RV and Tow Vehicle Wheels and Hubs

 RV and tow vehicle wheels and hubs need regular inspection and servicing to ensure proper operation and long life.  The schedule in your vehicle owner's manual is the best guideline for when to perform maintenance.  Lug bolts or nuts ideally should be checked before each trip and torqued to factory specifications.  Wheel bearings should be repacked with grease once a year or every 10,000 to 12,000 miles, whichever comes first.  Failure to keep your wheel bearings properly greased is a pretty sure formula for having them fail out on the highway or off road.  You can be sure that when they do fail it will be at just about the worst possible time and place!  Wheel bearings on fixed drive axles, like on rear wheel drive vehicles, are usually lubricated by oil from the differential, so keep the differential topped off.  Front wheel bearings and wheel bearings on any steerable wheels are lubricated by grease pressed into the bearings and should be regularly checked and re-packed.

Ideally lug bolts should be checked using a torque wrench to be sure they are adequately tightened to factory specifications given in the owner's manual.  Since many driver's don't even have a torque wrench in the tool box at home, let alone on the road, the next best thing is to tighten the lugs with a proper lug wrench as tight as you can get them using your hands and arms.  Do not use any kind of extender to multiply the force!  Doing so can over-stress, stretch, strip, and even break lug bolts.

Wheel bearings on rear wheel drive axles are usually lubricated by oil from the differential.  Keeping the differential filled to the specified level is essential for lubricating the bearings as well as protecting the gears in the differential.  The bearings on the front wheels of rear wheel drive cars and the rear bearings on front wheel drive car use grease for lubrication.  As indicated above, these wheel bearings should be repacked with grease once a year or every 10,000 to 12,000 miles, whichever comes first.  You can have a mechanic do it for $100-200 but if you have the right tools and same basic do-it-yourself mechanic skills you can probably do it yourself.

How to repack wheel bearings.  If you choose to repack the wheel bearings yourself I am sure you can find some good Youtube videos to guide you.  But here are some basic instructions to get you started.  First, here are the tools and supplies you will need:  a jack, chocks for the wheels, a pair of Channel-lock style pliers, a pair of diagonal pliers, a long punch, a ball-peen hammer, a new cotter pin of the right size, and a can of waterproof grease.  Once you have assembled your tools and supplies, put the vehicle in park, chock the wheel(s) on one side of the vehicle, release the parking brake, then jack up the wheel on the other side.  Remove any decorative hub caps.  Then remove the lug nuts or lug bolts and remove the wheel and tire.  I use the back side of my pliers to tap the dust cap off the center of the hub.  Then remove the cotter pin from the large castle nut on the end of the axle.  To do this straighten the flat ends and pull it out using the loop on the other end.  Diagonal plies are a good way to get a grip on the cotter pin to pull it out.  It is recommend that you always replace the cotter pin with a new one when you put things back together.  Remove the castle nut using Channel-lock style pliers and the washer/spacer behind it.  The washer has a tab on it that slides in a slot on the axle.  I put the nut and the washer inside the dust cap to help keep them clean and keep track of them.  Grab the hub and alternately pull on each side so as to wobble it back and forth.  This will cause the outer wheel bearing to pop out so you can remove it.  Then pull the hub off the axle.  To repack the inner wheel bearing you will have to remove it from the hub.  Lay the hub down with the outside up, the use a punch and hammer to tap out the inner wheel bearing.    Once you have both bearings out, clean them thoroughly with solvent and then let them dry thoroughly.  You can buy a tool to press grease into the wheel bearings but, as I was taught by my father, who was a professional mechanic, you can do it by hand.  Put a big glob of grease in your off-hand (left hand if you are right handed).  Then pick up a clean bearing with your dominant hand and hold it with the biggest side down.  Holding one side of the bearing press the other side down into the glob of grease repeatedly until grease pushes up between the rollers of the bearing.  Then rotate the bearing to a new spot and repeat until you have grease pushing up between ALL of the rollers.  Once you have pack both bearings you are ready to reassemble the hub.  Lay the hub down with the outside down.  Place the inner bearing into the back side of the hub (which is now on top).  The bearing goes with the tapered end toward the inside of the hub and the wider side out.  Then put the retainer on the hub over the bearing and gently tap it into place, making sure it is all the way in all the way around.  Clean the axle and slide the hub into place.  Then insert the outer wheel bearing into the hub.  Once again the tapered end goes in first.  Next comes the washer.  Be sure the tab on the inside fits into the slot on the axle.  Then install the castle nut.  Tighten it using the Channel-lock style pliers until it is firmly in place, then back it out about a half a turn to release excess pressure on the bearing.  You don't want that nut to be too tight or too loose!  Align on of the slots in the castle nut with the hole in the axle and install the cotter pin.  Bend the flat ends back toward the axle to keep the cotter pin from coming out.  Then tape the dust cap back on and reinstall the wheel.  Then you are ready to do the next wheel.

When you have the hub apart, inspect the hub and the bearings and replace any worn or damaged parts.  Most of the wear will usually show up on the bearings, but loose lug bolts/nuts can allow a wheel to damage the hub and the lug bolts.  Damaged lug bolts can be pressed or hammered out and replaced.  A damaged hub should be replaced.  I once encountered a badly damaged hub on a 50 year or trailer for which there were no modern replacements.  I was able to have a competent welder repair the hub and I replace all the lug bolts for near factory perfect repair.

It is a good time to inspect the brakes and make any needed repairs while you have the hub off.   The main things to look for are thin brake shoes or pads or damaged brake drums or rotors.   Think brake shoes or pads should be pretty obvious.  New ones have 1/4-3/8" of lining on the shoes or pads.  If there is less than 1/8" of lining you should definitely replace then while you have things apart.  Check the brake drums for ridges or a deep lip.  Check rotors for ridges, warping, or discoloration that is a sign of over heating.   Badly worn drums or rotor might be able to be turned at a machine shop to restore the braking surface.  If there isn't enough material left in the drum or rotor for it to be turned it will have to be replaced.  Inspect all the brake hardware and replace anything that is damaged, including weakened springs.

Regular maintenance of wheels and hubs will avoid premature wear that can result in extensive and expensive repairs.

Keep rolling, rolling, rolling!

 

Trailer Wheels and Hubs

Trailer wheels and hubs are all too often taken for granted and fail to get the attention and preventive maintenance they need.  They are fairly simple and don't require a LOT of maintenance, but what they do require is essential to good performance and longevity.

One of the most frequent wheel failures is completely preventable:  loose lug bolts or nuts.  Lugs should be checked before every trip to make sure they are tight.  Vibration from normal operation can loosen them, and if they are not completely tight, the wheel will begin to slip, elongating the holes in the wheel and damaging the lug bolts and the hub.  The best way to make sure your lugs are tight is to test them with a torque wrench.  Not everyone has a torque wrench, especially when out on a trail or road somewhere far from home.  Making sure the lugs are as tight as you can get them with your hands using a lug wrench should usually be sufficient.  Do not use an extension on the lug wrench to multiply your strength as it an easily over-stress or even break the lug bolts.

The most common hub failures are wheel bearings.  Wheel bearing failure is often caused by dry (insufficiently lubricated) bearings.  Next in line is contaminated grease, usually dirt or water.  Contamination gets in when the seals are worn or damaged.  Water incursion sometimes occurs in boat trailer hubs from frequent immersion.   Over aggressive use of a pressure washer can force water into wheel bearings too.  Sometimes the only seal protecting the outside wheel bearings is the dust cap.  If that gets knocked crooked or off, dirt and water and easily get into the bearings.

Trailer hubs contain ball bearings that allow the wheels to turn with minimal resistance.  These bearings need to grease for them to operate smoothly and properly.  If the grease runs out or gets contaminated (usually by dirt or water) the bearings will wear out faster and the friction could generate enough heat to cause a fire.  If you have an owner's manual for your trailer you should follow the specifications given there for how often to re-pack the wheel bearings.  Lacking an owner's manual, you  should re-pack the wheel bearings on a regular schedule based on either mileage or passage of time.  A general mileage guideline for trailers in normal use is to repack the wheel bearings every 10,000 - 12,000 miles.  Since trailers don't have an odometer like motor vehicles do you may have to estimate mileage based on how long and how many trips you take.  Even if you don't reach the 10,000 - 12,000s it is a good practice to repack the wheel bearings at least once every year.  I usually do mine as part of my spring pre-season preparations.  You can usually have a mechanic repack trailer wheel bearings for $100-200 but it is a pretty simple task to do yourself if you have the right tools and some basic mechanic skills.

You may need to repack bearings more frequently if your trailer is exposed to heavy use or is used a lot in dusty or wet (like a boat trailer) conditions.

 If your trailer hubs get excessively hot when towing or you hear any noise or feel any roughness when you spin the wheels your bearings will most likely need to be replaced.  If they spin freely and quietly repacking them should be enough to keep them working fine for another season.

How to repack trailer wheel bearings.  If you choose to repack the wheel bearings yourself I am sure you can find some good Youtube videos to guide you.  But here are some basic instructions to get you started.  First, here are the tools and supplies you will need:  a jack, chocks for the wheels, a pair of Channel-lock style pliers, a pair of diagonal pliers, a long punch, a ball-peen hammer, a new cotter pin of the right size, and a can of waterproof grease.  Once you have assembled your tools and supplies, chock the wheel(s) on one side of the trailer, then jack up the wheel(s) on the other side.  Remove any decorative hub caps.  Then remove the lug nuts or lug bolts and remove the wheel and tire.  I use the back side of my pliers to tap the dust cap off the center of the hub.  Then remove the cotter pin from the large castle nut on the end of the axle.  To do this straighten the flat ends and pull it out using the loop on the other end.  Diagonal plies are a good way to get a grip on the cotter pin to pull it out.  It is recommend that you always replace the cotter pin with a new one when you put things back together.  Remove the castle nut using Channel-lock style pliers and the washer/spacer behind it.  The washer has a tab on it that slides in a slot on the axle.  I put the nut and the washer inside the dust cap to help keep them clean and keep track of them.  Grab the hub and alternately pull on each side so as to wobble it back and forth.  This will cause the outer wheel bearing to pop out so you can remove it.  Then pull the hub off the axle.  To repack the inner wheel bearing you will have to remove it from the hub.  Lay the hub down with the outside up, the use a punch and hammer to tap out the inner wheel bearing.    Once you have both bearings out, clean them thoroughly with solvent and then let them dry thoroughly.  You can buy a tool to press grease into the wheel bearings but, as I was taught by my father, who was a professional mechanic, you can do it by hand.  Put a big glob of grease in your off-hand (left hand if you are right handed).  Then pick up a clean bearing with your dominant hand and hold it with the biggest side down.  Holding one side of the bearing press the other side down into the glob of grease repeatedly until grease pushes up between the rollers of the bearing.  Then rotate the bearing to a new spot and repeat until you have grease pushing up between ALL of the rollers.  Once you have pack both bearings you are ready to reassemble the hub.  Lay the hub down with the outside down.  Place the inner bearing into the back side of the hub (which is now on top).  The bearing goes with the tapered end toward the inside of the hub and the wider side out.  Then put the retainer on the hub over the bearing and gently tap it into place, making sure it is all the way in all the way around.  Clean the axle and slide the hub into place.  Then insert the outer wheel bearing into the hub.  Once again the tapered end goes in first.  Next comes the washer.  Be sure the tab on the inside fits into the slot on the axle.  Then install the castle nut.  Tighten it using the Channel-lock style pliers until it is firmly in place, then back it out about a half a turn to release excess pressure on the bearing.  You don't want that nut to be too tight or too loose!  Align on of the slots in the castle nut with the hole in the axle and install the cotter pin.  Bend the flat ends back toward the axle to keep the cotter pin from coming out.  Then tape the dust cap back on and reinstall the wheel.  Then you are ready to do the next wheel.

When you have the hub apart, inspect the hub and the bearings and replace any worn or damaged parts.  Most of the wear will usually show up on the bearings, but loose lug bolts/nuts can allow a wheel to damage the hub and the lug bolts.  Damaged lug bolts can be pressed or hammered out and replaced.  A damaged hub should be replaced.  I once encountered a badly damaged hub on a 50 year or trailer for which there were no modern replacements.  I was able to have a competent welder repair the hub and I replace all the lug bolts for near factory perfect repair.

If your trailer has brakes it is a good time to inspect the brakes and make any needed repairs while you have the hub off.   The main things to look for are thin brake shoes or damaged brake drums.   Think brake shoes should be pretty obvious.  New ones have 1/4-3/8" of lining on the shoes.  If there is less than 1/8" of lining you should definitely replace the shoes while you have things apart.  Check the brake drums for ridges or a deep lip.  Badly worn drums might be able to be turned at a machine shop to restore the braking surface.  If there isn't enough material left in the drum for it to be turned it will have to be replaced.  Inspect all the brake hardware, including the electromagnets that operate the brakes and all the wiring and connections.  

If you have an older trailer you might not be able to find matching replacement hubs for it if they get worn out.  Sometimes, if you are really lucky, you can find used hubs in a junk yard, but that is a kind of hit and miss situation.  When I ran into that problem I was able to find a welder who repaired the damaged hub and restored it to a nearly like-new condition.  The alternative was replacing not only the damaged hub but both hubs and the axle, at huge expense!  If you have to have hubs repaired make sure the studs fit tightly afterwards or have the welding tack-weld them in place so they don't fall out when you take the wheel off.

Some trailers are equipped with Bearing Buddies.  These have grease fittings that allow you to grease at least the outer bearing without taking them apart using a grease gun.  This a good way to add a little grease between repacking the wheel bearings to maintain performance and longevity.  Axles that were designed with Bearing Buddy type grease fittings might even grease the inner wheel bearings, but many Bearing Buddies are after-market installations and the only way for grease to get to the inside bearings along the axle, which is not very efficient.  For best results, follow normal schedules for repacking wheel bearings even if you have Bearing Buddies.

With regular maintenance your trailer wheels and hubs should last a long time.  The time and effort or cost to keep them up to speed (pun intended!) is well worth the investment.  Failing to do so an result in much more extensive and expensive repairs!

Bear with it!

Is Disposable Kitchenware OK for Camping and Boating?

Disposable kitchenware (paper, styrofoam, and plastic plates, cups, bowls and utensils) can add a lot of convenience when camping or boating.  They are light weight and do not require washing, which are both very helpful advantages during an outing.  They save time and reduce the use of water and filling of holding tanks.  About the only downside to them is that they are not reusable, which means we are buying them just to use them once and throw them away.  Then throwing them away creates its own problems as they can quickly add up to a lots of trash to manage.  The bottom line is balancing cost and convenience versus time and resource management.  Hard core environmentalists sometimes campaign against using disposable products at all.   I too value the environment, but I also value my time and would rather spend it in enjoyable activities instead of washing dishes and wasting water.  Conserving water is almost always a priority when camping.  By the time you count the cost of soap and water, contribution to sewage, and its impact on the environment, disposable items might even actually come out on top!  Permanent, heavy items can be washed and reused, but they add weight to what YOU have to carry and can contribute to reduced vehicle mileage over time.  By the time you take the amount of soap and water it takes to clean them over and over again, the cost and environmental impact adds up even more.  In my opinion, disposable items are the better choice for camping and other outdoor activities.  The cost is minimal as is the environmental impact, and the convenience and savings in time is well worth it. 

Some plastic kitchenware may actually be reusable.  It still has the benefits of being light weight and fairly impervious to shock damage like china or porcelain dishes.  However, most light weight plastic stuff is designed to be disposable and may actually be cheaper to replace than it is to clean it, especially if you count the value of your time.

Paper plates, cups, and bowls can almost always be easily disposed of in your campfire, reducing the amount of trash you have to corral and haul home.  Avoid leaving too much food on them or you may generate unpleasant smoke and odors from the fire, depending on the content left.  You should also avoid burning them when the wind kicks up as being light weight burning fragments are easily caught by the breeze and launched off into possibly combustible material around or even some distance from your fire.

Some people prefer not to burn plastic or even styrofoam items as they can generate toxic fumes.  That being said, you will still see lots of people regularly tossing them into the fire.  As far as I have been able to determine, burning small amounts at a time should not be a problem unless perhaps you are standing directly in the path of the poisoned smoke and actively inhaling the fumes, which most of us will surely avoid anyway.  I avoid burning large quantities at one time -- better to get rid of them as you use them instead of hoarding a whole bag to burn all at once, which might increase the toxic fumes.

Disposable kitchenware is handy, is easy to store, easy to set up, and pretty easy to dispose of.  All of that adds up to time savings at mealtimes in camp.  Time saved doing repetitive, tedious tasks gives us more time to enjoy the activities we go on our outdoor outings for in the first place.  The modest cost of disposable items usually is a small price to pay for the added convenience and reduced cleanup time and effort.  Not having to wash them saves fresh water and reduces filling holding tanks, both of which extend resources for longer trips and are more environmentally friendly.

Paper plates come in a variety of thicknesses.   Heavy duty plates can handle just about anything your regular dinnerware can handle but thin plates might need a little help.  Thin plates might be better thought of as "plate liners" as all too often they are not adequate by themselves.  A few years ago I picked up some plastic paper plate holders that are perfect for holding the thinnest, cheapest paper plates, making them both cost effective and convenient.  They even have a tapered lip built into the bottom where you can slide the top of a soda or beer can and use the can as a handle on the plate, allowing you to hold your drink and plate easily in one hand.  Using thin plates without a holder is good way to end up with your lunch in your lap or on the ground.  Frisbees are often about the right size to support a paper plate and are fun to play with between meals.  Commercial paper plate holders are typically available in wicker and plastic.  You can usually find them at Walmart and on Amazon.com.  Sometimes you can even get them at Dollar Tree.  I found mine on a closeout at Big Lots several years ago and am oh so glad I stocked up on them at the time!

There may be special occasions when you want or even need to use more sturdy plates etc.   Cutting steak or other fairly heavy meats on paper plates can be difficult and even dangerous.  Any knife sharp enough to cut through the meat is surely sharp enough to cut through the paper plate and then into your flesh!  Sometimes you may have a special occasion to celebrate when you want things to be a little fancier.  Just be prepared to invest extra time in cleaning and washing the dishes and putting them away after you special meal.  You might find disposable items that are suitable for celebrations.  There are a variety of fancy plastic cups and glasses, even nice looking wine and champagne glasses.  Typical plastic cutlery is light weight and cheap looking but with a little looking around you can find heavy duty clear plastic or even shiny silver plastic cutlery that has a nice look and feel but can still be disposed of instead of needing to be washed.  If you still want to use disposable plates look for plastic plates or check out some of the fancier and heavier paper plates and bowls under the Chinette brand.  One of their ads claims their "heavy duty paper plates are strong enough for seconds and thirds. Bring on the sauces, the steak knives, the finger foods, and the apple pie!"  Yet, when you are done they can still go into the campfire.  You may have seen the Dixie ads where someone dumps a whole plate full of spaghetti or other messy food in another person's lap using a flimsy paper plate.  Dramatic and choreogrpahed as that might be, it is not unrealistic.  I have seen it happen too many times in camp and while it may be amusing to watch it is never fun or pretty for those involved.

Of course, ‘Pack it in, pack it out’ is one of the original tenets of back country travel and clearly one we should always honor as outdoor enthusiasts where ever we may go.  Whether you are in a developed campground, dispersed camping site, back packing, or out in your boat, you always need to control your trash to prevent damaging or contaminating the environment.  Leaving stuff lying around or letting it blow away makes a mess for the next visitor -- and that next visitor could be you!  Trash tends to beget trash.  If you fail to pickup something that blew away, it is more likely that subsequent visitors will be less careful also and the trash will build and build.  It only takes a few seconds, minutes at most, to clean up around your camp site.  Our Desert Rat off road motorcycle group always organized a quick policing of our camp site and the area around it.  We often did fire pit maintenance too, one time using a magnet to drag more than 10 lbs of rusty nails out of one fire pit!  Sure glad we didn't run any of our vehicles through there before the cleaning!

The Bottom Line:  Yes, disposable kitchenware is suitable for camping and boating, as long as you dispose of it properly.   It can save time and reduce water usage  It is also usually lighter to carry around than regular dinnerware.  Used appropriately is shouldn't have any more impact on the environment -- perhaps less -- than ordinary kitchenware.

Keep it clean and easy!

COVID and Camping -- Summer 2022

In most places most COVID restrictions have been lifted by now letting us get back closer to what was once normal.  Here in Oregon masks are still required in health care environments, including pharmacies as well as hospitals, clinics, doctor and dentist offices but not for other locations.  However, as new COVID cases increase there is currently talk of reinstating mask requirements indoors.  Fortunately that hasn't happened yet (mid-July) but it if the number of cases picks up again, we could see more restrictions.  I have been somewhat annoyed to see people without masks stand with a sign right at eye level telling them masks are required in that facility while all the workers and most of the people in line with them are properly wearing masks.  Yes, I know, the masks are a nuisance and inconvenience, but everyone really should make an effort to comply with posted regulations.  Think about it:  where are you most likely to encounter people with illnesses, including COVID?  Of course the answer is in health care settings!

Masks are no longer required for most outdoor activities.   That is excellent news for campers and boaters!  For the most part we can once again enjoy our outdoor recreational activities without restrictions on the number of people in our group or having to wear face masks.  I recall a while back when there were numerical restrictions on the size of gatherings I heard an amusing story.  Since normal gatherings were limited to 10 people but the limit for funerals was 30, one creative guy listed his Thanksgiving feast as a funeral for his pet turkey, allowing him to invite more than 10 people!  O admired his creativity!

With restrictions being eased, the number of COVID cases is peaking again in many areas.  If we want to reduce the chances of getting COVID, we still need to be on guard.  Avoid contact with anyone who has or is suspected to have COVID.  Maintain social distancing, even in out door situations.  Wearing an ordinary mask helps prevent you from giving COVID to someone else if you happen to have it.  Wearing a KN95 mask actually provides you some protection as well.  Even before COVID we wore KN95 masks as EMRs in our volunteer fire department when responding to medical calls where we could be exposed to any number of airborne or bloodborn infections.

If you believe you have COVID you should still quarantine yourself until you are safe to be around.  Initial quarantine for travelers was 14 days after returning from out of country or out of state but more recently it was lowered to 3 days.  Home COVID tests provided by the government let you find out right away if those unpleasant flu-like symptoms you might be having are actually COVID. If you have COVID symtpoms, stay away from other people!  You would not want to responsible for giving COVID to any of your family or friends.

COVID vaccines are working to reduce the number of deaths and hospitalizations from COVID.    The COVID vaccine may not completely guarantee you won't get COVID, but it is still a good idea to get it.  I know of a number of people who were fully vaccinated and had the booster shot and still got COVID.  However, their cases were much less onerous than unvaccinated victims.  They did not require hospitalization and recovered quickly.  I realize there are people who object the the vaccinations for legitimate religious or personal reasons.  However, I strongly urge everyone who can to get vaccinated to help reduce the chances of getting infected, to minimize the affects if you do get it, and to help reduce the overall spread of the disease.

The Bottom Line:  we should be able to go camping, boating, off-roading, and enjoy most of our favorite outdoor activities without wearing masks, at least for the time being, which is a very good thing!

Camp COVID Free!

Sleeping Pads and Mattresses for RVing, Camping, and Boating

If you go RVing, camping, or boating for more than a few hours at a time you are going to need a good place to sleep.  A comfortable bed sometimes seems like a luxury but actually it is absolutely essential.  Sure, you can push things and skip a few hours of rest now and then, but sooner or later it will catch up with you.  If you want to enjoy your outings to the fullest, figure out how to get a good night's sleep every night you are out.  And that means having a good bed!

Getting a good night's sleep when you are away from home can be challenging.  It isn't unusual to experience difficult sleeping away from home even if you are in an expensive, comfortable resort hotel with excellent beds.  The problems are greatly magnified the more different your environment is from what you are used to at home.   Sleeping in your RV, tent, or boat is going to take some getting used to and perhaps some adjustments.  Obviously the bed will be different, sometimes VERY different but there a a lot of little things like lights, sounds, and smells that might interfere with sleeping, things we normally don't even notice or think about at home.  Rain and wind on a tent or even the roof of an RV or boat cabin will be much louder and disconcerting than it is at home.  Tents flap and RVs and boats rock in the wind, something most of our homes never do.  Even strong, mature folks may find themselves cowering like they did as kids when the thunder and lightning booms and flashes.

One very common problem of sleeping in an RV, a tent, or a boat is that the bed isn't always as comfortable as the one you have at home.  It makes more sense to invest a lot of money in a good bed at home.  After all, we use it every day and spend about 1/3 of our lives in it!  We are often reluctant to spend the money to make the beds in our recreational activities as comfortable since they aren't used as often.  Limited space together with weight limitations may also restrict our choices.  As a result, we often pay the price in terms of aches and pains and fatigue that negatively impacts the activities we have so been looking forward to enjoying.

What you are sleeping on most likely has the biggest impact on how well you will sleep.  True, there are other factors such as strange noises or smells and different temperatures, but for sure you aren't going to sleep very well if your sleeping bag is right on a rough patch of ground with twigs and rocks that poke you all night or your mattress is too hard or too soft.  RV and boat mattresses are all too often designed more to conserve weight than to be good for sleeping on.  The beds in RVs and boats are often too hard (not enough padding) or too soft (too much or the wrong kind of padding).  Either way, you are not going to sleep well.  Fortunately, RV and boat mattresses can be upgraded.  Sometimes all it takes is a good mattress topper to make one of these beds more comfortable.  We typically use a 3" memory foam mattress toppers in our RVs and boats.  These tend to compensate for mattresses that are either too thin, too hard, or too soft.  Most modern memory foam products provide pretty good ventilation so they don't cause the "too warm" problems often associated with older foam mattresses.  The upgrade is well worth the investment to get a good night's sleep on outings.

For tent camping many people use sleeping pads.   Most sleeping pads are 1/2"or less thick and made of a fairly dense foam that protects against sharp debris and provides some padding beneath you.  Sleeping pads are never going to give you the same level of comfort and support you get from a thick mattress at home but they can go along way toward mitigating the problems of being on cold ground or lying on top of rough stuff.  They should be thick enough and sturdy enough to protect you from cold rough ground but light enough to be easily carried to and from your camp site.  Backpackers sometimes opt for a short pad that only reaches from shoulders to hips but longer pads will do a better job of keeping your sleeping bag (and you) up off the cold, rough ground.  If one pad isn't enough to be comfortable for you, try using two.  Air mattresses are another popular option for tent campers.  As long as you don't have a leak in the mattress they can provide several inches of comfortable support and they are adjustable.  You can add or extract air to make them harder or softer to suit your needs.  They are light weight and when deflated take a very little room for so they are good for hiking and back packing.  Most air mattresses can be fairly easily inflated simply by blowing air into them.  Manual and battery powered pumps are available if your lungs aren't up to the task.  There are even some self-inflating mattresses that expand and draw air in when they are unrolled.

The beds in RVs and boats may or may not be the same size and shape as residential mattresses.   If they are you can usually use standard sheets and blankets.  If they are not, you may have to make temporary or permanent adjustments to get your bedding to fit.  Temporary adjustments can usually be made by tucking excess material under the mattress.  Permanent changes require cutting and sewing the bedding to fit the specific mattress shape and size.  RVs sometimes have corners cut off beds to facilitate movement around the RV.  Queen and King RV beds are usually a little smaller than their residential counterparts.  Boats often have a primary bed in the bow called a V-berth.  The V-berth in our 25' sailboat is a bit wider than a queen bed at the head and only 9" wide at the foot.  Sometimes you can buy commercially made replacement mattresses to fit RVs and boats.  If you can't find one that fits you can make or have one made of foam to fit exactly.  Be sure to try out various thicknesses and densities of foam to make sure you get one that meets your personal needs.   If is too thin it won't be comfortable; if it is too thick it may take up too much room in your RV or boat.  If it is too soft it will collapse and you will end up sleeping on the hard platform beneath it.  If it s too hard, it will not let you get comfortable.  Either way, you are not going to get a good night's sleep.

Cots are a way of making sleeping in a tent a little closer to sleeping at home.  They get you up off the ground and that often makes it easier to get in and out of bed as well as keeping you off the twigs and rocks under your tent floor and off the cold ground.  That can be especially helpful for older people or people with physical disabilities that inhibit movement.  Most camp cots are made of canvas and that together with the flexing of the frame provides a little bit of springiness, but nothing close to your box springs at home.  A good sleeping pad or air mattress is will still usually be needed for comfort and the best rest.  If you have room to transport them you can even buy "real" mattresses to fit cots.

Modern memory foam mattress toppers can be a boon for many situations.  They work especially well in RVs and boats but you might use them to good advantage when tent camping if you have enough room to cart them around.  They come in various firmnesses and thicknesses so be sure to find one that meets your needs.  Thinner pads will be lighter and easier to carry while thicker ones will be more comfortable.

Careful choice of sleeping pads or mattresses can ensure you get the best sleep possible in camp or on your boat.   The closer you can match your bed -- and in fact all your sleeping conditions -- to the environment you enjoy at home, the more comfortable you will be and the better you will sleep.

Don't just lay there!

Sunglasses for RVing, OHVing, Camping, and Boating

When we think of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), what usually comes to mind is OHV body armor or even something like firefighter turn out gear.  However, even something as common as ordinary sunglasses can be considered PPE but are often ignored.

Sunglasses are nearly essential for just about any outdoor recreational activities.    We see a lot of sources promoting the use of sunscreen to protect our skin against cancer-causing UV light.  Our eyes are also subject to UV light and are worth protecting.   Good sunglasses are more than just a fashion accessory or comfort.  They are essential for protecting our eyes against damaging UV radiation. which in addition to being uncomfortable can cause permanent damage to our eyes.  Sunglasses can be especially useful when we are around water -- on our boats or near the ocean or a lake.  

NOTE:  sunglasses are NOT an adequate substitute for safety glasses or goggles when you need to protect your eyes from flying debris.  Sturdy sunglasses can provide some protection against flying debris like wood chips from chopping wood or sparks kicked out by a popping campfire.  They are not an adequate substitute for safety goggles, but can provide some protection.  You should still wear real safety glasses or goggles when performing any task that might generate flying debris or when riding in or on OHVs.  While sunglasses might block some things flying directly into your eyes, they lack the strength and wrap-around protection provided by safety glasses.  The primary use of sunglasses to to reduce the glare and discomfort and improve vision in bright sunlight along with protecting from UV radiation.  To many people they are also a fashion statement.

You've probably seen OHV riders wearing sunglasses instead of goggles.  Not a good idea!  You really need the extra protection of googles when riding in an open OHV.  Sunglasses provide some but not enough protection.  Sunglasses might be OK if you are in a side-by-side with a windshield, but you should always wear goggles riding a dirt bike or ATV.  I always wear goggles even in a side-by-side.  If you need dark lenses, opt for shaded or light sensitive lenses for you goggles.  Or get goggles that will fit over your sunglasses, which is also a good option for folks who wear prescription glasses.  You always want to be able to clearly see where you are going!

Polarized sunglasses have lenses that filter out reflections from horizontal surfaces such as bodies of water, paved roads, and even the hood of your vehicle.  If you are driving on icy roads you might want to see those reflections so then you might want to wear non-polarized lenses.  Polarized lenses also affect how well you can see LCD screens making it difficult or impossible to read some phone and computer screens with them on.

Sunglass lenses are available in various colors.  Lens color is more than a fashion statement.  Green lenses  provide better contrast than gray lenses and transmit color accuracy better than brown lenses. Ideal for both sunny and low-light environments, green lenses have a way of reducing glare while brightening shadows. Blue and yellow both tend to distort color perception even though yellow can help sharpen images, hence their use by hunters and shooters.  Reflective silver lenses look cool but it is the base color underneath that will affect how you see.

Sunglasses do wear out.  Some signs of wear, such as scratches, damaged ear pieces, or missing nose pads are obvious but even the polarization as well as the tint will fade over time.  On average, sunglasses should be replaced about every two years, more frequently if wear them daily in a high UV environment.

Cost.  Sunglasses can cost as little as $1.25 (at Dollar Tree) and you can spend well over $200 for high end designer glasses.  Are the expensive sunglasses really worth the extra cost?  That is a very subjective question, one that only you can answer for your own situation.  If, like me, you have a tendency to lose to break your sunglasses often, less expensive ones will lessen the financial as well if not the emotional impact of frequent loss.  More expensive sunglasses are usually made of better materials and may provide a better fit and may have more features.  Generally speaking, the lower the cost of your lenses, the fewer features you have available.  Personally, I like to have several pairs of sunglasses in different places so they are always convenient when I need them.  I keep some on my dresser, in my car and truck, in my motorhome, in my boat, and in my motorcycle trailer.  Stocking all those places with designer glasses would cost me a fortune so I tend toward the less expensive glasses that I can also replace cheaply as often as needed.  I wear them when driving, when doing yard work, and when just relaxing outdoors.  I have recently started seeing ads on TV decrying the high cost of designer sunglasses.  One begins by saying it is ironic that the most expensive part of what you are wearing is also the most fragile, at which point he removes his companions designer sunglasses and easily snaps them in half!  But even their ''affordable'''sunglasses are more than $50 a pair! Guess it beats $200 a pair!

Prescription sunglasses.  If you normally wear eye glasses you might want to consider getting prescription sunglasses for outdoor use.  There are a couple of alternatives.  One is to opt for light darkening lenses on your regular prescription glasses.  The lenses will darken in just a few seconds when exposed to bright sunlight, making them pretty good for driving.  But they are slow to lighten again when you go inside, which can be a problem if you drive into a long tunnel where you need more light.  Clip-on or flip-up sunglasses can be worn over prescription glasses.  If they contact the lenses they can scratch or rub them so always be careful putting them on and off and make sure they don't press against the prescription lens.  Sometimes, if your prescription hasn't changed too much, you can have your old prescription glasses tinted to use as sunglasses when you get new glasses.

Sunglasses usually don't fog up because we usually aren't using them in the cold, damp environments that contribute to fogging (skiing might be an exception).  If, for any reason,  you encounter fogging you might protect them with anti-fog compounds used for off-road goggles.  One of the most effective and most popular is a brand named Cat Crap.  As unappealing as the name may be, the stuff really does work.  There are also a number of anti-fog sprays and anti-fog wipes that will help keep your lenses clear but I'm told it only lasts about half an hour.  Rubbing alcohol is also said to work.  Also detergents.  Anti-fog preparations work by changing the surface tension so water vapor doesn't condense on the lens.

Cleaning sunglasses.  Like all lenses, sunglasses should never be rubbed dry.  Your best bet is to wet the each lens, add a drop of liquid soap, clean the lens, rinse it, and dry it with a soft, clean cloth.  Paper towels are usually too coarse to safely clean lenses.  Facial tissue often contains lotions that can leave deposits that fog or streak.  Even some toilet tissue is coarse enough to scratch lenses or has lotions that leave streaks.  The safest thing to use is a lens cleaning cloth designed for that purpose.  Lots of people use handkerchiefs or shirt tails but they are too coarse and over time they will scratch and dull lenses.

Sometimes you can clear scratches from sunglasses to improve clarity, but often they are probably already nearing the end of their useful life by the time they get enough scratches to become cloudy.  I have used a 3-part plastic polish successfully on googles and motorcycle face shields but have not tried them on sunglasses.  The 3-part system uses progressively finer grits for removing scratches then polishing the lenses.  Sometimes the optical departments at places like Walmart offer lens cleaning services that might be worth trying.  However, the cost might be higher than replacing cheap sunglasses.

I can see clearly now!

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!