provide protection from sudden squalls and room to stay overnight in a remote cove.
Personal cooling devices can provide an amazing degree of comfort on hot days. You can buy little battery powered portable fans to create a little personal breeze, some even come with water bottles attached so you can add a cooling mist. For easy , inexpensive, and convenient personal cooling, we use simply spray bottles. Spritz every now and then can be very refreshing. We picked up our bottles at our local Dollar Tree. That's got to be about the cheapest air conditioning you'll ever find!
Interestingly enough, nights in the desert can be surprisingly cool in spite of horrific daytime heat. I've seen night time temps in the 40s after hitting over 100 in the afternoon. I have also seen high temps hang on all through the night, leaving it way to hot to sleep without some kind of cooling system so you need to be prepared to deal with both scenarios.
Yes, I know, it is said that a boat is merely "a hole in the water into which you throw money". But, like any other recreational pursuit, it will be what you make of it. Just like RVs and OHVs, you can spend a lot of money on boats and related equipment and accessories, but you don't have to. For example, we got our 24' Venture for free! There is even a web site that specializes in free or low cost boats: http://www.free-boat.com/. I was surprised at the number and variety of boats I saw there. I have also seen inexpensive boats on ebay. Some are offered by an organization that solicits donations and then sells them to fund their charitable operations. I recently saw 25' sailboat in seaworthy condition go for $611 on ebay! But, if you find a good deal, be aware there will be title and registration fees to be paid and, if the boat is in a marina, you may have to have proof of insurance and have to pay moorage fees. If it comes with at trailer there will be DMV fees for the trailer. If it doesn't come with a trailer you may have to pay to have it transported from where it is to your home or the port where you will moor it. So, even a free boat will not be entirely with some up front costs. And then there are the costs of maintenance and for repair, renovation, and/or restoration, if you choose to go that route.
In some ways, our sailboat is like a floating RV and many of the lessons learned while RVing can be directly applied to "living" on a sailboat, for example, limited and scale down resources, and water and power conservation. However, there are unique safety and operating procedures we all need to become familiar with before be embark on any maritime activities. You can often get started with a free online instruction, then augment it with hands on training classes or guidance from experienced sailors.
Unlike RVs, which usually have standup headroom in even the smallest campers and tent trailers, the cabins on many boats may be considerably shorter, except in larger yachts. You can stand up somewhat bent over enough to move around inside the cabin of our little 24' sailboat and it isn't too uncomfortable to cook on the camp stove inside and very comfortable to eat at the dinette or sleep in the berths, but we always have to walk bent over and be sure to duck our heads unless the overhead companionway slide is open! Sleeping in the v-berth (in the bow of the boat) has the headroom limitations of a truck camper with the added narrowing at the bow that pushes our feet together. Some boats have a "pop top" that is mostly used when at anchor to give stand up headroom in the cabin.
Our sailboat is a 1970 MacGregor Venture 24. It is structurally sound but shows some signs of nearly 5 decades in the sun and water. The gel coat on the deck is crazed and will need to be sanded and painted. The once lovely teak trim had weathered to a dull uniform grey. The nice walnut grained Formica table in the cabin was faded until near the center edge it was about the color of hot chocolate powder and the edging was gone, exposing raw, rough plywood. A few feet of iron-on walnut edging tape painted with clear coat quickly solved the edging problem. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy and effective the iron-on tape was. As for the Formica, my attempt to find a suitable solution on the Internet resulted in a few, ineffective suggestions: furniture polish or wax. I tried a variety of products and while some made it look nice while it was still wet, it returned to its dull, dingy color when it tried. Then my wife suggested using the same SC-1 Clear Coat detailing spray I use on my dirt bikes and in just minutes, we had a table that looked like new! You can usually buy SC-1 at your local off road bike shop but if they don't have it they can probably order it. It is made by Maxima, who produces a number of products most bike shops regularly carry. SC-1's tag line on the can reads "New bike in a can" and you will be surprised how well it works to improve appearance. It has been fun to find cross-over skills between our RV/OHV lifestyle and our new maritime addition.
As you might imagine, our nearly 50-year old sailboat needed some TLC, both the make her look better and to prevent further deterioration. The paint inside the cabin was chalky and peeling. It took some scraping and sanding to get rid of the damage. A coat of Kilz is then a good idea as a primer and to reduce the possibility of mildew. Marine grade paints can be quite expensive. However, the small area involved may help keep the cost down and they may provide longer life than house paints. I've heard of people using ordinary interior house paint inside their boats, but I would prefer to use an exterior acrylic latex or at least a paint rated for kitchens and bathrooms since the inside of a boat will by its nature be exposed to a lot of humidity. We used exterior acrylic latex on our Venture with very good results. We're now going on four years since refurbishing and the paint is still holding up very well. Gloss paints are easier to clean but any defects will also show up more prominently. Flat paint hides defects but can be harder to clean. We went with a Satin fininsh that is somewhere in between and it has worked very well. It looks good, resists dirt, and is pretty easy to clean.
Outside, the teak trim was barely recognizable as it had weathered to a dull, uniform grey color. I was delighted to find it can be cleaned with oxaclic acid to bleach out they grey, then a coating or two of teak oil to restore the luster and depth of the color gets it ready for a suitable clear coat like polyurethane to protect it from the element and give it a deep, rich shine that both looks good and is comfortable to touch -- especially nice for hand rails.
Most boats, even sailboats, will have some 12-volt wiring for lights. Lights may include convenience lights in the cabin and cockpit and required navigational lights for night time cruising. Wiring on a boat may not appear too different from wiring on an automobile or an RV, although some larger boats may have 24 or even 48 volt systems instead of 12 volt systems. However, be aware that marine wire is different than automotive wire. The same gauge wire will be made up of many more smaller diameter strands and each strand is tinned to prevent corrosion. Yes, it will be a lot more expensive than ordinary primary wire for automotive or RV use, but it is necessary to ensure long life and good, safe connections in the marine environment. You don't want your navigation lights to fail due to corroded connections while you're out on the water at night and even losing cabin lighting could be more than just inconvenient. I found some cabin lights in our Venture had been wired using ordinary 2-conductor zip wire. I'm sure it was cheap and convenient for whoever did it, but now all the connections are a badly corroded to a dull green and I had to replace the wiring to ensure safety, reliability, and performance. For good measure I replaced all the old incandescent lights with LEDs, both interior lights and navigation lights.
If you decide to explore boating opportunities to augment your regular camping and OHV outings, be sure to get proper training on how to operate your boat or personal watercraft. Also make sure you wear proper safety gear. Personal Flotation Devices (i.e., life vests) are required for every person on a boat or personal watercraft and larger boats (over 16') must have at least one throwable flotation device. This could be a life saver ring or simply an appropriately configured cockpit cushion. You will also have to carry appropriate signalling devices (flags, lights, flares, horns, whistles, "day shapes").
There are also signals you need to be aware of to indicate to other boaters your intentions and for them to indicate theirs to you. Boat horns have much more specific meanings than car horns. When approaching another boat, a short single toot of your horn indicates you want to pass them on your port (left) side. Two short toots means passing on the starboard side. A hint for remembering which is which: port has one syllable and one toot, starboard has two syllables and two toots. Three toots mean backing up. Five toots mean danger! Or that you don't understand or disagree with the other boat's intentions. For example, if they indicate passing you on the port side and there is a swimmer or an obstacle there they can't see, you would respond with five toots of your horn. In poor visibility (e.g., fog) use one long blast when coming around a blind corner if you're in a power boat or one long and two short blasts for a sail boat, repeated about every two minutes. You need to know these signals so you can recognize them when you hear them and be able to use them when necessary. Short blasts or toots are about 1 second in duration. Long blasts are about 4-6 seconds in duration.
Being near or out on the water means you are going to be exposed to a lot of sunlight and will need to pay attention to proper UV protection. The sunlight reflecting off the water can burn as quickly and as badly as direct sunlight from above. Sometimes you won't notice you're burning because of the cooling affect of the breeze and/or spray, but don't let that fool you. Hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen are far more than fashion accessories when boating: they are a necessity.
Personal watercraft, such as jet skies and SkiDoos, have a particular appeal to folks who usually ride dirt bikes or snowmobiles. In fact, jet skis are sometimes called 'wet bikes' and are ridden much like a motorcycle. SkiDoos are a lot like snowmobiles for the water. However, just because the conformation and controls are familiar doesn't mean you don't need to take time learn how to ride them! Taking a little time to get familiar with and learn proper use of any kind of motorized recreational equipment is essential and will pay back dividends in safety and fun for years to come.
Canoes and kayaks are popular vessels for personal use and use by small groups. Since they have no motors or sails, there is a lot less that could go wrong and they require less maintenance. They are economical to use, being powered either by hand or water currents, and are usually small enough and light enough to be easily transported from your home to various venues -- or around obstacles you might encounter on a river (like dams and falls). About the only downside to these craft are that they ride very low in the water, are somewhat unstable and can be easily capsized if you aren't careful. There are very few Boy Scouts who haven't gotten dunked in a canoe at summer camp!
Sailboats have a kind of nostalgic aura and there is a certain feeling of accomplishment and connection with the sea (or lake) that comes with operating them. They may be as simple as a sabot (about 8' long with a single sail) or as complex as the Black Pearl, Captain Jack Sparrow's pirate ship in Pirates of the Carribean. Most popular are boats in the 20-30 foot range, with a single mast with two sails (known as sloops) and with a small cabin that provides basic creature comforts out on the water and in port. These boats are often called "daysailers" but can often accomodate overnight stays as well.
Power or motor boats appeal to a lot of people. The controls for a power boat are similar to those in a car, except that there is no brake! To stop a power boat you have to reverse the rotation of the propeller. They are mostly steered using a wheel like a car although some with outboard motors have a tiller (handle) connected to the motor. They come in many sizes and shapes from sleek, high-powered racing boats and water-ski boats, to huge yachts that are like floating palaces. A popular mid-sized boat is a cabin cruiser. These luxurious vessels provide a lot of creature comforts on the water and at anchor.
If you take up water skiing, there will be additional safety measures and signals you will need to know and, even if you don't water ski, you should become familiar with some of these signals any time you are on the water since you are likely to be sharing the space with water skiers and ski boats. One of the most important signals is the flag that indicates there is a skier in the water. This is a bright, hunter orange flat about 12" square and is used when the skier is down. When you see this, slow down and exercise extra caution around that boat to avoid running over the person in the water.
Most states offer boating safety courses to help you get acquainted with rules and proper practices. In some cases, proof of having completed such a course are required before you can operate a vessel in that state.
Boats with cabins usually have some kind of sanitation facilities. On larger boats there will be holding tanks like those on on RV. Unless you take the boat out of the water and have a way to drain the holding tanks, they will have to be pumped regularly to empty them. Most marinas where you can rent moorage offer these services. On smaller vessels you may have a portapotty which you can remove and empty yourself into a suitable dump station or maybe even into your own toilet at home. In either case these will require the same kind of care and treatment as a black water tank on an RV. Use only RV-safe toilet paper and never put facial tissue, sanitary napkins, wet wipes (not even those designated flushable), or paper towels into a toilet on a boat. And, of course, keep an eye on the level of waste in the holding tank, including the little one on your portapotty! Be sure to empty them BEFORE they get completely full.
If you get a boat with a cabin and plan to sleep in it, either docked in the harbor or at anchor in a remote cove, be sure to try it out where you have a way to easily escape if you find it unsuitable. For example, we plan to aclimatise ourselves by sleeping in our boat a few times while it is still on the trailer at home before we add the strangeness of the sounds and feeling of being on the water. Larger boats may have comfortable staterooms equipped with very good beds. In smaller boats, like our 24 footer, the berths are under the bow (v-berth), in the converted dinette (much like the bed on a truck camper but with thinner cushions) or along the port (left) side under the cockpit. Sleeping in the V-berth in the bow is a little like sleeping in a truck camper with limited headroom but with your feet jammed together into the narrow prow of the boat. It isn't as uncomfortable as it sounds, but it may take some adjustment. Be aware that even when tied up at a dock (and even more so when at anchor) a boat is going to rock. Wake from passing boats, waves in the water, and even a gentle breeze blowing against the boat may cause it to move. For some people it is soothing, like being rocked in a cradle. But for other people this can be disquieting, even to the point of suffering insomnia or even getting seasick.
Speaking of getting seasick, it is not uncommon for people to get ill from the movement of a boat, especially until they get used to it. There is popular commercial product to treat seasickness. It is called Dramamine®. You can get it an just about any pharmacy without a prescription. If you know or even suspect you are susceptible, be sure to pick some up before your first aquatic outing. Some people even need it when traveling by car, train, or plane too.
If you can't get to the water, you may still be able to cool down in camp. We used a kiddie pool on some of our desert outings and it was a hoot to see the big, burly dirt bikers in our group come over to splash around and cool off. But you can cool each other off using squirt guns or cool yourself off with a spray bottle. We even experimented with a mist system attached to the awning of our RV. I used a separate water tank and pump to avoid a premature failure of the regular coach fresh water system. A wet bandana tied around your neck can provide quite a bit of cooling for many activities from sitting around camp to hiking and dirt biking.
Aquatic activities can provide a welcome respite from summer heat and a pleasant alternative to hot, dry, land-locked excursions. As with any kind of camping and motorized recreation, boating is a great way to create quality family time and create family bonding.
Ahoy mate!
Monday, October 9, 2017
Survivorman -- a Great Resource for Campers and Survivalists
Survivorman is one of my favorite TV shows. Les Stroud is genuine, in both his survival activities and his mistakes. He isn't afraid to let you see when he screws up. He doesn't do it very often. Survivorman is an excellent source of wilderness survival tips and techniques. Since he takes his adventures all over the planet you can very likely find one that matches conditions where you like to go. Many of his survival practices can be directly applied to camping.
Les Stroud's techniques are usually things just about anyone can do without any special tools or special training. But be aware he does seek expert advice from competent sources who are knowledgable in each area he goes into. Knowing what edible and medicinal plants and what animals live in the area you are in can be live saving. Some of his tips are generic and can be applied in many different environments. See 24 of the Best Survival Tips from Surviorman. Look over the list and see what you are likely to use in the situations you may encounter. Every one is a golden tidbit that will make survival easier. Then take a little time to practice each one. You don't want to find out you missed or forgot something just when you need it most!
Even though Surviroman is no longer on regular TV, you can stream every episode of “Survivorman” on his site. I have viewed every episode multiple times. I learned (or re-learned) something new each time. Whether time has simply erased some tidbits of information or my experience has matured during the intervals between watching doesn't really matter. Learning something new or reinforcing important previously learned lessons is always good use of time. And, if you're like me, it is fun! I am somewhat disappointed that there are no new episodes of Surviorman, but the wide variety of environments he has endured (from ice and snow to steamy tropical jungles, from dry deserts to rain forests and deserted islands) is a veritable encyclopedia of survival techniques, many of which can be useful when camping. You should be able to find an episode that applies to just about anyplace YOU might be going.
As I said in the opening paragraph, one of the things I most like about Survivorman is that Les Stroud is genuine. Some other "survivor" shows are scripted and staged and are filmed by a separate film crew that accompanies the adventurer. That might make for more professional cinematography and exciting television, but isn't particularly authentic, accurate, or educational. In at least one instance I've seen documented, the "hero" was within sight of a busy highway while pretending to stranded far from civilization and instead of sleeping in his survival shelter was actually spending nights in a comfortable hotel room several miles away! Les simply chooses a situation/location, gets dropped off with minimal tools and supplies (usually just his trusty multi-tool) and cameras. Then he has to play it by ear. Not only does he have to take care of his own survival, he has to do all the filming and lug all the camera equipment through his ordeal. In many cases that means he has to backtrack to retrieve camera equipment making almost every leg of his trip twice as long as it appears on camera. Since things are not scripted or staged, his camera records his mistakes right along with his successes and the mistakes aren't edited out of the final print. I find that refreshing and informative. Sometimes it is good to know what DOESN'T work and why so we can avoid making the same mistakes. Having a film crew might give more polished cinematography, but Les' real world view is honest, accurate, and educational and I find his filming and editing quite good. From my perspective there are plenty of beautifully filmed dramas and documentaries I can watch if I'm just looking for technical film perfection. I rather enjoy the unpretentious, sometimes even raw, presentations on Survivorman over fake, scripted so-called survival shows. He even recorded and broadcast accidentally setting his driftwood survival shelter on fire!
You never know when what you learned on Survivorman may come in handy. A while back I read of a young couple traveling in a pickup truck in snowy country who mistakenly tried to take "short cut" and ended up stranded miles from nowhere and had to walk out. One of their survival techniques, which they credited to an episode of Surviorman, was to make mukluks out of the the upholstery and padding from the seat cushions to protect their feet from freezing while walking out to safety. As a dirt biker I particularly appreciated an episode he did simulating getting stranded on a dirt bike somewhere out of Moab, Utah and can attest that the situation and his choices and techniques were valid.
Safety is always a primary concern in a survival situation, whether it is planned (as in the case of Survivorman) or accidental (as it would be for most of us!). While Les does not have anyone looking out for him directly or following him during his escapades, he does prepare carefully for each one and has a rescue team standing by if he doesn't show up that the designated rendezvous point at the designated time. We can all take a lesson from that and always leave word with family, friends, or appropriate local officials to let them know where we are going, when, and when we should return so they can take appropriate steps to find us if something unexpected happens and we don't show up at the end of our outing. One of his regular techniques is to seek advice from local experts on each and every new place he goes.
Thank you, Survivorman!
Sunday, September 17, 2017
Fall has fell...
If you live where you will get freezing temperatures you will need to winterize your RV and make sure there is nothing in your tent camping storage that will be damaged by freezing. Tents and sleeping bags should be clean and dry before storage. Sleeping bags should not be rolled tightly during extended storage as it will crush the loft and destroy their ability to keep you warm. Open them up and hang them or pack them loosely.
If you're feeling adventurous you might venture out for a few more outings before the really cold weather hits. If you do you will want to take weather conditions into consideration and bring along warm clothes. Be sure your RV has plenty of propane and that the furnace is working properly. A tent heater might let you extend your camping season a bit, but be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully to avoid any problems. Tent heaters can cause fires so make sure they are kept away from tent walls, sleeping bags, clothing, etc that might catch fire. Tent heater even "indoor" catalytic heaters that allegedly give off no toxic fumes, will still consume oxygen so make sure you have adequate ventilation to avoid suffocation!
A trick I learned for sleeping on snow or cold ground is to unroll and unzip a couple of old sleeping bags. Put one under the sleeping bag(s) you'll be sleeping in (I like it between the bag and the sleeping pad) and the other one over the top. If you are sharing your tent with a companion, put the second sleeping bag so it covers both sleeping bags. That way any heat that escapes from your primary sleeping bags is caught by the top cover and you effectively share body heat to keep you both warm all night.
If you are camping in desert areas where night time temperatures are still warm, you may want to add or include a battery powered tent fan. In fall we sometimes get what are called "Indian Summers", a few days of unusually warm weather, typically in October or November. We recently spent a night in the Virgin River Gorge in northern Arizona and it was 106ยบ around 7:30 pm and didn't really cool down enough to sleep until around 3:00 am! We used a spray bottle liberally to cool both us directly and the little bit of breeze we got through the screens but a battery operated fan would have been very welcome. It is definitely on the list for next time!
I've always found it more difficult to keep cool than to keep warm. After all, you can always add layers to keep warm but there is only so much covers or clothing you can remove to cool down!
Fall camping is cool!
Friday, July 28, 2017
2 Wheeled Bug Out Vehicles?
When we think of bug out vehicles we usually think of trucks, SUVs, or RVs that can carry us and a lot of survival equipment. You may see highly equipped, very expensive, 4WD all terrain vehicles advertised as bug out vehicles. Most of them are way beyond what the average camper or prepper could ever afford -- or would ever need for that matter. Moreover, they may not even be very useful, depending on where you are, the nature of the disaster, and whether these humongous vehicles will be able to fit through places restricted by devastation. However, there are other options that might be more versatile. For example, I keep my dirt bikes ready to use at any time. If roads are impassable due to an earthquake or flooding, I can use my dirt bike to get to safety through or around all kinds of terrain that would stop just about any other kind of vehicle. It can also be used as a messenger vehicle during a local emergency where normal roads are impassable. If you prefer an ATV or side-by-side, it too could provide options to go places where a normal street legal vehicle can't. You' might want to find a way to attach some kind of hitch to the frame of the dirt bike or ATV. Towing a trailer will limit some of the places you can go but it will give you the ability to carry a lot more survival gear with you. You might also consider a luggage rack or saddle bags for extra carrying capacity.
An option seldom considered is a bicycle. Too often we think of them only as toys or exercise machines, but in many parts of the world they are still a primary means of transportation. Bicycles have several advantages. They are not terribly expensive (unless you go for fancy road racers or competition level mountain bikes), they require no fuel other than the rider, they are light weight so you can carry them through terrain too rough to ride through. A good bike could be your best bet for escaping an unsafe situation. You don't see too many folks pulling trailers with bicycles (except in third world countries), but it is possible and would increase your cargo capacity. If you are in average physical condition you should be able to pull up to 600 lbs on flat ground, which gives you considerably more room to bring along what you need than you'd have in even the biggest back pack. The recommended back pack weight is usually about half the weight of the person carrying it, which will significantly limit what you can carry safely. The capacity of a trailer over hills and rough terrain would, of course, be less than the 600 lbs over flat ground, but still much more than you could comfortably carry on your back. If you decide to include a bicycle in your survival gear, the best bet would be a mountain bike, with off road tires and multiple gears. Racing bikes are great on pavement, but the narrow tires wouldn't handle damaged roads or going off road if necessary very well. A cruiser style bike will have tires capable of handling more types of terrain but usually are only one speed so they wouldn't be as good for negotiating hills or heavy loads. As with a dirt bike, you will probably have to engineer your own trailer hitch if you do decide to pull a small trailer or you might want to add a luggage rack or saddle bags. The little baby carriers you see towed behind bicycles might make a good starting place for bicycle hitches and trailers. Bicycle baskets that attach to the handle bars can carry some things.
Saddlebags are another option for carrying extra gear on a bicycle. Mounting beside the rear wheel puts the center of gravity of the bags and their contents fairly low so they don't affect handling as much as a handle bar basket or even wearing a back pack.
You will need a pretty small trailer to use behind a dirt bike or bicycle. There are some trailers designed to pull behind ATVs and some for street bikes that might be a starting point. Even a little garden cart designed to be used with riding mowers and garden tractors might work, but they usually aren't designed to be particularly light weight. You might also consider building your own trailer from scratch. The trailer kits you can find at places like Harbor Freight will usually be too big and too heavy for pulling behind a bike (pedal power or motorized). You might make one from bicycle or tricycle parts or even use a child's "Radio Flyer" style wagon. Some of these are available with big, soft, all-terrain tires designed for garden use and would adapt well for off road towing.
You will need to limit the size of the trailer for several reasons. First up, you don't want it to be too heavy. The lighter the trailer, the more gear you can carry and the easier it will be to pull. Secondly, you want something that you can pull through small spaces without difficulty. In really difficult terrain you might even have to pull the trailer by hand or even be able to lift it over obstacles. You will also want to make sure it is sturdy, dependable, and easy to maintain.
I have seen neat little tent trailers to pull behind ATVs that would even provide shelter, but you will sacrifice some cargo capacity if you choose one of these and they would probably be too big and heavy to reasonable tow behind a bicycle, but you might make it work behind a motorcycle. If you need or want to be able to camp along the way, an easy, light weight, and inexpensive alternative is to toss in a small tent or maybe just a tarp you could toss over you and the trailer to protect you from hot sun or bad weather.
In a pinch you could rig a travois behind a bicycle or dirt bike to carry your gear or even transport an injured person. You need a couple of poles lashed together at one end to attach to your bike with a tarp, blanket, or net stretched between the other two, spread out, ends to carry your load. The advantages of a travois are primarily the ease of construction from readily available materials and the lack of moving parts that could fail. The disadvantages include increased resistance in dragging them and fairly rapid wear on the trailing ends. But they might be a very good option in an emergency for transporting a load or injured person a short distance.
Speaking of bicycles, I have even seen some three-wheeled rigs with a camper attached, looking kind of like kind of pedal-powered Class C motorhome. While those might provide the ultimate comfort for bugging out, do their height , width, and weight, they wouldn't be very practical on damaged roads or rough terrain and I, for one, would not want to try to pedal one of those up -- or down! -- much of a hill! Likewise, there are custom made motorcycle based Class C motorhomes that would provide many of the features of a larger motorhome as a Disaster Recovery Vehicle, but might have greater range due to lower fuel consumption and, their smaller size might let them go places larger vehicles won't fit.
Here is a slick Youtube video of 15 Minicampers and Motorcylce Campers that might be useful for recreational outings as well as for an emergency bug-out. Many of them include quite a bit of cargo capacity for carrying survival essentials.
One of the chief characteristics of survivalists is their ability to innovate. Be innovative in your preparations as well as in your survival techniques.
Think outside the box!