Off Road Riding Areas

What make a good off road riding area?  Actually there are many different type of terrain that can provide interesting off road riding experiences.  Here are some common factors to think about.  Some basic things to consider include what type of activity you will be doing (dirt bikes, ATVs, horseback riding, etc.), your level of experience (you will enjoy more difficult and challenging terrain only after you are experienced), weather (be sure to dress appropriately), and number and level of experience of riders in your group, how much time you have (limited travel time means you need a place close to home).

1.  Access to riding trails and/or open areas.  The next big necessary feature is access to good riding trails or open riding areas.  The most enjoyable outings we had in southern California were in places that provide both good trails and open riding areas.  What makes up a good trail depends on what you are riding, your level of expertise, and your expectations.  I like trail systems that provide a variety of riding experiences, some for young or novice riders and some with more technical challenges for more experienced folks.  Rolling hills can provide hours of moderate level entertainment.  Open riding areas usually offer plenty of fairly flat places for novices to learn and may often include rolling hills and sometimes even more aggressive hill climbs and technical challenges.

2.  Reasonable access to necessary resources.  The definition of both ''reasonable access'' and '' necessary resources'' will depend on the user.  For some being within an hour or so of a small town where you can get necessary supplies is enough while some folks might consider full RV hookups a must (please note that places with full RV hookups seldom have good access to riding areas!).  I had a friend whose idea of roughing it was having to ring twice for room service!

3.  Plenty of room to camp.  How much room you need will depend on the size of your group.  Solo riders  or small families need only a single campsite.  Larger groups need room for multiple individual areas and often include motorhomes, camping trailers, and tent campers.  Our Desert Rat group usually staked out a nice big area that could accommodate about a dozen rigs arranged around a central fire pit like the circling of a pioneer wagon train.

4.  Appropriate terrain for your riding style.   Options might include trails, hills, beaches, sand washes, and open riding areas.  Some areas may have trails specifically designed for specialized learning, such as beginner's trails and even rock crawler practice tracks.

5.  Access to emergency services.  We all hope we never need emergency services when we are riding our OHVs, but stuff happens.  There are accidents.  Vehicles break down.  People get sick or injured.  We run out of provisions.  Most off road riding areas will be some distance from the emergency services and stores we are used to at home.  Invest a little time familiarizing yourself with where and how to get emergency services when you go off road.  Know where you have to go to get a signal for your cell phone.  Know where to find or contact rangers or law enforcement.  We were pleased that the California City Police Department posted signs all over the open riding areas near California City with their direct phone number.  Dialing 911 in that area would connect you to the California Highway Patrol a couple of hundred miles away.  Emergency response times directly from California City were much faster.  I had a number of personal encounters with California City Police, both out on the trails and when assisting other users to get help in town and am pleased to say they were always professional, helpful, and friendly.  They even sponsored volunteer Desert Indcident Response Teams to aid lost or injured riders.

6.  Appropriate weather.   For most OHV outings we want mild temperatures and sunny skies.  For snowmobiling we need snow on the ground but not too much of it still falling.  Rain can dampen more than spirits when you are riding a dirt bike or ATV but is probably less of a problem if you have a covered side-by-side.  Most of our family outings in southern California were to parts of the Mojave Desert but sometimes, in the hottest part of the summer, we would head a little further up into the mountains to escape the heat.  We once left the valley floor at 5:00 am when it was over 100F and arrived at our campground at over 9000 feet elevation a few hours later and needed winter coats!  Desert trails in the summer are very hot and very dusty.  Forest trails were a lot more pleasant, with little dust and even some shady portions to ride through.

7.  Not TOO far from home.   Ultimately you when you go off roading you want to spend as much time as possible riding you OHV, not getting there and getting back.  But given the nature of off roading, you should probably count on at least some driving.  Many of our favorite riding areas were more than 150 miles from our home!  That meant we generally only went there on 3-day weekends or other extended outings.  You may want to find someplace closer to home where you can swing by for a quick weekend or even after work ride.  Places for short outings don't have to have all the neat features you might seek for longer excursions, but they can still be fun.  After all, dirt is dirt!

Check with local land managers like the US Forest Service, your state Forest Service, or, in Western States, the Bureau of Land Management to learn about riding areas within their jurisdictions.  Local, state, and regional OHV clubs may also be able to provide some suggestions.  You should be able to get some good ideas from the Internet.  Do an online search for ''off road riding areas near me''  You may be surprised at the resources that pop up!  Personally I prefer getting recommendations from other riders so I can learn more details about prospective areas before investing the time and fuel to go there.

Never assume it is OK to ride just because an area is remote and undeveloped.   Many such areas are private property and you would be trespassing.  Trespassers can be arrested and could face stiff fines and maybe even jail time.  Many desolate remote areas were once used for mining and you may encounter loose tailing piles and dangerous pits that can lead to accidents that damage your equipment and your body!  You may even see well used trails that trespass on private property.  Just because others are blatantly trespassing doesn't make it OK, and the useage could be from the owner or other authorized users.  If you encounter a NO TRESSPASSING or PRIVATE PROPERTY sign, stop and turn around immediately unless you have specific written permission from the owner to be there.  Written permission is usually best, in case you have to prove your right to there to law enforcement.

While we are on the subject of riding areas, we need to cover appropriate behavior.  Off road enthusiasts get blamed frequently and often erroneously for trashing off road staging areas.  I have personally been involved in a number of clean up projects, both as an organizer and a worker, and in literally every case, most of the trash we collected was from illegal dumping by nearby residents, not stuff left behind by riders.  In one case we filled a 40 yard dumpster with the junk we gathered up, which included sofas, toilets, TVs, and car parts -- not stuff anyone hauls around on their dirt bikes or ATVs!  In talking with BLM land managers in southern California and Utah I confirmed that our experience was typical.  Very little if any of the refuse collected on clean up projects is the result of off road usage.  That being said, we should still do our part to take care of the steadily diminishing riding areas we have.  Always clean up after yourself.  The Desert Rat off road group I was part of in southern California always put in some time policing the area around our camp sites and staging areas to clean up any wayward trash before departing.  It only takes 15-20 minutes to make a good pass around your campsite picking up trash and it will payoff in keeping it nice for the next visitor -- which could be you!  Sometimes we had to clean up the area when we arrived because others had left it a mess.  Another important part of appropriate behavior is complying with rules.  We may not always agree with or understand certain rather oppressive rules but blatantly defying them only strengthens the opposition and leads to even more oppressive rules and sometimes complete closure of riding areas.  When you encounter offensive rules, contact the relevant land manager to express your opposition and find out if there is any legitimate reason for the rules.  Believe it or not, land managers are tasked with actually managing the land under their jurisdiction and that means supporting all appropriate uses, not just keeping people off of it!  I have generally been very pleased with the support I have seen from US Forest Service rangers, BLM managers, and California State OHV park rangers.  I once had to coordinate a clean up project with a BLM manager whose title included CONSERVATION so I was a little intimidated to start with.  He turned out to be very helpful and surprisingly supportive of our off road activities.  He even directed the leader of an environmental group at a college near our riding area to contact me for permission to participate in our event.  It was interesting seeing off-roaders and environmentalists working side by side for a common goal.  I think both groups were kind of surprised to learn the other group was made of good people.

You will usually find some popular riding areas within a reasonable drive of almost every major population center, at least in the Western states.  These places typically are easy to find and easy to get to.  In most cases they will include trails for a variety of riding styles and skill levels.  About the only downside is there will usually be a lot of other riders unless you go during some ''off'' time, like week days or during bad weather.  Sometimes having other riders around is a good thing.  They can be a useful source of information and even help if you need it.  Just observing them can be both educational and entertaining.  There are also more remote and less used riding areas that can be a lot of fun.  If you prefer solitude when camping, these might be a better choice for you.  Just know that if if anything happens (accident, illness, injury, breakdown) you will likely be on your own for at least a while.

When you find a good riding area should you stick with it?  The answer is a definite maybe!  There are distinct advantages to riding in a familiar setting.  You aren't likely to get lost. You will know how long it will take to reach various familiar destinations so you can plan your rides efficiently.  Riding familiar territory is fun and can feel comfortable.  It is a good place to train new additions to your riding group, whether be be biologically related to you or not.   I had been the "new kid" for so long I was surprised when on one outing I discovered I was the only ''old timer'' in our group of about 6 riders.  However, exploring new trails has a very strong appeal of it's own.  New trails can yield new challenges that help you extend your skills.  New trails let you experience different opportunities to test your skills and your equipment and enjoy new scenery.  New trails lead to new destinations and often each destination has its own set of desirable attributes and advantages.  Match your choice with your wants and needs for each outing.  If you are bringing new riders you might give a preference to familiar locations where you can share your knowledge and expertise.  If you are looking for increased excitement and new experiences, consider new riding areas.  I found it a lot of fun to explore new areas with someone who had been there before.

Only you can decide what  is a good off road riding area for you. 

A Trailer For Hauling Your Camping Gear

Do you need a trailer to haul your camping gear?  Well, maybe.  Depends on your camping style, how much gear you have, how many people are in your group, what kind of vehicle you have, where you are going. what kind of activities you will be involved in, and how long you are going for.  The larger your group, the more complex your activities, and the longer you plan to be gone, the more likely you will need room to haul more stuff.  You might also need extra supplies if your destination is very remote and you won't have reasonable access to additional supplies as needed.

If you normally go camping in a motorhome, camping trailer, or truck camper, you probably won't need a utility trailer to haul your camping gear.  You can usually stow everything you need in your rig.  But sometimes you may want to bring along more stuff than you have room for in your normal recreational vehicle.  Having more people than usual or going on a longer trip than usual typically requires bringing along more stuff.   In such cases or if you are a tent camper and don't have a large vehicle to transport your gear, you will probably want to consider buying or making a light-weight utility trailer to tote your stuff around.  Pickups, vans, and large SUVs might have enough capacity but ordinary passenger cars, especially the small, compact, fuel efficient ones we generally prefer for daily drivers, will probably need extra cargo carrying space.

Even if you are a tent camper you may or may not need a trailer to haul your camping gear.  If you drive a large SUV or a pickup truck you probably have all the room you need to transport your normal camping equipment.  Even a station wagon or a full-size sedan may be adequate.  However, in these days of steadily increasing fuel prices you may choose a smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicle for your daily driver.  Or if your family or regular camping group is large your gear might not fit in any vehicle, especially a smaller one.   If either is the case, you might need a small, light-weight trailer to transport your camping gear.  When I was a teen our family of 4 went camping in a '57 Hudson with sleeper seats and were quite comfortable for several days of travel and camping in and around Yellowstone Park and everything we needed fit comfortably in the trunk.  The same trip in a regular passenger car a year or so later required motel stops.

Some alternatives to a trailer might include a roof top carrier or hitch-mounted cargo rack or box.  If you have a vehicle with a roof rack you may be able to carry a lot of the bulky, lighter weight items like sleeping bags in a waterproof cargo bag secured to the roof rack. If you live in an area that gets little rain you might get way without covering your cargo, but whether you use a cargo carrier or a tarp it is still a good idea to cover the load to protect it from sunlight, wind, possible rain, and prying eyes.  Simply keeping things out of sight can provide a certain level of  "security by obscurity" and reduce thefts of opportunity.  Whenever you haul cargo outside your vehicle make sure it is securely anchored so it doesn't blow or bounce off during travel.  Avoid putting heavy items on roof racks.  Getting it up and down risks injury and having heavy loads up high can affect vehicle handling and could damage the roof.

A lightweight utility trailer isn't hard to come by.  Many home centers sell small trailers for home use and for transporting lawn mowers and other power yard equipment.  If you have a bent for do-it-yourself projects you can build your own trailer using trailer kits like those available at Harbor Freight.  They have kits for different size trailers.  A popular size is 48"x96", just right for a single sheet of 3/4" plywood to make the floor.  It is small enough and light enough to be pulled by a small vehicle yet large enough to carry almost all the camping gear you will need for the average family.  Flat bed trailers or utility trailers or even enclosed box trailers are all good possibilities.  What you choose will depend on your individual needs, budget, and availability.  Flat beds make it easy to load and unload wheeled toys.  Utility trailers help keep things secure in transit without having to tie them down.   You may be able to tarp both flat bed trailers and utility trailers to protect your gear against sun and rain.   Enclosed trailers provide the most security for your gear on the road and in camp and provide convenient extra protection against the weather.  You can often find small, inexpensive trailers for sale on craigslist.org.  I have used old tent trailers that were repurposed as motorcycle or utility trailers.  You might pick up an older tent trailer with a ruined tent pretty cheap (maybe even free!) and strip it down to make a utility trailer.

I have a camping trailer that started life as an Apache tent trailer.  Someone before me had completely gutted the little trailer to turn it into a utility trailer.  I actually got it for free on craigslist.  It needed a little work (including a LOT of cleaning and a new paint job to match our Jeep) and I upgraded from 10" wheels and tires to 12" for extra road clearance and an added safety margin.  One advantage to this particular trailer is that is has a clam-shell top that completely closes it during travel.  On one of our first trips we encountered very heavy rain.  So heavy there was about 2" of standing water on the freeway on a 6% grade!  Once out of the storm we pulled off the freeway and opened the clam-shell to access and mitigate the damage and were pleasantly surprised to find only 2 or 3 drops had gotten inside!  The clam-shell can even be locked for extra security.  It also gives us a convenience place to haul and store our camping equipment so it saves storage space in the garage and is always ready to go.

Packing your camping trailer may take some fore-thought and a little practice.    Basically you will want to load the heaviest components over the axle but you will need to maintain a certain amount of weight on the tongue to keep the connection secure and to avoid swaying.  Tongue weight for most small trailers should be in the range of 200-300 lbs but ultimately will depend on the overall trailer weight and how the load is distributed.   If there isn't enough tongue weight on the hitch (shoot for about 10% of the total loaded weight) the trailer may sway back and forth, kind of like the tail wagging the dog.  If there is too much weight on the tongue (more than about 15%) your vehicle may become less responsive, especially when turning and braking.  You may have to take your loaded trailer to a weigh station to find out how much it weighs.  You might be able to use a home bathroom scale to weigh the tongue, but use caution.  If it is too heavy for the scale you can damage the scale.  Trailer sway can be a serious problem.  My family and I have experienced at least two significant accidents due to excessive sway.  In one case the 28' toy hauler trailer  my son was pulling was too big and too heavy for the 1/2  ton pickup pulling it when it got caught in heavy crosswinds.  The other problem occurred when one of the bunk boards holding our sailboat broke, dumping the boat onto one of the fenders and crushing it down onto the tire so it created excessive drag on one side causing the trailer to sway.

Plastic tubs are a good way to pack and organize the things you put into your trailer.  Things like tents, sleeping bags, stoves, and camp chairs can usually be loaded in their own factory bags or even as is but cooking gear, provisions, linens, and clothing will be safer and easier to manage in plastic tubs.  I prefer translucent tubs so I can sort of see what is inside.  If you use opaque tubs you might want to label each one with what is inside to make it faster and easier to locate stuff in camp.

If you store your camping gear at home in your camping trailer be sure you remove perishable items between trips.  Putting perishables in a separate plastic tub makes this a lot easier.  Also make sure all your equipment is cleaned up before putting it away.  Left over food scraps will attract all kinds of pests, from microbes to raccoons and bears.  Microbes will turn scraps into nasty rotten messes and larger pests can do considerable damage to your gear and maybe even your trailer.  Bears have even been know to break into locked cars in search of food.  Animals in search of food may not be able to smell the difference between a few leftover crumbs and a whole sandwich, so cleaning everything up is critical!

Camping trailers can sometimes find additional uses in camp.  Once the gear has been unloaded you might put up a pipe frame to support a tarp over the top of an open trailer to provide a nice kind of pavilion to keep you out of the sun and rain and up off wet ground.  Some people even add sides or set up a free-standing tent in the trailer and use it as an off-the-ground shelter.   Not quite as complete as a tent trailer, but a step above sleeping on the ground.  You probably should not plan to cook in it, just as you normally would not cook in your tent, but it can make a safe and comfortable place to get out of the weather and for sleeping and to protect your personal gear.  Sometimes even an empty utility trailer makes a good playpen for younger children you might want to keep up off the ground and away from snakes and insects on the ground in many remote campgrounds.  You can install an awning on a box trailer to provide patio shade and protection from light rain in camp.  For an economy awning you might make your own using an inexpensive tarp and arms made from PVC pipe.  Similar canopies can be installed over the bed of open trailers.

If you use an open utility trailer you will want to tarp it to protect your gear against rain.  Having it tarped also provides a little bit of "security by obscurity" by keep your desirable items out of sight, reducing the chance of some passerby helping themselves to your property and helps minimize getting dust and dirt in your gear.  If you haven a enclosed trailer (like our little Apache trailer or a box trailer) you might even use the trailer for permanent storage at home.  Not only does that save space in your garage, shed, or basement, it keeps everything all packed and ready for your next trip.  Be sure you have a tongue lock or other security so it can't be easily stolen!

Some accessories you might want to add to your camping trailer might include a portable toilet (Portpotti) and a chuck box.  Portable toilets will give you comfortable sanitation where ever you go and a chuck box makes a good portable kitchen for use in camp.  A camping trailer may also give you room to carry extra tools you might need in camp or on the road.   I have a large, heavy-duty vinyl bag I use to carry firewood.  Firewood can also be carried in a box or even laid loose where ever there is extra room between items in your trailer, but having it in its own container keeps things cleaner and makes the wood easier to collect for your campfire.  Having a trailer may give you room to carry cots to make sleeping more comfortable.

Loading your trailer.  I talked a little bit a few paragraphs above about using plastic tubs to load and organize your camping trailer.  The other thing you will want to do is put the things you need to get to first when you get to camp where they are easily accessible.  Normally you will probably want get out your tent and camp chairs first, perhaps along with a canopy or dining fly for shade.  Sleeping bags should go into the tent once it is set up.  All your kitchen gear and supplies should be easy to get to because you may very well be more than ready for a good meal after your travels.  Lanterns and flashlights should be close at hand in case you arrive at your destination after dark.  Heavy tools usually find a good home somewhere near the bottom of things and often kind of out of the way since you probably won't be using them right away or often.   While placement for convenience is important, it should never override the need to load the trailer for correct balance and a proper tongue weight.d  Also make sure things are loaded so any shift during travel won't damage items or the trailer.

Used trailers can be a good option.  Few of us get to go camping as often as we would like and even personal utility trailers probably get little use so used trailers and likely to still have plenty of miles left in them.  Check out your local craigslist to look for bargains in your area.  Things to check will be tires, brakes (if so equipped), hitch, lights, safety chains, springs, an door/tailgate latches.  Tires will often look very good but may have ''aged out'', so check the date of manufacture.  Tires typically have a maximum usable life of around 6-10 years, depending on how they have been stored or protected.  If you are looking at box trailers, also look for any signs of leakage.  Check to make sure the floor is solid.  Used trailers might have been commercially made or homemade.  Homemade trailers can be very good trailers but you may want to pay special attention to how they are constructed.  A popular option for homemade utility trailers is to mount an old pick up bed on an axle.  The axle may be a trailer axle or an old car axle.  Old car axles are very sturdy but also add a lot of weight.  Commercial axles come in different weight ratings so make sure the axle is strong enough to handle the weight of your trailer and anything you plan to haul in it.  Most single axles are rated at 3500 lbs but you can find heavier duty models.  My custom made enclosed motorcycle trailer is on a single axle that has a 5500 lb rating.  You want to be sure whatever you buy will have the capacity you need (cubic feet of storage and weight rating) to handle whatever you need it to carry.  In most cases, almost any trailer is going to have more than enough capacity to haul all the camping equipment you need for the average family.  If you plan to haul ATVs or any other large, heavy pieces of equipment or have an unusually large family or regular camping group, you may need a larger trailer.  I once picked up an old 19'construction office trailer to haul camping equipment and dirt bikes.  It was big, ugly and heavy but it was cheap and it did the job.

Make sure the vehicle you use to tow your trailer is properly configured with a correct hitch for the trailer weight, has adequate power, tires, and suspension, and has appropriate connections for trailer lights and safety chains.  Trailer brakes may be required on heavier trailers, along with brake controllers on the tow vehicle.  Surge brakes are an alternative that provides self-contained brakes on moderate sized trailers.  Surge brakes use a special, articulated hitch on the tongue that pushes a rod into a brake master cylinder to apply the brakes on the trailer whenever the trailer pushes against the hitch as the tow vehicle slows or stops.

Small, light-weight trailers may or may not have to be licensed.  Some states required ALL trailers to be licensed, but some only require licenses on trailers over a certain loaded weight.  An unlicensed trailer may save you annual registration fees, but having it licensed may guard against theft or make it easier to identify and reclaim your trailer if it is stolen.  Normally if you are towing an unlicensed trailer with a licensed vehicle from the state of residence where the trailer license is not required, you will not need to have a license even a state where residents are required to license all trailers.  However, having the license might prevent you from getting pulled over from time to time when driving out of your state since local law enforcement might not know your home state regulations.  You may be able to defend against a traffic ticket but avoiding the potential problems in the first place might well be worth the modest cost of registering the trailer, even it isn't required in your home state.

Haul away!

Waiting for OHV Trails To Open

As the weather gets better it becomes increasingly tempting to hit the trails in our OHVs.  However, those who manage our off road riding areas may not agree with us yet.  You may still see some or maybe even a lot of seasonally closed trails for a while.  While it may be tempting to bypass the CLOSED signs and keep going, it definitely is NOT a good idea!  Doing so may subject you to expensive fines, poor riding conditions, damage to your equipment, and you may cause the trail to be permanently closed!  Often the trail within view of the CLOSED sign looks just fine, but further along there may be downed trees, washouts, or muddy sections that pose threats to your travel and your equipment as well as to the environment.  Negotiating around those obstacles can do irreparable damage to the environment an the trail.   As anxious as we are to get out and get riding, it will be better for everyone in the long run, if we pay attention to seasonal closures.  A little patience will be rewarded with better, safer riding conditions and less negative results to the environment and to continued access.

As an off road enthusiast you are, no doubt,  used to encountering CLOSED signs on some trails.   Trails may be seasonally or permanently closed.  Either way it is a frustration for OHV riders.  Often is is tempting to find a way around the CLOSED signs and blockades, especially if the trail looks OK for a ways beyond the closed sign.  As tempting as that is, is is NOT a good idea for at least a couple of good reasons.  In the first place, ignoring CLOSED signs will very likely result in further closures and more stringent ways of blocking access.   Secondly, seasonally closed trails are closed because they aren't suitable for use yet, usually due to residual snow or mud.  Riding trails too soon will result in unnecessary damage that may trigger permanent closure and often leads to difficult riding conditions that can damage your equipment or cause injuries to riders.  I personally know a rider who ignored closed signs on a trail with river crossings one spring and nearly lost his off road motorcycle when it was swept out from under him and carried way down stream.  Upon dragging it from the river it took hours of disassembling the engine to clear the hydrolock and dry it out enough to run again.  The river crossing looked normal, but the clean, clear water was actually a lot deeper and a lot faster than usual and the rangers knew it, hence the warning signs.

I once spent a weekend working with an off road group in California installing CLOSED signs on some quite popular trails around Randsburg, California.   Sound a little out of place for an OHV organization to install closed signs, but in reality the group was working to keep the riding area open.  By closing some trails and directing traffic to others we were able to avoid having then entire area shut down permanently!  It was a good example of OHV users and land use managers working together to appropriately manage the resources, quite a pleasant departure from the normal knee-jerk reaction of arbitrary closures often triggered by those who oppose off road activity.

CLOSED signs often don't make any sense at all, at least to OHV riders.  I once rode more than 7 miles down a sand wash on my dirt bike with sides too steep to ride out of before encountering a CLOSED sign in the middle of nowhere!   Made no sense whatever.  Frankly we weren't too worried about damaging the sand wash.   Even a light rain would erase months of OHV riding.  If it were actually in danger of being damaged by riding, why wasn't it closed at the beginning and not 7 miles down the wash?  I expect riders turning around at the sign and riding back out the way they came would have done more damage than riders continuing to the natural end of the wash.  I definitely saw mountain trails totally destroyed when the meandering boundaries of a new wilderness area cut off a number of looping trails, forcing riders to backtrack.  Before long the beautiful, pristine, single track trails that had been used successfully and frequently for more than 40 years became whooped-out, double-track roads due to excessive two-way traffic.  I must give credit to the forest service rangers who petitioned for California "green-sticker" funds to create new loops outside the wilderness area.  BTW, that same wilderness had 55,000 acres burned to a crisp in its first year or two of existence from a forest fire caused by a card-carrying Sierra clubber burning her toilet paper!  Why the heck was she doing that in the first place?  It must also be noted that there were exactly zero forest fires in more than 40 years the area was open to OHV riding.

CLOSED signs are a nemesis to all OHV riders.  But seasonal closures are there to protect and maintain our trails.  Please recognize that seasonal closures are normal and necessary and should always be respected.  When you encounter permanently close trails make note of them and contact the relevant land manager to see what, if anything, can be done.  I was told managers sometimes receive a mandate to close a certain number of trails or miles of trails and it essentially is done as a paper exercise without anyone inspecting the trails or making any attempt to determine if they are frequently used.  They just arbitrarily mark off a certain number of trails or miles of trails on a map to comply with the order, without ANY consideration of current use or environmental impact.  Sometimes you can work with land managers to reopen popular trails.  The best way to do so is to present as much evidence as possible regarding the popularity and safety of the trails.  I have seen trails in the bottom of sand washes closed to supposedly reduce erosion when a single rain does far more damage than years of off road use.  Sometimes pointing that out to land managers along with justifying the need for the trails to connect popular destinations is enough to get them to take a second look.  It is also helpful if you are prepared to trade some alternate routes  for closure that may be less desirable or may even be more environmentally sensitive.  When you come across seasonally closed trails, turn around!  You may want to contact the land manager to see if there is any trail work you could help with to speed opening of trails, but don't blithely go around or ride past CLOSED signs.  Doing so is likely to result in problems for you and your machine and for the future of the trail.

Ride respectfully!

OHV's in Snow or Ice

Maybe May is not the right time to be talking about running OHVs on snow and ice, but it does give is time to think it over and prepare for it for next winter.  And you may still encounter snow and ice at some elevations in the mountains for several weeks to come.  I am still seeing winter weather advisories with up to 12" of snow forecast above 4500' in the Cascades through May 29 here in Oregon.  If you've never ridden or driven on snow and ice, coming up on it unexpectedly on a road or trail can be scary and dangerous.

Most OHVs (with the exception of snowmobiles) are not typically intended or equipped for operation in snow or ice.  Most dirt bikes, ATVs, and side-by-sides are well designed for use on dirt and rocky trails.  However, because of the extended and remote locations some OHV outings take us to, you could run into to snow or ice on the roads and trails.  We usually avoid riding dirt bikes and even ATVs in winter conditions.  For the most part you want to avoid operating two wheeled OHVs in snow or on ice unless they have been specially equipped and you are properly trained and prepared.  4WD ATVs and side-by-sides do better in snow and ice, so much so that you can even get snowplows for them to clear your driveway.

Side-by-sides usually have 4WD and can operate fairly safely and successfully in a lot of conditions.  Having 4WD and usually having fairly aggressive tires gives them pretty good traction in snow but they can suffer many of the problems we have with highway vehicles on icy surfaces.  If the snow gets deep enough it is going to inhibit or stall our side-by-sides.   Snow deep enough can be impossible to push through and even fairly moderate amounts, like a foot or so, can be enough to cause the bodies of side-by-sides (and even other larger, heavier vehicles) to float enough to lose traction.  Like ATVs, side-by-sides can make good snowplows for your driveways.

ATVs, also commonly known as four wheelers, with 4WD are also quite agile in moderate amounts of snow.  But they will face insurmountable problems when the snow is deep enough to block their progress and are subject to the same problems on ice as any other vehicles.

Dirt bikes are the least capable of all motorized OHVs on snow and ice.  Folks who plan to ride through snow often equip their tires with steel spikes to improve traction.  However, even with spikes, dirt bikes are not all that well suited to riding in snow or on ice.  There are track conversions for dirt bikes that would make them work better in snow but they are quite expensive.

Snowmobiles are, of course, designed to operate on the snow and are usually very good at it.  However, even they can run into situations where the snow exceeds their capabilities.  Snowmobiles may be configured in different ways to maximize performance on trails or in powder snow.  When riding a snowmobile, make sure you know what yours is configured for.  Trail machines will not do well off-trail in deep powder snow.  

Tracked vehicles generally fair better in snow and ice than wheeled vehicles.   The Cushman Trackster, for example,  a popular tracked off road vehicle for a time was quite agile in snow.  They were manufactured and sold from about 1969 to 1974.   There are still a few around if you are lucky enough to find one.  These days you can also purchase track kits to fit almost any kind of OHV, from dirt bikes to Jeeps.

Some common dangers for any OHV when riding in the snow include deep drifts and hidden obstacles.  Hidden obstacle might include logs, stumps, disabled vehicles, rocks, and ditches, streams, ponds, or depressions filled with snow.  Snowmobiles are fairly heavy and will sink deep where skiers and snowboarders can skim over the surface.  Tracked vehicles can sometimes ride over the top of deep snow while wheeled vehicles tend to dig into deep snow.  Avoid riding or driving on ice over the top of lakes or rivers unless you are absolutely sure the ice is thick enough to support your vehicle.  Liquid water beneath ice will never be colder than 32 degrees and can partially melt and/or erode the ice until it can't support the weight of passing vehicles.  Ice should be at least 4" thick to walk on and 12-15" thick to drive on.

If you know you are going to be riding in snow make whatever preparations and  take whatever precautions you can.  Preparations might include special tires, spikes, or tire chains along with dressing for the weather and carrying extra supplies in case you get stuck or stranded.  Precautions will include paying special attention to where you are going to avoid drifts and hidden obstacles and driving cautiously and appropriately.   Sometimes there will be hints of hidden obstacles -- mounds of snow over logs and stumps or depressions over ditches or holes in the ground.  Sometimes those indicators might look like fun things to explore, but it would be a good idea to approach them initially with caution, perhaps even use a stick or something to probe them before attempt to run your vehicle over them.  Learn what you can about the trails you plan to traverse so you can anticipate and prepare for as many problems as you can.  Stream crossings or places a trail passes through rock slides can present particularly menacing problems if you hit them without warning.

If you suddenly get caught in a snow storm or a trail climbs up into a snowy area  slow down enough to be able to properly evaluate the trail ahead of you.  You don''t want to slow down too much because often you need to maintain a certain amount of momentum to keep going through snow.  Consider turning around and heading back to camp if you encounter unexpected snow on the trail.  There are very few rides, other than rescue missions, that might warrant forging ahead through dangerous snowy conditions.  Even rescue missions might need to be aborted if things get too bad or you will become another part of the problem instead of being part of the solution.  Turning back before it is too late may be the best thing you could ever do.  Staying out in cold conditions too long will risk injury or even death from exposure or hypothermia, especially if you are in or on an open vehicle.

If your vehicle gets stuck or breaks down you might find yourself stranded for a while.  It is always good to have some extra supplies to fall back on if this happens.  Some things to consider are blankets, extra clothes, matches or lighters, first aid supplies, food, and water.

Be sure to dress for the weather whenever you might be operating your OHV in snow or icy conditions.   Start by dressing in layers and be sure to protect your extremities -- hands, feet, ears and nose -- since they are most susceptible to the cold.  Stay dry!  You will lose body heat about 25 times faster if you are wet!  Warm gloves will be essential for operating your OHV but make sure they aren't TOO bulky as that can negatively affect your ability to control the vehicle.  Chemical hand warmer packs are fairly cheap and are easy to use to help keep your hands and feet warm.

Have fun and stay safe!

Driving an RV or Tow Vehicle in the Snow

 

Driving in snow might not seem too relevant this time of year (May), but here in the Cascades in Oregon we are still having winter weather with snow as low as 2000' and heavy snow above 4,000' through Memorial Day weekend. That means anyone heading over any of the mountain passes could still encounter heavy snow.

Most of us would probably prefer not to drive our RVs or pull our trailers in the snow. Usually we prefer warmer weather for all of our outdoor recreation but sometimes we might get caught in an unexpected snow storm.  Of course, folks involved with winter sports may choose to drive in the snow for snowmobiling, skiing, snowboarding, ice fishing, and snow camping.

Snow and the ice that often accompanies weather cold enough for snow reduces the grip our tires have on the road to near zero.  Just wet roads have only half the traction of dry ones.  Snow and ice can reduce the grip to near zero.  Even a  few inches of snow can make road surfaces so slippery we might have trouble even getting out of our own driveways!  Our vehicles are totally dependent on the tires gripping the road for acceleration, stopping, and turning --  when they loose grip, we loose control.

It should go without saying that you should never use your cruise control when driving on slick roads.   Many drivers enjoy the extra comfort and alleged fuel savings associated with using cruise control, but using it when driving on snow or ice is a recipe for disaster.  You need all the sensitivity to vehicle behavior and control you can get.  You don't want cruise control suddenly boosting acceleration and causing your wheels to spin or even causing you to totally lose control of the vehicle!

A second problem associated with driving in snow is getting stuck.  While deep drifts are possible on many roads, it doesn't take really deep snow to trap a vehicle.  I even had a 4WD SUV stuck in about 1 foot of snow in my driveway because it was enough that the pan under the body basically floated the SU until the tires couldn't get enough traction to move it.  You can encounter drifts even on well-plowed and well-traveled highways when the winds are strong enough.  I once encountered snow drifts 3' deep as part of a convoy driving down from a mountaintop military installation.  I was only 3rd behind the snow plow, but we were driving in a blizzard with lots of falling snow and high winds that created drifts faster than the plow could cut through them.  One of the keys to getting through deep snow is to maintain momentum.  You don't need to be moving fast but it helps if you can keep moving.  Avoid deep snow if you can.  Even with 4WD, which is pretty rare on motorhomes but can be found more often on vans, pickups, and SUVs, pushing through really deep snow can be difficult if not impossible.  

Tire chains can sometimes be enough to cut through snow.  Make sure they fit your vehicle and are properly installed to avoid serious damage to your vehicle.  Driving with tires chains requires you to drive slower.  There are debates about whether to put chains on the front or rear of 4WD vehicles.  My recommendation is to install them on both for best results in snow.  You only need them on the driving wheels on 2WD vehicles.  Front wheel drive vehicles usually get better traction than rear wheel drive and having tire chains on front wheel drive helps with steering as well as traction.  Tire chains can also help on thick ice, but have a limited affect on black ice and can sometimes actually reduce traction if you end up sliding on the chains when a rubber tire might provide a better grip.  Always take care when installing tire chains.  First, make sure your vehicle is safely out of traffic.  One way to install chains is to lay them out in front or back of the tires, drive on to them, then wrap them around the tires and secure them in place.  Sometimes the wheel wells do not provide enough clearance to get your hands in to handle the chains.  In that case you may have to jack up the vehicle to lift the body enough for you to install the chains.  Be sure to set the parking brake and chock the wheels before using the jack.  Close clearances  may preclude the use of tire chains as the chains will fly up a little off the tires when in use, even when fully tightened.  Make sure you have enough clearance!

In some cases local laws may allow you to use traction tires or 4WD in lieu of tire chains.  A few places in the United States may even require traction tires.  Be sure that you know the restrictions for each snowy location you drive in and that your vehicle is properly equipped.  Traction tires are not simply snow tires or all terrain tires.  They are specially constructed for maximum traction in snow and ice and are labeled.  Traction tires are labeled with a mountain/snowflake symbol like one of these molded into the sidewall:

                   

 

 Another major problem when driving is snow is visibility.  Falling and blowing snow can seriously inhibit visibility -- both what you can see and who can see you!  Sometimes it gets bad enough to create what they call a white out where it is literally impossible to even tell up from down, let alone distinguish any landmarks or read road signs.  When that happens your best bet is to find a safe place to pull over where you are out of traffic and wait for it to clear up enough to see where you are going.  If possible put out some road flares or other warning devices and leave your flashers on so approaching vehicles don't run into you.  Falling and blowing snow often sticks to road signs so they become unreadable.  In such cases it is really helpful if you have some kind of GPS device to aide you in navigation since you won't be able to read speed limits, curves, exits, or distance signs.  When falling or blowing snow makes hard for you to see the road it also makes hard for other drivers to see you.  Turn on you lights to make your vehicle a little it more visible through the snow.  Don't use your high beams in snow when it gets dark as the snow will reflect a lot of light back at you and make it even harder for you to see.  Using high beams to make your vehicle more visible during daylight hours is OK, but remember to dim your lights for approaching vehicles.  You want them to see your vehicle but you don't want your bright lights to impact their vision.

Windshield washers can help keep your windshield clear but you MUST use freeze-protected washer solution.   Even if it stays warm enough where the reservoir is located to keep it from freezing unprotected solution will freeze instantly when sprayed and spread on cold glass.  If it does get cold enough to freeze the reservoir it will probably crack and be destroyed.

Unless you grew up where you had snowy winters you probably don't have much experience driving on snowy or icey roads.   I am grateful that I did grow up in a  real 4-season climate and began learning snow driving techniques from my Dad long before I ever got behind the wheel.  If you have any opportunities to practice driving in the snow in controlled conditions, jump on it!  There really is no substitute for hands-on experience.  You don't want your first run in the snow to be somewhere where everything is unfamiliar and out of your control.  

Anytime you have reduced road friction or reduced visibility (rain, sleet, snow) you need to slow down and allow yourself more time for just about every maneuver.    Spinning tires will make it take longer to get your vehicle moving.  Slippery surfaces will make it much, much harder stopping your vehicle.  Slick roads and turn ordinary curves into potential slide outs and dangerous death traps.  Modern ABS braking systems are helpful.  Before ABS we learned to pump the brakes so the wheels had a chance to turn now and then instead of locking up.  Once the wheels are locked up you have NO steering!  That little patch of rubber on the road has no sense of direction and your vehicle will continue moving in whatever direction inertia takes it.

Driving in snow increases the probability of being stranded AND increase the consequences if you are.  Always wear warm coats and carry extra coats and/or blankets and winter gloves.  Bring along some high-energy snacks and plenty of drinking water.  Make sure your provisions are protected from freezing.  A good first aid kit should be something you always have in your vehicle.  Same with road flares.  Road flares can not only be used to warn other drivers so they don't run into your parked vehicle they can be used to help direct traffic and used to start fires if you need to get warm.

If stranded, stay in your vehicle if you can.  I have heard warnings that ordinary cars and trucks loose heat rapidly and you shouldn't stay in them if stranded in the snow.  But think about it:  are you better off in your vehicle out of the wind and snow or stumbling around outside in the weather?  In addition, your vehicle will usually at least start off a lot warmer than it is outside.  Snow covering your vehicle will also act as insulation, just like an Eskimo's igloo.  In fact 1 foot of snow provides as much insulation as the R-13 fiberglass insulation in the walls of your home.  Staying in your vehicle is especially helpful when there is more than one person as the enclosed space captures and allows you to share body heat, which you definitely could not do outside.  The human body creates about as much heat as a 100 watt incandescent light bulb.  To give you some idea how helpful that is, 100 watt bulbs are often used in residential pump houses to prevent well pumps from freezing.  If your vehicle is an an unsafe position you may need to abandon it in favor of a safer place to wait things out.  If you do, try to leave information in your vehicle about who you are, how many of you there are, what you are wearing, and where (at least what direction) you are planning to go.  Chances are rescuers will find your vehicle before they find you out in the storm and the more information they have the easier it will be for them to find you.

Dress for the weather whenever traveling in winter conditions.  Dress in layers, starting with thermal underwear and warm socks.  Be sure to include a waterproof or at least water resistant outer layer.  Most waterproof garments also offer pretty good wind protection.  Include warm gloves and a baclacava or face mask in your preparations, even if you don't need them while driving as you might need them if you get stranded or have to leave your vehicle.

Driving in snow is no picnic, not even in your daily driver, let alone a big rig of some kind.  But, if  you are out in the snow, you probably weren't planning on a picnic anyway!  If you have to drive in the snow, take steps to make sure both you and your vehicle are properly prepared for it.  Yes, people have perished in snow storms.  You want to do everything you can to avoid them and to be prepared to drive safely and survive in them if you have to.

S'now picnic out there!

Driving an RV or Tow Vehicle in the Rain

Driving in the rain isn't fun and can be especially nerve wracking if you are driving a larger, heavier vehicle than you normally drive, including RVs, truck campers, and vehicles towing trailers.  In the olden days of open touring cars or horse-drawn wagons and buggies, you could pretty much count on getting soaked when traveling in the rain.  Today's modern vehicles have eliminated that problem, giving us warm, dry, spaces in even the heaviest of downpours. But driving in the rain still has its threats.

First of all, wet pavement has a coefficient of friction (what makes your tires grip the road) 50% less than dry pavement.   The friction between the tires and the road is the limiting factor for how fast drag racers can go.  It is also the most important thing for handling any vehicle, any time.  Half the friction means your won't have as much control as you normally would.  Tires will spin easier when attempting to accelerate and stopping will take a lot more space and you are more likely to slide out on turns.  That means you need to slow down!  Also watch for puddles on the road.  They can grab your tires and alter the path of your vehicle if you aren't prepared for them.  They can also slow you down and will throw up a big rooster tail that can affect the vision of nearby drivers.  When your front wheels hit puddles they can throw muddy water up on to your own windshield, negatively affecting your vision too. It is really hard to manage where you are going when you can't see where you are going!

Rain and the spray kicked up by other vehicles can affect visibility, making it harder to see obstacles down the road.  It is not a bad idea to turn you headlights on when driving in the rain.  Water on the roads can make it harder to see lane markings and puddles can hide potholes with sharp edges that can damage tires.  Having good windshield wipers is a must.  Most wiper systems offer multiple speeds so select the one that gives you the best view of the road.  Sometimes a slower speed actually gives you a clearer view than running them at full speed all the time.  A lot of modern systems include variable delay timers that let you adjust the speed from very slow (for mist and very light rain) in increments to account for different amounts of precipitation.

Because RVs, truck campers, and vehicles towing trailers are bigger and heavier than our normal daily drivers we need to take that into consideration when driving in rain.  Make allowances for slower acceleration, lower turning speeds, and longer stopping distances.  Part of that simply means slowing down but it also means giving yourself more preparation time for each maneuver.  Realize that other vehicles behavior will also be affected by the road conditions so they will not be able to swerve, change lanes, slow, or stop as quickly as they normally would on dry pavement.  Give yourself plenty of room when pulling out into to traffic and begin stopping long before you come to a STOP light or sign.

One of the worst situations you might encounter is a light rain after a long dry period.  Oil and grease dripping from vehicles builds up on the road and a light rain sits on top of it making it very slick.  It also creates nasty spray that can foul your windshield and damage your wipers.  Heavy rain eventually washes away a lot of the spilled grease and oil.

Windshield washers are almost essential when driving in traffic.  The polluted road spray from tires often results in smears on you windshield and windshield washers can help remove it.  In cold weather you want freeze protected fluid.  In the summer you can use ordinary water but commercial windshield wiper solvent will do a better job cleaning road spray and even removing bugs.

Rain behaves differently in different locations.  You are probably pretty familiar with the quirks of rain in your neighborhood but it is a good idea to talk to someone who knows the area when you are driving in other places.  Sometimes a gas station attendant or a clerk in a convenience store can give you an idea of what to expect but rangers or law enforcement officers are usually more reliable sources.  Some places are subject to very hard, very local squalls that weather forecasts probably won't predict.  Mountains often create their own weather that can be very different from the general regional forecast.  Knowing what to expect can help you prepare for it.

Thunderstorms often generate especially heavy rain and sometimes hail.  You usually don''t have to be too worried about lightning hitting your vehicle, although high-profile vehicles like RVs and trailers are more likely to get hit than smaller cars.  Some people think your rubber tires protect you from lightning.  That is not true!  Lightning can arc across thousands of feet of air from cloud to ground.  The few inches of rubber between your vehicle and the road is nothing!  What does protect you is the steel frame of your vehicle which conducts a lightning strike around you and into the ground if it occurs.  Avoid touching any metal parts of your vehicle when driving in a thunderstorm.  Also, keep an eye on  tall trees, radio towers, and light posts near the highway as they can ''attract'' lightning and could fall into your path.  Trees hit by lightning can literally explode, throwing lots of debris that could injure you if you are unprotected.  Some folks like to seek shelter under a freeway over crossing during thunderstorms but always be sure you have sufficient clearance for tall vehicles and park out of traffic lanes.

Do not use your cruise control when driving in the rain.   It can misinterpret loss of traction and react in a way that cause you to use control.  You may have heard this before and not believed it.  This it NOT a "fake news" idea.  Check it out on Snopes.

Driving in rain at night further complicates things because the wet roads will reflect you headlights differently than dry roads, making it more difficult to recognize even familiar characteristics of the highway.  On top of that, your headlights may not seem to reach as far because the light is scattered differently by the wet surfaces.  There are night driving glasses that claim to improve your night vision, but you should be careful about using them to be sure they do make it easier for YOU to see at night.

Keep the shiney side up!

Nylon Webbing for OHVing, RVing, Camping, and Boating

Nylon webbing is useful for OHVing, Rving, camping, and boating.  It is light weight but very strong.  Typical 1" nylon webbing can be rated as high as 4,000 lbs.  It is available in a variety of colors so you can choose a color you like and can use different colors for different applications.  Different brands, sizes, and qualities of webbing may have different strength ratings so be sure to choose webbing that is sufficiently strong for your application.  1" webbing is often used for tie downs and load-securing ratchets straps.  You will also see heavier webbing used for tow straps, snatch straps, and heavy-duty ratchet straps.  I use 2 1/2" ratchet straps to secure my 25' sailboat to its trailer.

Most tie downs for OHVs are made of nylon webbing.   They may have simple friction catches or ratchets.  Simple catches are usually appropriate for dirt bikes and ATVs where ratchet straps may over-compress and damage the suspension while tied down if over tightened.  Tie downs come with "S" hooks on both ends to easily attach them to anchor points.  You can also loop the webbing around larger contact points and run the webbing back through the "S" hook if needed.  To avoid marring the surface of handle bars you can get "soft shackles" which are nylon web  that wraps around the handle bars and you attach the "S"hooks to loops on the end.  Some higher end tie downs come with their own built in soft shackles.  Strong 1" nylon straps, even your regular tie downs, make good tow straps for dirt bikes and most ATVs.  Side-by-sides may require a sturdier tow or snatch strap.  Dune buggies, Jeeps, and other larger 4x4s will definitely need an appropriately sized tow strap, tow rope, or tow chain.

Many RVs have roof racks to carry additional cargo.  Whenever you put something up on the roof of your RV you want to make sure it is secure.  Nylon ratchet straps are a good way to do this, just don't over-tighten them or you may damage the roof rack, the roof, or the load.  Here again, 1"straps are usually more than adequate.

Ratchet straps normally used to secure loads on pickups and utility trailers are usually 1"straps.  Pay attention to the rated strength when you purchase ratchet straps.  The rating takes into consideration all the components:  the nylon strap, the stitching, the hooks, and the hardware.  If you cut or break the strap you may able to repair it if you are comfortable doing the necessary sewing.  Choose replacement webbing that is at least as strong as the original and used appropriately sized UV resistant thread and a box stitch for webbing to secure the webbing to hooks and anchor points.  You can purchase bulk webbing online or at most fabric stores.  I get mine from a discount store for just ten cents foot, much less than even buying it direct from the factory!

A fairly new and convenient invention are self-storing ratchet straps.  As you might expect, they are a bit more expensive than regular ratchet straps but are spring loaded to take up the slack for you instead of having to pull it all through the hub of the ratchet.  I haven't used them yet, but the reviews I have seen have been pretty favorable.  I suspect the mechanisms will be slightly heavier than ordinary ratchet mechanisms and might get in the way in some tight applications.

Campers find nylons straps useful for securing tents, sleeping bags and back packs.  Many bags for tents and sleeping bags even come with nylon straps sewn to the bags for convenience but you can add your own or use free-standing nylon straps anytime.  You can buy straps with buckles or just tie them around your bundle.  Buckles are usually easier to fasten and unfasten and allow the straps to lie flat.

I use nylon webbing for sail ties on my sailboat.  I use different colors for different length sail ties to make it easier to quickly locate the right one for each position for securing the mainsail to the boom for temporary storage.  Sail ties an also be used to tame excess halyards and dock lines and the secure loads on deck and in the cabin and storage compartments.  Sail ties have a loop in one end, usually made with a twist to make it easier to get your hand in.  Normally they do not have an metal hooks because those could chafe and damage sails and sail covers.  You can thread the loose end through the loop to pull the strap tight around the sail, then tie it off securely.

As mentioned above, I use 2 1/2" ratchet straps to secure my 25' sailboat to its trailer.  They hold it down nicely and the wider straps spread the load to avoid excess pressure on point of contact with the fiberglass hull.  If you use ratchet straps to tie down your boat, make sure you don't crank them down too tight.  It is too easy to put enough tension on them to crack fiberglass or dent aluminum hulls.  I once noticed tiny stress cracks forming under the heavy duty straps on my sailboat.

As a volunteer firefighter I have roll of 1" nylon webbing in one of the pockets of my turn out gear.  Just about all firefighters do.  We can use the webbing to help move an injured or unconscious victim, to lift tools up a ladder, or even to help us make an emergency escape out a window.

Nylon webbing or straps is not usually used for guy lines for tents or awnings but it can be.   It is often stronger than most of the light weight ropes usually used in such applications.  It also has the advantage of being wider and more easily seen so you aren't as likely to run into them or trip over them.  You might find ratchet straps useful as guy lines on really large, heavy tents.  On occasion I have used ratchet straps to secure the awning on my motorcycle trailer.  The ratchet straps allow me to easily pull the awning taught.  If you do use ratchet straps in this way, take care not to over-tighten them as they can easily damage the awning or attachment hardware.  The only possible downside I see to using straps as guy lines is they might flutter in the wind, which can be annoying and the vibration can sometimes cause them to loosen.

Webbing used to used a lot on aluminum-framed camp chairs.   Most camp chairs these days are bag chairs with cloth seating and backrests but you can still find aluminum-framed chairs here and there.  The webbing strips are usually about 2-2 1/2" wide and made of some kind of fiberglass or plastic material, not usually the kind of heavy duty nylon you find in tie downs and ratchet straps.  If you have any of these old chairs you might still be able to get replacement web kits for them.  I have even seen kits on amazon.com. In a pinch you might be able to re-web your chairs with sturdy nylon webbing and they would probably last a very long time.  It would make the chairs a bit heavier and they might be warmer to sit in than the original webbing.  That might be nice in cold weather but less comfortable on most warm summer days in camp.

Good web to get caught in!

Trash Bags for RVing, Camping, and Boating

Trash can be a problem when RVing, Camping, or Boating.   A lot of our camping food and supplies comes in disposable containers that often generate even more trash than we normally do at home.  Paper and plastic cups, plates, and utensils are very convenient for camping but do add up to more trash to take care of.   At home we just toss all our trash into the nearest wastebasket, which gets dumped into the trash can, and picked up by the waste management company at the street every week.  In camp or on a boat we have to collect our trash and store it for later disposal.   Some campgrounds and marinas have dumpsters you can put your trash in but you will have to pack it out when you are boondocking or camping in a primitive camp site.  Very few RVs or boats and no tents I've ever seen have any built in provisions for collecting or storing trash.  So trash bags area the obvious solution, even if you bring along a wastebasket -- trash bags collect nasty stuff that can be hard to clean from waste baskets.  'Pack it in, pack it out' is one of the original tenets of back country travel.  It is something everyone who participates in remote outdoor activities should live by.  Trash bags make that easier.

My brother once observed that trash bags are the perfect consumer product:  people buy them just to throw them away -- and then buy more!

A lot, but not all trash can be safely disposed of in campfires.  Pressurized containers, batteries, and even tin cans should not be put in campfires.  Aluminum cans may burn up, but do you really want to breathe vaporized aluminum in the smoke?  I can't imagine that doing anything good for lungs!  And every can you toss in the fire means you are throwing away that 10 cent deposit!  Recycling aluminium cans can be tedious, but it can we worth it.  A group who collected aluminum cans after the Holiday Farm Fire in Oregon amassed more than $25,000 in less than a year to aid victims of the fire.  The bulk can be reduced by crushing the cans but some recycling places only accept uncrushed cans.  If you take your recycling to where it is weighed, crushed cans are OK.  Burning paper plates is usually OK and even burning styrofoam and plastic utensils isn't all that bad an idea and the more you can burn the less you have to hang onto and transport home.

Of course, if you have room, you can bring along a convenient sized waste basket or trash can to collect trash during your outing.  But sometimes that isn't very convenient because it takes up so much room in your vehicle.  A handy alternative for use in RVs, campers, and boats is a plastic bag holder that an be hung on a cabinet door or even a picnic table.  It makes an easy, readily available place to deposit refuse for future disposal in a dumpster or your home trash can.  These plastic bag holders are usually designed to use the regular plastic bags that we bring our groceries and other items home in, giving us a good opportunity to recycle those pesky plastic bags.  Even if you use a wastebasket it is a good idea to line it with a trash bag.  It makes it a lot easier to dispose of the trash and minimizes having to clean the waste basket.  Trash bags can be easily tied off to contain odors and minimize unwanted spills.

Grocery bags are sometime the right size for small waste baskets and those little plastic trash bag holders that fasten onto cabinet doors  but you will probably need larger, commercial trash bags for kitchen-size units.  There are typically two styles:  draw string and the kind where you have to tie the corners together to close the bag.   Drawstring bags are obviously more convenient but usually cost a little more.  Kitchen bags are usually 13 gallon capacity.  Regardless of the style of bag you will find different qualities and strengths depending on brand and price.  The better bags cost more of course but are not as likely to tear and dump your nasty trash all over the floor or the trail and your feet!  If you are lucky, your bags will fit your kitchen-sized waste basket snugly.  If they are a little small they can usually be stretched.  Take care stretching them.  If there are any sharp corners or edges on the can, put the bag over them first to avoid tearing the bag if you try to stretch it over sharp spots.  If they are too big, gather the excess on one side and twist it about 6 times and tuck the twist up under the edge of now snug top of the bag.  Kitchen trash bags are usually strong enough to handle normal kitchen trash but you may need extra strong bags or double them up if you have extra heavy trash like bottles or lots of wet food waste.  Double up bags for heavy loads.  You never want your trash bag to tear and drop stuff all over the place, especially if there is a lot of wet, heavy, nasty garbage!

Draw-string bag are easy to close and can be re-opened if you need to add something.  There is a draw-string (usually a brightly colored strip of plastic, orange or yellow are the ones I've seen) inside the top seam of the bag.  Look for half moon shaped cutouts an each side of the top of the bag to grasp the draw-string and pull it tight to close the bag.  These draw-strings are usually about the same strength as the bag itself and should be adequate to pull it pretty tightly closed and maybe even strong enough to use as handles to carry it, but don't pull too hard or use them to carry really heavy bags or you could tear them.

Handle-close bags are a little more difficult to close and, depending on how tight you tie the knots, can be difficult or even impossible to re-open.  You need to leave a little extra room at the top of the bag in order to have enough bag to tie.  Grab the top of the bag on opposite sides, pull tight, put a few twist in each side to roll the bag  corners into a kind of rope shape, then tie the two ends together.  Use just a single over-hand knot if you think you will need to re-open the bag.  For permanent closure (for transport and disposal) tie a second knot. then grab the remaining ends or corners and tie them together with a double knot.  Tying up all four corners keeps the bag more secure and reduces the chance of spills.

You may want to set up separate collections bags for trash and recyclables.  It is kind of nice to get back that 10 cent deposit on every aluminum can and plastic water bottle and its better for the environment.  Using separate bags lets you easily take your combustible trash to burn in the campfire or put in dumpster.  Be careful not to burn bags with large amounts of rotting food that might create a nasty smell around the campfire and avoid burning plastics as they can create toxic fumes that could make you sick.  Never put aerosol cans in the campfire as they can explode sending shrapnel and burning embers all over the place.  Tin cans won't burn, just accumulate in and mess up the fire pit.  Some with glass bottles.  Only put combustible material in the campfire.

RV stores often sell devices to store grocery bags for later use.   I have tried both hard plastic containers and soft cloth ones and both have served well.  You can usually stuff new bags into the top and pull bags out the bottom to use.  The plastic trash bag holders are often designed specifically to hold grocery bags neatly and you will seldom fit enough trash into a grocery bag to overload it or make it too heavy to easily carry.  The bags are originally designed to carry fairly heavy loads of groceries.

The plastic bags retailers use to corral our purchases are often a convenient size for trash collection during our outings. And it is a nice way to get a little extra use out them and even save a little money and avoid adding even more trash bags to the land fill.  However, if you have a larger wastebasket in your RV or camper you will probably need kitchen size (13 gallon) trash bags.  I prefer the drawstring style over the handle style.  They are easier to close and can be reopened if you have a last minute addition or two.

Kitchen sized bags are often available with some kind of scent to offset bad odors in the trash.  Whether or not it is worth any extra cost is up to you.  You may be able to spray ordinary trash bags and containers with air freshner or Fabreze as an alternative.  Scented bags might be helpful if you frequently have to deal with smelly trash but probably aren't necessary for ordinary waste like packaging.

Lawn or contractor trash bags come in larger sizes, usually about 30 gallons.  They too can be purchased with and without drawstrings.  The heavier plastic of contractor bags handles larger loads and is a good place to collect and store trash until you can dispose of it properly in a dumpster or your home trash can.  I prefer the drawstring bags because they can be easily opened and closed to add trash throughout your outing.  Lawn and contractor trash bags are usually black but can be found in yellow and orange and sometimes other colors.  The yellow and orange ones can be used for emergency signals and are a little more attractive if you have to use them for emergency rain ponchos.  It usually isn't practical to bring along large trash cans when RVing, camping, or boating but you can get folding trash bag holders that are easy to transport and hold your bags open for easy use, giving you a large trash container in camp.  Years ago I made my own out of the framework of an old bag chair.

Large trash bags can be used as emergency rain ponchos.  Just cut a slit in the middle of the bottom and one in each bottom corner.  The middle slit goes over your head and the corner slits let you get your hands out if you need to get hold of something.   

You might cut a large trash bag open to make a small tarp to cover equipment you leave outside during a surprise rain storm or even tie it overhead for emergency rain protection.

My first choice for trash bags for camping etc is to recycle the pesky plastic bags my groceries and supplies come in but I also find it useful to keep a supply of kitchen and contractor bags in my RV and even in my boat!  I usually buy mine at my local Dollar Tree but buying larger packages at a home center or grocery store might cost less per bag.  I find the smaller packages convenient for camping and boating and lower purchase price attractive.  For home use I prefer buying my bags in bulk at a big box store like Costco or Walmart to save money and make sure I always have plenty on hand.

Bag it!

Keeping Your Feet Warm When RVing, OHVing, Camping and Boating

Your feet, like your hands, are ''extremities'' and, as such, are subject to difficulties keeping them warm in cold weather.  After all, your toes are the furthest away from your heart, which supplies warm blood to your entire body.  The distance blood has to flow and the amount of blood available to those areas limits how much heat reaches your toes.   Further more, your body reduces blood flow to extremities when it gets cold to preserve the heat in your core to keep your organs functioning.  Wiggling or exercising your toes can sometimes help increase blood flow enough to help keep them warm.

Good, dry, insulated boots are a first good step toward keeping your feet warm.   In really wet weather you may need to wear rubber boots or galoshes or over-shoes to keep your feet dry.  Insulated work boots help prevent you from losing the heat from your feet.  Snow-boots are usually made of fabric and can be quite warm and comfortable but might not provide the impact protection you need for many outdoor activities.  You can buy insulated OHV boots, cowboy boots and insulated hiking and work boots.

A good sock system is another way to keep your feet warm.  And yes, that is a sock system, not just a pair of socks.  A proper sock system will include a fairly thin layer next to your skin that can wick away perspiration and protect your skin against abrasive movement that can cause blisters.  On top of that you will want to wear appropriate layer(s) for insulation to prevent heat loss and keep the warmth your feet get from your blood from escaping.  Wool is an excellent material for socks as it continues to retain its insulating quality even it it gets wet.  Summer and winter I usually wear a pair of thin dress socks beneath my motocross socks in my OHV boots to prevent chafing and blisters.  They make my feet noticeably hotter in the summer but do seem to ad a bit of insulation in the winter.

Tall boots will keep your feet warmer than low topped shoes.  Close fitting tops will retain heat better than loose, open tops.  Tall boots or gaiters will help keep your legs warm, which in turn, will keep the blood going to your feet warmer.  With that in mind, wearing full length thermal underwear can also help keep your feet as well as your legs warmer.

Chemical heat pads are available to help keep your feet warm.  You usually place them near your toes as they are the most vulnerable to heat loss.  They typically last about 8 hours but sometimes will need to be pulled out and reactivated by shaking.  Do that in a warm environment if possible so you won't lose more heat than you gain!

Battery-powered electrically heated socks are another option.  Personally, I haven't found them to be very effective.  In the first place they didn't get very warm and in the second place the batteries didn't last very long.   I also found the bulk of the batteries banging around my ankles kind of uncomfortable.  I only tried one brand so there may be better ones out there.  For me warmer boots and warmer socks are a better solution.

Just stomping your feet or wiggling your toes can help simulate blood flow to help ward off the cold.   Rolling your ankles might help bring more blood to your feet too.

Getting your feet next to a campfire or other heat source is a good way to warm them up.  Just be careful you don't get too close for too long.  You can easily get up the soles of your boots enough to burn your feet if you aren't careful.   When dirt biking in the desert we liked to build our campfire in what we called R2D2, and old washing machine tub.  I put it on an outdoor RV table pedestal to lift it a few inches off the ground so we could stick our could toes underneath to get them warm.  I've seen people put their boots right into a campfire to get their feet warm but be aware that by the time you begin to feel the heat the soles and steel shank may have gotten hot enough to burn you before you could get your feet out of your boots so exercise caution if you every resort to this!   Campfires and stoves are also a good pace to warm up your boots before you put them before going outside for a little added comfort on cold days.  Be aware that it takes time for the heat to penetrate your boots.  Don't keep your feet too close to the fire for too long.  If you wait until it starts to feel too hot the residual heat will probably cause burns even after you move away from the fire.  If your footwear or pants start smoking, back away from the fire immediately!

If you have a warm environment available (RV, cabin, vehicle, tent, etc) you can go inside and remove your cold boots and tuck your feet into a blanket, warm towel, or sleeping bag to get them warm.   I find that kind of sitting Indian style and tucking one foot behind the knee of my other leg and clamping it between the thigh and calf helps warms my foot from both sides, then switching sides every few minutes until both feet are warm.  That might a really important if you are think you are starting to get frostbite.  I use an old pair of snow boots as my ''desert bedroom slippers" when camping.  They are easy to get on and off and keep my feet warm around camp.

When boating, keeping your feet dry will go a long way towards keeping them warm.  Being out on the water means you have a good chance of getting water in your boat and your feet are likely to be subject to more extensive exposure than other parts of your body.  In wet weather or when dealing with a lot of waves splashing into the boat, wear waterproof shoes or boots instead of the canvas shoes you normally wear.  When you feet do get wet, change into dry socks and shoes as soon as it is practical.  Lacking waterproof footwear I have seen folks tie plastic bags over their shoes for some protection.  Some folks prefer going barefoot on their boats.  While it exposes your feet to abrasion and other injuries proper foot gear might protect against, it does allow you to dry your feet quickly and avoid the consequences of sitting around in wet shoes and socks.  Allowing your feet to remain wet can result in additional injury or damage to your skin so keeping them warm and dry becomes a priority.  Weather permitting, going barefoot will let you dry your feet more easily as needed.

Speaking of frostbite, contrary to a very old bit of folk medicine NEVER rub snow on frostbitten areas.  This practice was definitively proven  ineffective and even dangerous way back in the 1950s.  Frozen areas should be rapid warmed up using moist, controlled heat.  Putting frozen skin near a campfire or hot stove can result in burning the frozen flesh!  Tuck frozen extremities next to warm body parts (yours or someone else's), put them next to hot water bottle, or cover them in warm water.  BTW, don't rub frozen skin with anything as rubbing will further damage the affected tissues.

Now you're hot footin' it!