Why would consistency be important for RVing, OHVing, or camping? Isn't doing the same thing over and over kind of boring? Perhaps...but there is also a value and joy to sharing familiar activities. We camped in the same handful of staging areas and rode the same trails in the Mojave Desert for 30 years and it NEVER got boring. Over time it was fun to breeze through a pretty technical section of the trail and remember how difficult it first seemed. It also gives you a chance to become familiar enough with the area to be able to comfortably negotiate your own rides without a guide. Before long, you may find that YOU are the experienced expert! I once found myself out with a some of our regular Desert Rat riding group when we encountered some newbies looking for directions. As we discussed trails and options I was quite surprised to discover that I was the the most experienced rider in our group! I still thought of myself as one of the new kids, but in reality I'd been riding the area for somewhere around 20 years and knew it better than I thought I did -- and better than any of my companions, who'd only been in the group a few years. Consistency in where you go gives you a level of familiarity and comfort that can keep the stress levels down. After all, we go camping for fun!
Where consistency REALLY makes a difference is in routines that ensure comfortable camping and safety. Consistency in preparing and maintaining your rig, your ride and/or your gear makes sure everything you need makes it on the trip and is in good condition and ready to use when you get there. Consistency in storing things in your RV or your camping storage bins pays great dividends when you need to find something in a hurry. In fact, consistency probably takes precedence over logic when things have been in a certain place for some time. Hopefully there was some logic for how your organize your gear and supplies in the first place and re-organizing things from time to time is not necessarily a bad thing to do, but you'll need to give yourself some clues to help you remember where you've moved things to. Having them "where they've always been" might override "having them where they should be" when it comes to finding them the next time you need them. Of course, if you really want the best of both worlds, start off with things where they should be and then make sure they stay there. "A place for everything and everything in its place" is more than an just an over-quoted platitude and does not necessarily signify obsessive-compulsive disorder. It is a very good rule for any kind of camping activities. If you have things in illogical places, it is certainly OK to move them to better locations. Just keep track of what you moved and where you put it and be SURE it is a more logical place so you can find stuff when you need it. And when you're done with something, ALWAYS put it back where it belongs.
Establishing consistent routines for pre-trip preparation, setting up camp, breaking camp, and post-trip cleanup is essential to keeping your equipment in top shape and ensuring the success of your outings. I find pre-trip checklists especially helpful to make sure nothing gets left behind or goes undone. Some folks find checklists useful for setting up and breaking camp too but having developed a procedure I use consistently, I haven't felt the need for a setup checklist. If you've ever driven off with the step down or an awning extended you might benefit from a departure checklist. It doesn't have to be elaborate. Just a few crucial items on a 3x5 card on your visor will do the trick. Some things to always check before any departure, in addition to steps and awnings, is to make sure the refrigerator doors are secured, leveling jacks and/or blocks are retracted or stowed, and tires are all properly inflated. Check to see that all exterior doors, cabinets as well as access doors, are securely latched and your awnings are properly rolled and locked. If you're towing a trailer, make sure the hitch, safety chains, and electrical connections are secure. Checklists aren't just for sissies. Airline pilots and astronauts use them regularly and religiously and they're about as macho as it gets!
My family has accused me of being OCD over putting my tools away. But I've found it simplifies things if I keep my tools properly stored between uses. That way they don't get lost or stolen and I can find them the next time I need them. Same thing with riding gear. It may seem like it takes more time put things away correctly, but ultimately it is time well invested when it comes times to use them again. I have organized the riding gear in our enclosed motorcycle trailer with all of my gear on one side and my wife's gear on the other side, grouping various items in the same logical order on each side so it is easy to find -- jerseys hung together; pants hung together; jackets hung together; helmets always in the same place (I also store gloves and goggles inside the helmets so I can find them quickly).
Consistency among family members may be harder to achieve but is still a valuable practice. If everyone stores their personal belongings in a similar way it will be easier for everyone to keep track of their stuff and everyone can help each other out. Each person should at least be consistent in how they pack and store their personal gear from trip to trip. The idea of "a place for everything and everything in its place" will save a lot of headaches, frustration, and lost time. Consistency in what gear and alternate clothing you bring along will ensure being comfortable if you get hit by bad weather or damage some of your clothing. Being able to change your shirt or your jeans as needed without having to change your entire outfit is handy.
Be consistent!
Information on recreational vehicles (RVs) and Off Highway Vehicles (OHVs), Camping, Sailing, and Survival
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Search and Rescue
Hopefully we will all follow the rules of common sense and good camping practices and avoid search and rescue missions for anyone in our camping groups. However, even with the best preparations and precautions, people sometimes get separated from their groups and have to be found. How can you keep from getting lost in the first place? What should YOU do if you are the one who is lost? What should you do to find someone who is lost?
Professional Search and Rescue Teams have extensive training and often have access to equipment unavailable to most of us (like helicopters and wide-area radio communications). Many times these teams consist of volunteers associated with the local sheriff's office. These are dedicated people who invest a significant amount of their own time and money to get the training and equipment to be able to be part of a Search and Rescue unit. When I looked into it, I discovered required personal equipment would cost about $4,000, not counting vehicles or animals. Search and Rescue teams often have access to various 4WD and OHV vehicles to facilitate their functions. Jeeps, ATVs, and UTVs are often equipped with 2-way radios and stretchers or other equipment for transporting injured parties.
Don't get lost in the first place. Following proper riding or hiking practices goes a long way toward not getting lost. Remember too that YOU are responsible for the person behind you when on the trail. Every time you turn onto a new trail you must make sure the person behind you makes the turn. Always keep an eye on the person in front of you so you know where they're going. And always keep track of where you've been and which way it is back to camp. If you're leading a group or just have family members to keep track of, stop now and then to make sure they know where they are and how to find their way back to camp from there. Try to keep up with the group. If, for any reason, you aren't able to keep up, let someone know so they have an opportunity to adjust the pace so you can keep up. Most people would rather move more slowly or plan regular rest periods than have to stop and go back to find someone who has fallen behind.
What if you do get lost or separated from your group? First of all, DON'T PANIC! Panicking is absolutely the worst possible thing you can do. When you realize you are not where you should be, STOP. Not only is that an essential initial action, it is a basic survival acronym for Stop, Think, Observe, and Plan. Stop as soon as you think you might be in trouble. If you keep moving you're likely to just be getting further and further from recognizable landmarks and potential rescuers and deeper in trouble. If you keep going you will just be getting further and further from where would be rescuers will be looking for you. Think about your situation. Think about what you know about where you are. Think about what you know about local landmarks. Think about what you need to do next. Are you in any immediate danger? If so, how can you protect yourself or get out of harm's way? Observe your surroundings. Is there any possible shelter nearby? Are there materials to make a shelter? Can you find firewood? Are there any open hilltops or tall trees nearby from which you might be able to locate your group or familiar landmarks? Are there sources of water and food? Plan your actions carefully. If you must move to avoid imminent danger, do so cautiously and carefully. Do not run! If you feel like running, hug a tree. If there are no trees around, wrap your arms around your body and hug yourself tightly. If you're on horseback, get off and hug your horse. OHVs are harder to hug but might suffice in an emergency. Of course if you have suitable companion, hug them! This will help you control the urge to run. Running will only get you more lost more quickly and quite possibly lead to injuries. A second common problem in an emergency situation is something called "negative panic". Instead of feeling like running, people sometimes freeze and are unable to do anything. If you find yourself in that situation, hugging therapy can also help you calm down and reconnect with reality and get you going. Examine your situation. Do you know the way back to camp? Or to a known destination? Can you backtrack to the last place you were with the group or certain of your location? If the answer to these questions is "no", then stay put! If you do KNOW (and not just THINK you know) the way back to camp or another known location, start making your way back methodically. Otherwise, continuing to move will just make it harder for anyone looking for you to find you. The only exception is you might want to climb a nearby tall tree or hill to see if you can get your bearings or locate the rest of your group. Make yourself easy to see. You don't want to stand out in the weather during any kind of storm nor do you want to bake in the hot sun, nor should you stand in the middle of a road or trail near a turn where you might be in harms way, but try to make yourself visible to potential searchers. If you have a whistle (and you should ALWAYS carry a whistle in remote activities), give three blasts on it every few minutes to aid searchers in locating you. If you don't have a whistle, bang two rocks together or pound on a hollow log. After dark, use a flashlight, light stick, or light a fire to assist searchers in finding you. A flashlight that automatically flashes SOS is a good option. Always signal in groups of three sounds or flashes at regular intervals. Such a pattern is unlikely in nature and is pretty universally recognized as a call for help. If you find yourself in bad or very hot weather, seek temporary shelter to protect yourself. In adverse weather conditions you could die of exposure in just a few hours. If you must move, try to maintain a view of the trail you were on so you can see and contact potential rescuers approaching before they pass you by.
Organizing a search party. If someone in your group is lost you will naturally want to go look for them. Running off without a plan is a really bad idea and may result in even more people getting lost or injured. You may have trouble controlling family members or friends of lost people who will be anxious to get going. Remain calm and let them know you know what you're doing and that they must all work together and follow a reasonable plan to ensure success. The LAST thing you need is end up with your search teams getting lost too! Make sure to send our searchers in groups of at least 2 or 3. Plan your search starting at last known location of the lost party. When sending out searchers, send them out with a specific scope of where and how long to search. Divide the search area according to the resources you have available. If you don't have enough people to cover all areas at once, prioritize the areas based on the most likely direction your lost companion would have gone. After completing the scope of one search area, teams should return to your base of operations to report and to be assigned another area to search. Agree upon a signal that will be used when you locate your quarry. Three whistles or three beeps of a horn or three shouts or gun shots are typical signals that can be used by lost persons to call for help and for search parties to alert each other when the find something. To avoid confusion you might want to use 5 as the number of signals that the party has been found. Limit each search by time as well as geographic area. Ensure that each search party has someone who knows the area well enough to prevent THEM from getting lost too. Typical search patterns include concentric circles or a grid based on the last known location of the lost party. Keeping an accurate record of which areas have been searched requires some effort but is critical in making sure you don't miss an area and don't waste time and resources checking the same places multiple times. Try to have at least one member of each team who is first aid trained in case your lost person is injured or someone in the search party gets injured.
Search and rescue gear. The kind of search and rescue gear you will need will depend on the terrain, climate, time of day, and type of activities you are involved in. For almost all search and rescue operations you will need whistles and flashlights. Two-way radios are very useful if you have them. Each search party should carry a first aid kit and have at least one person who is trained in first aid. Very often a person becomes separated from their group because of illness or injury -- or soon becomes sick or injured. Axes, hatchets, and machetes may be needed in thick brush. You may need additional equipment depending on the type of activities your lost party was involved in. For example, if they were on an ATV, UTV, or snowmobile you might need a tow rope to retrieve a stuck or disabled vehicle. Heavier vehicles like Jeeps and 4x4 trucks might also need a big jack or a winch to extricate a disabled vehicle -- or driver -- from unusual locations. You might need a stretcher or a "stokes" (rescue basket), or a backboard to move injured parties. Equestrian activities might require ropes or leads to catch and control escaped or frightened animals. Retrieving hikers or climbers in steep terrain will require ropes and possibly rappelling gear along with special ropes training. Attempting a rope rescue with proper knowledge of how to set things up and conduct the rescue safely will most likely end up in the rescuers needing to be rescued!
Professional search and rescue teams may be needed if you aren't able to locate your lost people within a reasonable amount of time. What is a reasonable amount of time? That depends on several factors, such as climate, weather, activities involved, and age and physical condition of the victims. Bad weather may hamper rescue operations but, ironically, may also require a faster response. Elderly or very young victims whose ability to take care of themselves in a survival situation adds urgency. Any known medical condition might accelerate the need for rapid recovery and professional help. Most search and rescue teams work through local law enforcement and many of them are volunteers who spend a considerable amount of their own time and money on special equipment and training. Part of the cost of a search and rescue operation might be passed on to you by the agency that operates the team. The advantage of these teams is, of course, their level of training and experience and the equipment they have available to support their operations. Usually they will be familiar with the area and will know the most likely places to find people as well as being able to quickly organize the most efficient searches. If someone is sick or injured, they usually have advanced medical training and good equipment and procedures for evacuation along with relationships with local emergency medical facilities to speed transport and treatment. If any victim may be sick or injured, is a high risk individual (due to age or medical condition), or weather conditions are life threatening, you should consider calling for help sooner rather than later. In these situations, time may be of the essence. Due to the remote locations of many our our RVing, OHVing, and camping destinations and the fact that it will take some time to call out, assemble, and transport the search and rescue team, you need to make that decision BEFORE it becomes urgent. Most search and rescue teams are not sitting around like a paid fire department waiting for an alarm to go off. Getting to someone in time may literally mean the difference between life and death. Getting the immediate aid of a sheriff's deputy or local ranger can expedite your own search and rescue efforts and they will be able to help you call in the formal search and rescue team when needed. Local experts will know what kinds of mistakes others have made and may have some thoughts that will assist you in finding your lost people as quickly as possible. Search and rescue teams often have many resources available to help them, including teams on foot, horseback, and ATVs, helicopters, and good radio communications. They usually have relationships with nearby emergency medical facilities to speed getting your victims appropriate care as quickly as possible. Most emergency services personnel would much rather respond to a false alarm and find the victim already safe than be called too late to do any good.
Modern technology can be a real boon to search and rescue missions. I was called out by our fire department about 2:00 AM one morning to help locate a missing person in the forest. Our county Search and Rescue team joined us and I was amazed that they were able to track the person's cell phone within about 100' of where they were to locate them. Interestingly enough, the GPS locator on the cell phone put them a long way away from where they told dispatch they thought they were!
An ounce of prevention is said to be worth a pound of cure. That is certainly good advice when it comes to search and rescue. Avoid the need for a search and rescue operation by making sure everyone in your group knows and follows the rules . Keep track of each other on the trail so if someone is injured or otherwise unable to stay with the group, it will be quickly discovered and you can find them before they become truly lost or left behind. Whenever you come to an intersection of a trail or leave a trail, each person is responsible to make sure the one behind them makes the turn, even if it means falling behind the rest of the group for a little while. Stop now and then to let everyone catch up and catch their breath -- and to test each person's perception of where they are and which way it is back to camp. Help them learn to identify local landmarks they can use of find their way.
Search on!
Firewood
The campfire is certainly one of the iconic features of camping. In days gone by campers would often collect firewood from around their campsites. This practice eventually consumed almost all such natural sources of firewood and in most places today, collecting firewood is impractical and mostly illegal. You will need to bring your own with you or purchase it at the camp store. Be sure to read the rules or check with the ranger before collecting any firewood around a campground. Illegal collecting can result in stiff fines. It is much cheaper to buy a bundle or two of firewood than pay the fines. Buying local firewood helps prevent the spread of some diseases that might infect wood brought from outside the area and saves you the hassle of transporting it.
Choosing firewood. A lot of people are rather indiscriminate about what they burn. This has led to regulations prohibiting the use of some types of scrap lumber in campfires. Pallets are popular for large bonfires but they leave behind huge amounts of screws and nails. I once dragged a burn site in a popular camping area in the Mojave desert with a magnet and in less than an hour picked up more than 10# of rusty nails! You DON'T want to be driving over a mess like that with your RV, car, tow vehicle, or OHV! Other scrap lumber problems involve painted and chemically treated lumber, including plywood, laminated beams, pressure treated lumber, and other items that include paint or adhesives. The non-organic materials give off toxic fumes that can cause illness or even death! Besides that, they smell bad and usually put off nasty smoke which won't endear you to your fellow campers or enhance the fragrance of your clothing. Using treated or painted lumber outdoors in a campfire isn't as much of a health hazard as it is using it in an indoor fireplace but the fumes can still be dangerous, even outdoors if you happen to be downwind and should breathe them. Better to avoid the problem by not burning painted or treated wood. Many places prohibit burning scrap wood with any kind of hardware attached (hinges, knobs, latches, nails, screws) because it contaminates the fire pits and fills them with junk that someone then has to dig out and haul away.
Sagebrush is common in semi-arid areas of the Western United States. It burns well even when green and makes excellent tinder for starting fires. It burns very quickly so if it is your sole fuel you'll need to add sticks frequently. Its aromatic smoke has a pleasant smell and has disinfectant properties so it makes a good fuel for "smoke showers" and killing bacteria on your skin and in clothing and other fabrics when in survival mode. You can also make tincture from sagebrush to be used as an antibacterial cleaning agent. A tincture is similar to a tea and made by boiling the silvery leaves.
Best firewood. The best firewood is whatever you can get conveniently at a reasonable price that is dry and well seasoned. Avoid green wood (any wood that hasn't been dried for at least a year after being cut). It will be hard to light and will give off lots of smoke. However, green wood is a good choice for daytime signal fires where you want to create a lot of visible smoke. In fact, for creating smoke use green pine boughs or leafy branches. Choosing hard or soft woods is mostly a matter of cost and availability. Fancy hardwoods may burn longer and give off more heat per volume, but, unless there is a local source, imported hardwoods will probably be a lot more expensive than local softwoods. Softwoods are usually easier to split and to light, so they make good tinder and kindling, even if you are using hardwood as your primary fuel. If you're concerned about which wood produces the most heat, do an Internet search for "firewood btu". You'll find several charts that give the ratings for various types of wood. In general, hardwoods, like oak, walnut, hickory, and some fruit woods, will burn hotter and last longer than softwoods like pine, poplar, and cedar. Cedar has a slightly higher btu rating than pine which are both rated "good" overall. Poplar is generally rated "poor" but is often cheap and readily available because it grows fast. Wood with "excellent" ratings include ash, oak, and hickory. For most people, price and availability will be the most important factors. Even softwoods with low ratings will create beautiful campfires and generate more than enough heat to make you move your chair back when it gets going. Need more heat? Pile on more wood. But don't make your fire bigger than necessary to keep you and your companions warm. That's called a "white man's fire", according to the old saying "White man build big fire, stand way back; Indian build small fire, get up real close." There is much wisdom in using an Indian fire. Not only does it conserve wood and save money, it reduces the amount of pollution you add to the atmosphere -- and you'll most likely be more comfortable anyway. And remember, it isn't just the smoke that pollutes the air, even invisible carbon-dioxide, a by-product of burning wood and other carbon compounds like gasoline is released and believed by some to contribute to global warming (now renamed "climate change")... Another downside to a big fire is you generally tend to be too hot on the side facing the fire while your backside freezes. Instead of building a bigger fire, you might want to build smaller ones you can stand between on cold nights or even create a circle of smalls fires and sit or stand in the middle. Keeping multiple fires going will take more effort, but it might be worth it for the comfort. Sitting or standing in front of a big fire usually makes you too hot on the side toward the fire while the other side freezes!
Hard versus soft woods. What is the difference between and hard and soft woods and why do you care what you use in a campfire? The actual "hardness" of the wood isn't the defining scientific characteristic. Basically, in layman's terms, hardwoods are flowering plants, softwoods are non-flowering. Surprisingly, balsa, one of the softest and lightest woods around, is a very soft hardwood. Yew, famous for being used to make English long bows, is a very hard softwood. Common hardwoods used for firewood usually come from trees such as oak, ash, and hickory. Pine, fir, cedar, and poplar are among the most common and popular softwoods for campfires. Hardwoods often have denser cellular structure than softwoods, giving them a higher number of calories or btus per unit volume. That means you'll typically get more heat out of a hardwood log than a softwood log of the same size. Softwoods are usually easier to light and will burn faster than hardwoods. Softwoods usually split easier to make kindling too. Hardwoods are good for fires you want to last a long time and for making good beds of coals for subsequent cooking. Most of us are too impatient to wait for our fires to create good coals and cook right on the flames, but that is not the best way to do it and one of the reasons so many marshmallows end up as torches instead of golden-brown deserts. If you're anxious to get that bed of coals, burn softwood, but for a long-lasting cooking fire, use hardwood. You probably won't be able to tell the difference between the heat output of hardwood and softwood fuels on a campfire, but it might make a difference if you are heating a cabin with a fireplace or wood stove -- or cooking on a wood stove.
Commercial firewood bundles are quite often primarily softwoods like pine, fir, and cedar, but in some areas where hardwood forests remain you may find hardwood bundles. In some areas where orchards are common, you may find firewood from fruit trees. Apple, cherry, walnut and almond all make pretty good firewood. Firewood needs to cure for about a year after it is cut before it is dry enough to burn well. Commercial firewood is usually well seasoned or kiln dried, making it dry enough to burn efficiently. Green wood will be hard to ignite and will give off a lot of smoke. Most commercial bundles consist of split wood in chunks about 1 1/2' long and about 3" across. Sometimes you'll see larger or smaller pieces in bundles. Fatter pieces will last longer in your campfire but smaller ones are easier to light so having a variety of sizes is a good thing. You can usually split a couple of the larger pieces further to make kindling. If you have to carry your wood any distance, denser hardwoods are going to be heavier and softwoods lighter, making it easier to carry more softwood. But, since softwoods burn faster, you will probably need more softwood. Some firewood bundles are bound by an elastic cord. Although it is convenient to pick it up by that cord, doing so often results in it breaking and dumping your bundle on the ground. Better to grab it by the ends of one of the bottom pieces of wood.
Buying in bulk can save you money. A cord of firewood is 128 cubic feet -- 4'x4'x8'. It takes a lot of bundles like those sold in front of supermarkets and ranger stations for $4-5.00 each to make a cord, probably more than 60-70, making a cord of firewood at $200 a bargain -- if you have somewhere to store it properly (see below for storage guidelines). Bulk firewood is sometimes sold by the pickup truck load. A truck load is usually somewhere around half a cord. If you buy bulk firewood, know what you're buying. Is it hard or soft wood? Is it already split and cut into campfire lengths? How long has it been seasoned. Good firewood should be seasoned at least one year. You may see "kiln dried" firewood too. That is usually more expensive because of the cost of kiln drying it. Kiln drying makes new wood ready for use quicker than natural seasoning. The 'kiln' is essentially an oven where the moisture is baked out. Kiln dried firewood is claimed to burn cleaner, hotter and longer than regular, naturally seasoned firewood and is often guaranteed to have a moisture content below 25%. Properly seasoned or kiln dried firewood should be fairly light. Heavy pieces indicate there is still a lot of moisture present. Some firewood sellers deliver and stack the wood for you. You can probably save money by going to the lot and picking it up yourself, or stacking it yourself if it is delivered and just dumped in your yard.
Scrap lumber is sometimes an economical source of firewood. It may not be as cosmetically appealing as commercial firewood but you probably won't notice its shape for very long in a fire. It usually burns faster than logs too. The odd-sized scraps are sometimes difficult to transport and to arrange in your fire. As mentioned previously, avoid lumber with hardware and treated or painted lumber. Old, unpainted wooden fences make good kindling. They are usually very dry, having been exposed to years of sunlight and rain. Dimensional lumber from demolished buildings (2x4s, 2x6s, etc) cut into appropriate lengths makes good firewood, if all the hardware has been removed. Cedar roofing shakes often contain fire-retardant chemicals that may give off toxic fumes, but often, by the time the roof is replaced, the chemicals have mostly been leached out by rain water. Untreated shingles and shakes make great kindling. The cutoff scraps from construction sites also make good firewood, although inconsistency in length can make transportation and arrangement somewhat of a problem.
Crates, plastic tubs, and canvas bags make good containers for transporting odd-sized firewood. I like using bags because they can be folded or rolled when emptied and take up little room when not in use. Consistent lengths of wood can be tied in bundles. Take care when lifting or carrying firewood bundles. The ties or rubber bands are not really designed for lifting and often break. Cradle the bundle in your arms or grab a bottom stick by both ends to avoid having the bundle break open. Sometimes bundles are wrapped in "shrink-wrap". If you have an aversion to breathing burning plastic, remove the shrink wrap before putting the wood on your fire. You probably don't want to put the whole bundle on at once anyway. Disposing of the shrink-wrap in your campfire in a well-ventilated, open area will probably not be hazardous to your health unless you stand over or downwind of the burning plastic and inhale the smoke! Put the shrink wrap in your trash or follow the example of Bill Clinton's claim about his college marijuana use and don't inhale!
Sources of scrap lumber. Since most of us are limited in the scope and number of home projects that generate scrap lumber, you'll want to look for alternate sources. Sometimes you can find "free firewood" in your local classified ads or on craigslist. This will usually be scrap lumber from new construction or demolition projects. In many cases you will have to cut it to firewood size. Watch for new construction projects in your neighborhood. Many times you can approach the superintendent in charge of the job and get permission to haul away scrap lumber. Be sure to take ONLY what he/she has designated as scrap. Many times they will have a pile of unused pieces -- even odd-sized pieces -- that they still plan to use. Factories that use wood products, like those who make doors, cabinets, and furniture may also be a source of scrap lumber. I've seen some who put their scrap in a dumpster clearly labeled "free" for anyone to take. If there is any question, be sure to check with the office before taking anything. As a courtesy, check in at the office even when there is dumpster labeled free firewood. Avoid anything that has been chemically treated. The treated lumber used where wall framing comes in contact with concrete floors and foundations contains chemicals that can generate toxic fumes . Same with plywood and other manufactured wood products and painted lumber. IF you choose to burn treated or painted lumber, make sure you maintain good ventilation and stand or sit upwind, and avoid breathing the smoke.
Sources of natural firewood. Never gather firewood in a National Park or Forest Service camp ground without permission. Some open BLM managed primitive camping areas may allow gathering of firewood. While gathering firewood near most camp grounds is now prohibited, it is possible to obtain wood cutting permits from some forest services. These permits allow you to harvest limited wood for personal use, taking marked trees from designated areas. Contact your local Department of Forestry or the USFS to find out if there are permits available in your area and to learn the rules for where, when, and what you can cut. You'll need a chain saw and a truck or trailer. In some areas you are only allowed to collect already fallen timber or cut only dead trees. Sometimes the forest management may have "tagged" trees to be removed for thinning. In any case, take care to follow the rules and take only what your permit and local regulations allow you to take. You may have to get certified by the Forest Service to use a chainsaw before you will be allowed in the forest. Fruit orchards sometimes cut down old trees and make the wood available. Be sure you have permission from the owner and take only that which is designated to be taken. You may be able to use firewood cut from trees on your own property. I got enough for a couple of nice fires from a single large limb that blew off a big elm tree. I often save smaller branches cut during annual pruning for future use as kindling. I also trim the branches from our Christmas trees and save them in a plastic trash bag for tinder and cut the trunk into kindling. By next Christmas it is dry enough to use for nice, fragrant holiday fires in the fireplace. When using green wood, cut it into firewood lengths, split larger pieces, and stack it. It will need to "season" for about 1 year after it has been cut before it will make good firewood. Split firewood will dry faster and better than full logs. Cover the top of the pile to keep off rain and snow but leave the sides open to allow air flow to dry and season the wood. Green wood that hasn't been seasoned will be difficult to burn and will create a lot of smoke. Split large logs into smaller pieces to facilitate drying, handling, and burning. The largest logs or pieces of firewood I like to use are 6-8" across. The best size for normal campfires would be 3-4" across. While you can split logs using an axe, a wedge works better. A log-splitter adds a lot of convenience. Gasoline or electric powered log splitters are the easiest to use but those that use a hydraulic jack and good old fashioned elbow grease are a lot less expensive and are still a LOT more effective and efficient and safer and easier than splitting with an axe or a wedge. If you do split your wood with an axe or wedge, be sure to follow proper safety procedures to ensure you don't injure anyone, including yourself!
Firewood from your own trees. Unless you're a city or apartment dweller you probably have some trees on your own property. Branches and limbs that blow down during storms and those you cut out during pruning can often be used for firewood, or at least for kindling. But make sure you season it about 1 year before burning it, if you have somewhere to store it while it dries. Otherwise it will be green, making it difficult to light and producing lots of smoke when you burn it. Our neighbor has a huge old elm tree that often drops 4-6" thick limbs in high winds, often in our yard. Each one amounts to about 1 night's fuel for our fireplace at home or one campfire.
Cutting your own firewood is an option if you live near a forest where you can get a firewood permit or own land with trees on it. Remember, firewood needs to be thoroughly dried or seasoned before it makes a good fire. If possible choose dead trees for firewood. If you have to cut green trees (because you need to cut them down for safety or clearing anyway or because you don't have any dead trees available) count on letting the wood season for at least a year before burning it. Cut your firewood in suitable lengths to fit your fireplace or log splitter before stacking it to dry. Split wood dries faster and better that green wood. When stacking it to dry, put it on pallet or lay down a couple of small logs so the firewood doesn't lie directly on the ground. Cover the top of the pile but leave the sides open so air can freely circulate.
Storing firewood. It may be cost effective to purchase larger quantities of firewood than you need for a single outing. When you do, you'll need a place to store it until you're ready to use it. Do not stack it against your house or garage. It can attract insects that may infest your structure or may create a fire hazard. Do not stack it directly on the ground where it will absorb moisture and start to rot. Put in on a pallet or "skids" to allow air to circulate beneath the pile. Cover the top to keep rain and snow off, but leave the sides open so the pile can breathe. Completely wrapping it with a tarp or plastic sheet will trap moisture inside and may encourage insects, vermin and mold. Termites might turn your stack of firewood into a pile of sawdust. Mold probably won't affect the quality of the wood much, except by retaining moisture, but it could make it nasty to handle and might give off strange odors when it burns. And you DON'T want to breathe mold spores when you handle the wood. They can be toxic.
Splitting firewood. You will normally want or need to split firewood. There are several reasons for doing this. First, split wood will dry more quickly, making it usable faster than logs. Secondly, split wood is usually easier to ignite than whole logs. And, third, you cans split it into sizes that are convenient to stack, store, transport, and use in your fire. You will also probably need to split firewood to make kindling to help get your fire going. Some people use a large axe to split firewood but it is usually faster, safer, and easier to use a wedge and a sledge hammer. For even more convenience, use a log splitter. As previously mentioned, electric or gasoline powered splitters are the easiest to use but manual splitters powered by a hand operated hydraulic jack are still a lot easier, faster, and safer than splitting logs with an axe or even a hammer and wedge. You will probably use an axe or hatchet for splitting kindling. Use a stick -- not your fingers --to steady the piece you're splitting. It is no big loss if you chop the end off your stabilizer stick, but would definitely be a big deal if you chopped off one or more fingers! And remember, "when you cut your own wood, it warms you twice!"
Spiders and other insects may take up residence in wood piles so always wear gloves and be observant when handling firewood. Most spiders are benign, but black widows and brown recluse spiders are very poisonous to human beings. If you suspect you've been bitten by a poisonous spider, seek professional medical help as soon as possible. Capture the offending critter if you can so they can confirm the nature of the bite. Black widow bites are seldom fatal but they, along with brown recluse bites, can cause extreme discomfort. Wasps and yellow jackets are also common residents of wood piles and wood sheds. Although their stings are not life-threatening (unless you are allergic to them), they are very painful. Some kinds of ants are also prone to biting or stinging. Insects left in or on wood placed into your fire will quickly be eliminated. However, a wasp or yellow-jacket nest inside a hollow piece of wood might be aggravated when placed in a fire and could send stream of angry insects in your direction. Try to remove or otherwise neutralize nests before adding the wood to your fire. If you are allergic to bees or wasps, be sure to have your epi-pen handy in case you do get stung.
An alternate source of fuel often used by American pioneers on the prairie where wood was scarce were "buffalo chips" -- dried buffalo manure. Dried manure is reasonable fuel in an emergency, but most people are loath to handle it and fear it may give off odors when burned. Actually it is mostly undigested grass and burns fairly cleanly. Dried dung from grazing cattle is often a good source of survival fuel. Deer and elk dung is mostly like pebbles and not suitable as fuel for a fire. Dung from predators and other meat eaters including humans definitely does not make good fuel. Unless you are camping in an area used frequently for cattle grazing, you aren't likely to find many "chips" lying around and you probably don't want to use up valuable space transporting it from home and it can get disgusting if it gets wet.
Fire it up!
Friday, November 2, 2012
Pest Control
RVs make inviting homes for a variety of pests if we don't take proper measure to prevent their intrusion. I'm not talking about unwelcome 2-legged visitors, although they frequently qualify as pests. You're pretty much on your own for managing them. And, no, the bumper sticker that says "If this camper's rocking, don't come knocking" doesn't seem to to much good at deterring 2-legged pests! If anything it might present a challenge and a kind of an invitation to curious, prurient, mischievous, or malicious people. Doing a little skeet shooting might let potential intruders know you are an armed camp and make them think twice about bothering you. However, insects and rodents are the most common pest problems in camp and when our equipment is in storage. Both are attracted by the comfortable atmosphere in RVs and tents and by scraps of food or spills or any provisions they can chew their way into. Sometimes they even like to snack on our clothes, bedding, and upholstery or even tents and vehicle wiring!
Tents can also attract pests. If there are any organic stains on the tent, sleeping bag, or pack, it may attract bugs and rodents. You don't have to be s sloppy eater in your tent to leave contamination that attract bugs. Even crumbs too tiny for US to notice can be a real feast to hungry little beasties. To be on the safe side, avoid eating in your tent unless bad weather makes it absolutely necessary. Then be extra careful. Even without food residues, dead skin cells and body oils left behind on tent and sleeping bad fabric feed a host of tiny bugs, but since we usually can't see them, most of us don't worry too much about them. However, the larger critters that in turn feed on them do come to our attention. Eventually, as you move up the food chain, you discover that raccoons and bears find your equipment a good source of food! To minimize residues, first, avoid getting food or body fluids on your equipment. Next, set up your tent and vacuum all surfaces thoroughly before you put it way. Clean off any bird dropping or other stains. A clean, dry tent, rolled tight in storage, usually won't acquire much of a pest problem. If the fabric is damp when it is rolled up you will invite mold and mildew and produce the most unpleasant and amazing odors. Rodents usually avoid areas frequently in use by humans but leaving food in your tent while camping can attract various wildlife. Rodents may be shy when we're in our RVs, but will jump at the chance to explore them as soon as we leave them for a while or put them in storage. Bears, raccoons, and skunks are common unwanted visitors in camp as well as mice and rats if you leave food in your tent. Of course any available edibles will also attract ants, roaches and other bugs who aren't so shy, so keep it clean.
To make your RV less attractive to pests, be sure to clean it thoroughly during and after each use. Make sure any spilled foods or open containers are cleaned up and removed from the cabinets and refrigerator. Remove any provisions that bugs or rodents might chew their way into. Boxes of cereal and packages of pasta are particularly susceptible. Howevern even seal foil pouches, like MREs can be victims of chewing rodents. When we were cleaning and inventorying our supplies at the fire house when I worked as a volunteer fireman we found most of or sealed MREs we had on hand for wildfire expeditions had been chewed into and ruined. If you're going to keep stuff in your RV or your camp kit, make sure it is stored in tight metal or Tupperware style plastic containers to keep it safe. Clean the counters, tables, floors, and upholstery to be sure there are no sticky spots or crumbs left to attract unwanted guests. Check the crevices in your sofa and chairs. It is surprising what accumulates there! You might even pick up some spare change. Rodents are more likely to enter your RV when it is in storage, but they might sneak in while you're camping too. Ants and other bugs can show up anytime. Keeping your screens in good shape will help keep flying insects at bay. Watch for wasp nests. They like to build them wherever there is a protected area, like under your rolled up awning, inside wheel wells, and under the hood. Keep a can of wasp spray handy in your RV. Not only might be be necessary to get rid of wasps, in an emergency it can be nearly as effective as pepper spray in deterring an attack from a 2 or 4 legged aggressor. It also has range of 15-20 feet to keep aggressors at a distance. And you don't have to have any special training or license to use it. If you do get insect infestations in your RV, you can use a "bug bomb" to fumigate it. Close all the windows. Set off the "bug bomb" and let it work according to manufacturer's instructions. T hen open up all the windows and vents and thoroughly clear out the air. An air freshener (spray or hanging type) can help restore a pleasant odor. D-con can be used discreetly to control rodents while in storage.
Some easy and inexpensive ways to deter pest infestations include placing dryer sheets (used ones are OK and they're free!) in drawers,closets, and cabinets. While the fragrance is usually appealing to humans, most pests don't like it and will stay way. I prefer not to use them in drawers with kitchen utensils since I don't want my food tasting like dryer sheets. Peppermint oil is a pretty pleasant alternative you can use anywhere and works pretty well to repel unwanted pests. Dampen some cotton balls with peppermint oil and place them throughout your RV. Moth balls are another good way to repel many pests, but don't over do it or your whole RV will smell like mothballs for months. If you use them in closes and drawers where clothing, towels, or bedding are stored, the fabrics will absorb the odor until they are thoroughly laundered and even then is sometimes lingers. Moth balls are quite effective at protecting clothing and other fabric items in closets and drawers but personally I'd rather not have my clothes or bedding smell like mothballs!
If you suspect a rodent problem or live in a rural area where rodents are prevalent, strategically place D-con or another mouse bait in your RV. The advantage of D-con over traps is it desiccates the dead bodies so they dry out and don't smell as they decompose like they would if killed by a trap. Traps are messy and you have to check them, empty them, and reset them regularly for them to effective. One of the fastest ways to tell if there is a rodent problem is to look for their droppings as well as looking for chewed packages. Things that look like black gains of rice in cupboards or on counters mean you've got mice. If the droppings are more the size of beans, its rats or other larger animals. There might be a rodent problem even if you don't see droppings. Using D-con whenever your RV is in storage is a good precaution against them getting a foothold in your fortress. I've seen rodents destroy wiring and upholstery in unprotected vehicles in storage.
Bugs and rodents often enter RVs by climbing up the shore power cord so make sure the hole where it exits your RV is tightly sealed. Mice and rats can squeeze through surprisingly small openings. You may be able to deter the invasion by sprinkling insect repellant all around the vehicle, especially around anything that touches the ground, like tires, hoses, and electrical cords. Ants, roaches, and other bugs that do make it inside can usually be controlled with a commercial bug killer like Raid or a "bug bomb". Bug bombs are do it yourself extermination systems. You usually set them off inside the RV then skedaddle out quickly and shut the door. The toxic fumes infiltrate everywhere,killing bugs in places you can't see and might not even know about. Don't re-enter the RV until after the waiting period given in the instructions or YOU could get seriously ill, then open up the vents and windows and it air out thoroughly before you occupy it again.
I recently saw an "RV Pest Kit" that claims to be all natural and chemical free. The $25.00 kit claims to deter all kinds of rodents and insects and to be adequate for any sized RV. Its a little pricey but if it works, it is well worth it. For more information see RV Pest Kit.
Don't leave perishable foods in your RV or in your tent camping bins. Make sure an non-perishable provisions are stored in sealed containers. Wipe any spills off bottles like syrup, honey, and cooking oil and make sure they are tightly closed. You probably don't want to leave cooking oils in storage too long or they'll get rancid.
Birds can become pests by building nests in vents and other sheltered places. Sometimes you can keep them away by installing streamers that blow in the wind. Get rid of any nesting materials as soon as you discover them. Nests in refrigerator vents are quite common and present a definite fire hazard. Nests in sewer vents can cause odors to back up inside the vehicle. Birds also leave droppings that are unsightly, unpleasant, unsanitary, and can damage the finish on your RV.
There are screens you can install over furnace vents to inhibit insects from entering and building nests. However, some furnace manufacturers advise against installing anything that will interfere with the air or exhaust flow. Using screens on these may invalidate your warranty and could prove dangerous. Installing screens during storage should not be a problem, but to be sure you comply with manufacturers recommendations, remove them before use. If you don't use screens or even if you do, inspect the furnace and refrigerator vents and the external compartment of the hot water heater before each trip and remove any evidence of infestations before igniting them. Infestations can interfere with performance, may create nasty smelling smoke, and could even cause a fire.
Speaking of screens, you'll want to keep your window screens in good repair so you an have fresh air in camp without inviting a lot of unwanted visitors in. Damaged screens are fairly easy to repair with nylon screen readily available at any hardware store or home center. You may have to buy a tool to install the spline that secures the screen into the tracks around the frame. You should be able to buy replacement spline if yours is brittle or has gotten lost or damaged. To remove the old screen find one end of the spline and pry it loose with a sharp object like an ice pick or pocket knife. Then simply pull it out and remove the old screen. Cut a piece of new screen slightly larger than the frame and lay it over the frame. Make sure the channels for the spline are facing up. Then, using the appropriate roller tool, roll the spline into the channel to secure the screen. That usually stretches the screen just enough to make it taut unless you have wrinkles in it when you lay it out. Don't pull it too tight or it will distort the frame so it doesn't fit back in the window properly. Then trim off any excess screen and put the new screen back in the window.
Something about propane attracts certain types of spiders who build nests just inside the orifice of the burners on gas appliances. You will want to use insect sprays around the vents and access doors to discourage them from entering. Then, be sure to clean the burners and orifices when you get your RV out of storage again. Sometimes the spiders will get too large to exit through orifice after building a web inside and you'll find their dried up bodies in the tubing along with the web. Kind of revolting, but pretty much harmless. There are special brushes on springy shafts that can be used to clean the gas tubing on appliances. You may need a needle or a tiny drill bit to clear the openings on orifices, but be very careful. The orifices are precisely engineered and hard steel needles or drill bits may alter the size or shape and render them ineffective or even dangerous. Try to clean them first with compressed air and to loosen any deposits with a wooden toothpick before resorting the metal tools. And don't forget to check your portable BBQ and any other propane appliances you may have. Speaking of BBQs, the food residue left on uncleaned grills can rot and if it isn't burned off before the next meal is laid on it, contaminate whatever you cook next. Residue on the grill and droppings beneath it also attract insects and rodents. Its all too easy to forget about lanterns, camp stoves, and portable catalytic heaters that may not be used very often until you get an unpleasant surprise when they don't work when you try to use them, which will probably be when you're cold and wet and least in the mood to deal with cleaning them! Regularly check and clean the orifices and, where appropriate, the tubing on all propane appliances.
Be pest free.
Tents can also attract pests. If there are any organic stains on the tent, sleeping bag, or pack, it may attract bugs and rodents. You don't have to be s sloppy eater in your tent to leave contamination that attract bugs. Even crumbs too tiny for US to notice can be a real feast to hungry little beasties. To be on the safe side, avoid eating in your tent unless bad weather makes it absolutely necessary. Then be extra careful. Even without food residues, dead skin cells and body oils left behind on tent and sleeping bad fabric feed a host of tiny bugs, but since we usually can't see them, most of us don't worry too much about them. However, the larger critters that in turn feed on them do come to our attention. Eventually, as you move up the food chain, you discover that raccoons and bears find your equipment a good source of food! To minimize residues, first, avoid getting food or body fluids on your equipment. Next, set up your tent and vacuum all surfaces thoroughly before you put it way. Clean off any bird dropping or other stains. A clean, dry tent, rolled tight in storage, usually won't acquire much of a pest problem. If the fabric is damp when it is rolled up you will invite mold and mildew and produce the most unpleasant and amazing odors. Rodents usually avoid areas frequently in use by humans but leaving food in your tent while camping can attract various wildlife. Rodents may be shy when we're in our RVs, but will jump at the chance to explore them as soon as we leave them for a while or put them in storage. Bears, raccoons, and skunks are common unwanted visitors in camp as well as mice and rats if you leave food in your tent. Of course any available edibles will also attract ants, roaches and other bugs who aren't so shy, so keep it clean.
To make your RV less attractive to pests, be sure to clean it thoroughly during and after each use. Make sure any spilled foods or open containers are cleaned up and removed from the cabinets and refrigerator. Remove any provisions that bugs or rodents might chew their way into. Boxes of cereal and packages of pasta are particularly susceptible. Howevern even seal foil pouches, like MREs can be victims of chewing rodents. When we were cleaning and inventorying our supplies at the fire house when I worked as a volunteer fireman we found most of or sealed MREs we had on hand for wildfire expeditions had been chewed into and ruined. If you're going to keep stuff in your RV or your camp kit, make sure it is stored in tight metal or Tupperware style plastic containers to keep it safe. Clean the counters, tables, floors, and upholstery to be sure there are no sticky spots or crumbs left to attract unwanted guests. Check the crevices in your sofa and chairs. It is surprising what accumulates there! You might even pick up some spare change. Rodents are more likely to enter your RV when it is in storage, but they might sneak in while you're camping too. Ants and other bugs can show up anytime. Keeping your screens in good shape will help keep flying insects at bay. Watch for wasp nests. They like to build them wherever there is a protected area, like under your rolled up awning, inside wheel wells, and under the hood. Keep a can of wasp spray handy in your RV. Not only might be be necessary to get rid of wasps, in an emergency it can be nearly as effective as pepper spray in deterring an attack from a 2 or 4 legged aggressor. It also has range of 15-20 feet to keep aggressors at a distance. And you don't have to have any special training or license to use it. If you do get insect infestations in your RV, you can use a "bug bomb" to fumigate it. Close all the windows. Set off the "bug bomb" and let it work according to manufacturer's instructions. T hen open up all the windows and vents and thoroughly clear out the air. An air freshener (spray or hanging type) can help restore a pleasant odor. D-con can be used discreetly to control rodents while in storage.
Some easy and inexpensive ways to deter pest infestations include placing dryer sheets (used ones are OK and they're free!) in drawers,closets, and cabinets. While the fragrance is usually appealing to humans, most pests don't like it and will stay way. I prefer not to use them in drawers with kitchen utensils since I don't want my food tasting like dryer sheets. Peppermint oil is a pretty pleasant alternative you can use anywhere and works pretty well to repel unwanted pests. Dampen some cotton balls with peppermint oil and place them throughout your RV. Moth balls are another good way to repel many pests, but don't over do it or your whole RV will smell like mothballs for months. If you use them in closes and drawers where clothing, towels, or bedding are stored, the fabrics will absorb the odor until they are thoroughly laundered and even then is sometimes lingers. Moth balls are quite effective at protecting clothing and other fabric items in closets and drawers but personally I'd rather not have my clothes or bedding smell like mothballs!
If you suspect a rodent problem or live in a rural area where rodents are prevalent, strategically place D-con or another mouse bait in your RV. The advantage of D-con over traps is it desiccates the dead bodies so they dry out and don't smell as they decompose like they would if killed by a trap. Traps are messy and you have to check them, empty them, and reset them regularly for them to effective. One of the fastest ways to tell if there is a rodent problem is to look for their droppings as well as looking for chewed packages. Things that look like black gains of rice in cupboards or on counters mean you've got mice. If the droppings are more the size of beans, its rats or other larger animals. There might be a rodent problem even if you don't see droppings. Using D-con whenever your RV is in storage is a good precaution against them getting a foothold in your fortress. I've seen rodents destroy wiring and upholstery in unprotected vehicles in storage.
Bugs and rodents often enter RVs by climbing up the shore power cord so make sure the hole where it exits your RV is tightly sealed. Mice and rats can squeeze through surprisingly small openings. You may be able to deter the invasion by sprinkling insect repellant all around the vehicle, especially around anything that touches the ground, like tires, hoses, and electrical cords. Ants, roaches, and other bugs that do make it inside can usually be controlled with a commercial bug killer like Raid or a "bug bomb". Bug bombs are do it yourself extermination systems. You usually set them off inside the RV then skedaddle out quickly and shut the door. The toxic fumes infiltrate everywhere,killing bugs in places you can't see and might not even know about. Don't re-enter the RV until after the waiting period given in the instructions or YOU could get seriously ill, then open up the vents and windows and it air out thoroughly before you occupy it again.
I recently saw an "RV Pest Kit" that claims to be all natural and chemical free. The $25.00 kit claims to deter all kinds of rodents and insects and to be adequate for any sized RV. Its a little pricey but if it works, it is well worth it. For more information see RV Pest Kit.
Don't leave perishable foods in your RV or in your tent camping bins. Make sure an non-perishable provisions are stored in sealed containers. Wipe any spills off bottles like syrup, honey, and cooking oil and make sure they are tightly closed. You probably don't want to leave cooking oils in storage too long or they'll get rancid.
Birds can become pests by building nests in vents and other sheltered places. Sometimes you can keep them away by installing streamers that blow in the wind. Get rid of any nesting materials as soon as you discover them. Nests in refrigerator vents are quite common and present a definite fire hazard. Nests in sewer vents can cause odors to back up inside the vehicle. Birds also leave droppings that are unsightly, unpleasant, unsanitary, and can damage the finish on your RV.
There are screens you can install over furnace vents to inhibit insects from entering and building nests. However, some furnace manufacturers advise against installing anything that will interfere with the air or exhaust flow. Using screens on these may invalidate your warranty and could prove dangerous. Installing screens during storage should not be a problem, but to be sure you comply with manufacturers recommendations, remove them before use. If you don't use screens or even if you do, inspect the furnace and refrigerator vents and the external compartment of the hot water heater before each trip and remove any evidence of infestations before igniting them. Infestations can interfere with performance, may create nasty smelling smoke, and could even cause a fire.
Speaking of screens, you'll want to keep your window screens in good repair so you an have fresh air in camp without inviting a lot of unwanted visitors in. Damaged screens are fairly easy to repair with nylon screen readily available at any hardware store or home center. You may have to buy a tool to install the spline that secures the screen into the tracks around the frame. You should be able to buy replacement spline if yours is brittle or has gotten lost or damaged. To remove the old screen find one end of the spline and pry it loose with a sharp object like an ice pick or pocket knife. Then simply pull it out and remove the old screen. Cut a piece of new screen slightly larger than the frame and lay it over the frame. Make sure the channels for the spline are facing up. Then, using the appropriate roller tool, roll the spline into the channel to secure the screen. That usually stretches the screen just enough to make it taut unless you have wrinkles in it when you lay it out. Don't pull it too tight or it will distort the frame so it doesn't fit back in the window properly. Then trim off any excess screen and put the new screen back in the window.
Something about propane attracts certain types of spiders who build nests just inside the orifice of the burners on gas appliances. You will want to use insect sprays around the vents and access doors to discourage them from entering. Then, be sure to clean the burners and orifices when you get your RV out of storage again. Sometimes the spiders will get too large to exit through orifice after building a web inside and you'll find their dried up bodies in the tubing along with the web. Kind of revolting, but pretty much harmless. There are special brushes on springy shafts that can be used to clean the gas tubing on appliances. You may need a needle or a tiny drill bit to clear the openings on orifices, but be very careful. The orifices are precisely engineered and hard steel needles or drill bits may alter the size or shape and render them ineffective or even dangerous. Try to clean them first with compressed air and to loosen any deposits with a wooden toothpick before resorting the metal tools. And don't forget to check your portable BBQ and any other propane appliances you may have. Speaking of BBQs, the food residue left on uncleaned grills can rot and if it isn't burned off before the next meal is laid on it, contaminate whatever you cook next. Residue on the grill and droppings beneath it also attract insects and rodents. Its all too easy to forget about lanterns, camp stoves, and portable catalytic heaters that may not be used very often until you get an unpleasant surprise when they don't work when you try to use them, which will probably be when you're cold and wet and least in the mood to deal with cleaning them! Regularly check and clean the orifices and, where appropriate, the tubing on all propane appliances.
Be pest free.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Camping Glossary
Most camping terms are pretty much well understood and even self-explanatory, but just in case, here are the definitions of some terms frequently used by campers:
Boondocking: primitive camping, usually without any developed sites or amenities or facilities.
BLM: Bureau of Land Management. The federal government agency responsible for management of federally owned lands, most of which are west of the Mississippi River. Many of these areas are open to dispersed camping and sometimes OHV and other recreational activity. Not to be confused with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Dispersed camping: usually refers to open, undeveloped camping areas in Forest Service or BLM lands. For more details about dispersed camping in Forest Service, see Dispersed Camping Guidelines. Dispersed camping areas are sometimes used as overflow camping when regular camp grounds fill up but many people prefer dry camping in dispersed camping areas for better privacy and serenity.
Billy can: an empty tin can with the lid removed used to boil water or cook food over a fire.
3-season tent: a tent designed for spring, summer, and fall use; not recommended for use in snow and cold weather.
4-season tent: a tent suitable for use all year round and built to withstand winter weather.
A-frame tent: a tent supported by center poles with the sides draping down to the ground in the shape of an "A"; pup tents are a typical example of an A-frame tent.
Dome tent: A rounded tent supported by flexible poles that usually slide into external sleeves and connect from side to side through the peak of the tent giving it a dome shape.
Double wall tent: a tent with a rain fly, which is the second "wall". The inner wall is usually made of a breathable material or includes a screened vent and the rain fly is waterproof or at least water resistant.
Single wall tent: a tent without a fly; usually made of non-breathable waterproof material.
Cabin tent: cabin tents are usually made of heavy canvas, with vertical walls and a peaked roof (shaped like a cabin, hence the name). They are roomy and lend themselves well to semi-permanent uses but, because of their weight, are not good for hiking, backpacking, or other non-motorized moves. They usually have poles at least on all 4 corners and in the middle of each end to support the peaked roof.
Ditty bag: a drawstring bag used to carry items
Foil dinner: a meal that is wrapped in aluminum foil and cooked or reheated on a grill or in a campfire. Usually consists of meat, potatoes, and vegetables.
Hobo stew: a popular slang name for a foil dinner.
Mummy bag: a sleeping bag that is tapered at both ends to minimize internal air space, fit closely, and conserve body warmth.
Shock-corded poles: sectional tent poles, usually made of fiberglass (sometimes aluminum), whose sections are strung together with an elastic cord. The cord keeps them from getting separated and helps hold them snug when assembled.
Base camp: a primary camp site used to support hikes, OHV rides, and other activities.
Blaze: a sign, painted symbol, or rocks arranged to mark a trail.
Bushwhacking: Off-trail travel through brush and other foliage where no existing path exists.
Cache: a stash of food or other supplies along a trail or at designated locations for future use.
Deadman: a rock or log buried in the ground to anchor a tent when the ground is too soft for stakes to hold. Also used to anchor a tent in snow.
Flash flood: a sudden flood resulting from a cloudburst; flash floods can occur in gullies miles away from where the rain is falling or the snow is melting.
Giardia: a bacteria that contaminates water in remote areas and can cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, etc. Fast running streams are less likely to contain microbes than slow streams and stagnant pools but to be safe, all natural water should be boiled or purified before use even if it appears to be clean.
Imu: a shallow pit used for cooking.
Dakota fire pit: a specialized fire pit designed for maximum cooking with minimum use of fuel; it consists of a primary pit about 1' in diameter with a fist-sized tunnel from the bottom to ground level on the windward side to provide a draft for more efficient burning.
Rocket stove: a simple wood burning stove often made from tin cans; if done right, it can cook an entire meal using just a handful of twigs as fuel. A simple rocket stove can be made from one #10 can and 4 soup cans (see rocket stove instructions here).
Tinder: shavings, dry grass, etc; the first thing you light (after a match or lighter) to get your fire going. Tinder should ignite quickly using an ignition source such as matches, focused sunlight, or sparks from flint and steel.
Kindling: small dry pieces of wood, 1" in diameter or smaller, used to ignite larger pieces of fuel. Added to a fire after tinder and before full size fuel.
Lean to:a shelter with a roof, one open side, and, at most, 3 walls. An emergency lean-to is often just a roof with one edge resting on the ground and three open sides.
Twist-on-stick: a baking powder bread made by twisting thick dough on a stick and cooking it over a fire.
Cairn: a pile of rocks used to mark a trail.
Camp: to spend the night in a temporary shelter (tent, lean-to, etc)
Car camping: camping in, beside or near a vehicle, allowing the campers to use larger, heavier tents than they could carry when hiking, plus have access to additional equipment such as coolers, camp stoves, BBQ grills, and even television or using your car or other vehicle to sleep in.
Iron ranger: the collection box where you deposit your fees at campgrounds without human attendant.
Water thief: a device that attaches to an unthreaded faucet via a rubber connector that allows you to temporarily connect a garden hose to the faucet.
For additional details, enter "camping glossary" in your favorite Internet search engine.
Boondocking: primitive camping, usually without any developed sites or amenities or facilities.
BLM: Bureau of Land Management. The federal government agency responsible for management of federally owned lands, most of which are west of the Mississippi River. Many of these areas are open to dispersed camping and sometimes OHV and other recreational activity. Not to be confused with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Dispersed camping: usually refers to open, undeveloped camping areas in Forest Service or BLM lands. For more details about dispersed camping in Forest Service, see Dispersed Camping Guidelines. Dispersed camping areas are sometimes used as overflow camping when regular camp grounds fill up but many people prefer dry camping in dispersed camping areas for better privacy and serenity.
Billy can: an empty tin can with the lid removed used to boil water or cook food over a fire.
3-season tent: a tent designed for spring, summer, and fall use; not recommended for use in snow and cold weather.
4-season tent: a tent suitable for use all year round and built to withstand winter weather.
A-frame tent: a tent supported by center poles with the sides draping down to the ground in the shape of an "A"; pup tents are a typical example of an A-frame tent.
Dome tent: A rounded tent supported by flexible poles that usually slide into external sleeves and connect from side to side through the peak of the tent giving it a dome shape.
Double wall tent: a tent with a rain fly, which is the second "wall". The inner wall is usually made of a breathable material or includes a screened vent and the rain fly is waterproof or at least water resistant.
Single wall tent: a tent without a fly; usually made of non-breathable waterproof material.
Cabin tent: cabin tents are usually made of heavy canvas, with vertical walls and a peaked roof (shaped like a cabin, hence the name). They are roomy and lend themselves well to semi-permanent uses but, because of their weight, are not good for hiking, backpacking, or other non-motorized moves. They usually have poles at least on all 4 corners and in the middle of each end to support the peaked roof.
Ditty bag: a drawstring bag used to carry items
Foil dinner: a meal that is wrapped in aluminum foil and cooked or reheated on a grill or in a campfire. Usually consists of meat, potatoes, and vegetables.
Hobo stew: a popular slang name for a foil dinner.
Mummy bag: a sleeping bag that is tapered at both ends to minimize internal air space, fit closely, and conserve body warmth.
Shock-corded poles: sectional tent poles, usually made of fiberglass (sometimes aluminum), whose sections are strung together with an elastic cord. The cord keeps them from getting separated and helps hold them snug when assembled.
Base camp: a primary camp site used to support hikes, OHV rides, and other activities.
Blaze: a sign, painted symbol, or rocks arranged to mark a trail.
Bushwhacking: Off-trail travel through brush and other foliage where no existing path exists.
Cache: a stash of food or other supplies along a trail or at designated locations for future use.
Deadman: a rock or log buried in the ground to anchor a tent when the ground is too soft for stakes to hold. Also used to anchor a tent in snow.
Flash flood: a sudden flood resulting from a cloudburst; flash floods can occur in gullies miles away from where the rain is falling or the snow is melting.
Giardia: a bacteria that contaminates water in remote areas and can cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, etc. Fast running streams are less likely to contain microbes than slow streams and stagnant pools but to be safe, all natural water should be boiled or purified before use even if it appears to be clean.
Imu: a shallow pit used for cooking.
Dakota fire pit: a specialized fire pit designed for maximum cooking with minimum use of fuel; it consists of a primary pit about 1' in diameter with a fist-sized tunnel from the bottom to ground level on the windward side to provide a draft for more efficient burning.
Rocket stove: a simple wood burning stove often made from tin cans; if done right, it can cook an entire meal using just a handful of twigs as fuel. A simple rocket stove can be made from one #10 can and 4 soup cans (see rocket stove instructions here).
Tinder: shavings, dry grass, etc; the first thing you light (after a match or lighter) to get your fire going. Tinder should ignite quickly using an ignition source such as matches, focused sunlight, or sparks from flint and steel.
Kindling: small dry pieces of wood, 1" in diameter or smaller, used to ignite larger pieces of fuel. Added to a fire after tinder and before full size fuel.
Lean to:a shelter with a roof, one open side, and, at most, 3 walls. An emergency lean-to is often just a roof with one edge resting on the ground and three open sides.
Twist-on-stick: a baking powder bread made by twisting thick dough on a stick and cooking it over a fire.
Cairn: a pile of rocks used to mark a trail.
Camp: to spend the night in a temporary shelter (tent, lean-to, etc)
Car camping: camping in, beside or near a vehicle, allowing the campers to use larger, heavier tents than they could carry when hiking, plus have access to additional equipment such as coolers, camp stoves, BBQ grills, and even television or using your car or other vehicle to sleep in.
Iron ranger: the collection box where you deposit your fees at campgrounds without human attendant.
Water thief: a device that attaches to an unthreaded faucet via a rubber connector that allows you to temporarily connect a garden hose to the faucet.
For additional details, enter "camping glossary" in your favorite Internet search engine.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
RV Glossary
The RV and Camping communities have their own lingo. Sometimes it can be confusing and even experienced campers misunderstand and misuse some terms. Listed below are definitions and explanations for some common words and phrases used in and around RVs. For even more information do an online search for "RV Glossary". Some popular examples include RVing 101: RV Terms and Definitions and Camping World's RV Glossary.
RV: Recreational Vehicle. This a broad term and sometimes includes riding toys like ATVs and other OHVSs but it usually refers to a motorhome, truck camper, or camping trailer with living space. In typical use, when someone talks about an "RV" they usually mean a motorhome, but it could be commonly used for a travel trailer too.
BLM: Bureau of Land Management. The federal government
agency responsible for management of federally owned lands, most of
which are west of the Mississippi River. Many of these areas are open
to dispersed camping and sometimes OHV and other recreational activity. Not to be confused with the Black Lives Matter movement.
DRV: Disaster Recovery Vehicle -- an RV used as an emergency disaster shelter.
OHV: Off Highway Vehicle such as a dirt bike, ATV, dune buggy, side-by-side, or 4x4.
Motorhome: A self-propelled recreational vehicle. To be considered a motorhome, it should have sleeping and kitchen facilities and most also have bathrooms and living room areas. Some more complete van conversions are considered Class B motorhomes.
Winnebago: Winnebago is a specific brand of motorhomes. They were one of the first companies to manufacturer commercial motorhomes and their name, in common usage, has become synonymous with "motorhome".
Travel trailer: A recreational vehicle with an A-frame hitch that has to be pulled by a car, truck, or SUV. Some small units might be able to be towed by a motorcycle. In third world countries people even sometimes pull little camping/travel trailers with a bicycle!
Fifth wheel: A travel trailer that uses a fifth wheel hitch similar to the one on a semi-trailer instead of a standard ball hitch that connects to the tow vehicle bumper.
Gooseneck trailers are similar to 5th wheel trailers except they use an ordinary ball mount in the bed of the pickup instead of a fifth wheel hitch.
Bumper pull: A travel trailer that uses a conventional ball hitch that connects to a hitch mounted on or beneath the bumper of the tow vehicle.
Class A: A motorhome in which the driver's cockpit is an integral part of the living space. Class A motorhomes are usually built on a heavy duty truck or bus chassis.
Class B: A motorhome based on a van. These are usually elaborate van conversions that incorporate the living facilities of a motorhome within a standard van body. They may have an extended or popup roof for added headroom but usually not other significant body modifications, although slideouts are starting to show up on Class B units. Some expanded Class B's are marketed as Class B+.
Class C: A motorhome built on a cutaway van or truck chassis. Also called a "mini motorhome". Mostly built on cutaway van chassis, there are some that were built on a pickup chassis. The driver's compartment and the front of the motorhome are retained from the original van and a fairly large living space similar to a travel trailer built in place of where the cargo area would have been. A few Class C's were built on standard pickup chassis. For a while, some Class C's (sometimes called "micro-mini motorhomes) were built on a Toyota pickup chassis. Some new luxury Class Cs, known as Super Cs are built on heavy duty truck chassis like those used to pull semi-trailers. A "micro-mini motorhome" is a special sub-class built on a Toyota 3/4 ton pickup chassis. There are also some custom micros built using a Volkswagen bug chassis. You may even see some Class C's (called Super C's) built on heavy duty trucks like those used to pull semis.
Tent trailer: A towable recreational vehicle that includes canvas sides. Their light weight and collapsible low profile allows them to be towed by smaller vehicles than hard sided travel trailers. The light weight helps minimize fuel consumption by the tow vehicle.
Self-contained: A recreational vehicle that includes complete sleeping, cooking, and sanitation facilities. A self-contained vehicle usually also includes an on board generator to supply 120-volt power. Water is stored in a fresh water tank and waste water from sinks and shower is collected in a gray water tank. Sewage from the toilet is collected in a black water tank. The stove, furnace, hot water heater, and usually the refrigerator are powered by propane.
Boondocking: refers to camping without hookups, usually in a remote or primitive camping area. Also known ad dry camping or dispersed camping.
Off the grid: refers to camping without hookups; stopping in a rest area or Walmart parking lot, or camping in remote Forest Service campgrounds without hookups is considered camping off the grid.
Dry camping: same as boondocking and camping off the grid, e.g. without hookups.
Dispersed Camping: same as boondocking or dry camping but usually refers to specific BLM or Forest Service areas designated for off-grid campin where camping is permitted but there are no designated camp sites.
You are usually free to camp anywhere in a dispersed camping area, but
there are sometimes special rules or restrictions in some areas. Most common rules require you to be at least a certain distance (usually about 150') from any road.
Converter: an electrical device that converts 120-volt AC into 12-volt DC power. Input is from a 120-volt AC source, such as shore power or a generator. The 12- volt DC output powers lights, fans, pumps, and other 12-volt accessories in RVs and sometimes also charges batteries.
Inverter: an electrical device that changes 12-volt DC battery power into 120-volt AC power; some large inverters include a powerful battery charger.
Mini-motorhome: another name for a Class C motorhome.
Micro-mini-motorhome: the extra small Class C motorhomes once built on the Toyota 3/4 ton pickup chassis.
Super-C motorhome: A Class C motorhome built on a heavy duty truck chassis, often like those used to pull semis.
Bus Conversion: Some large luxury motorhomes are converted bus chassis. Provost is the most prominent in the current marketplace, but the Wanderlodge, built on a BlueBird bus chassis has also enjoyed a long and noble history. After the fact conversions, often do it yourself projects, are built on retired school, Greyhound or city bus chassis.
Motorcoach: a motorhome built on a bus chassis; also called a bus conversion.
Bunkhouse: an RV with bunkbeds. Sometimes used to describe an RV with lots of sleeping accommodations.
Camper: used to describe someone who camps or a camping vehicle; most commonly applied to truck campers that mount on a pickup truck.
Truck camper: A camping unit that slides into the bed of a pickup truck. Truck campers usually include bed, a dinette, and a galley. Some may have bathroom facilities.
Camper shell: a removable cover over the bed of a pickup; a shell usually does not have any built in components such as cabinets, counters, or appliances like you would find in a truck camper.
Slide-out: a section of an RV that slides out to make additional room inside
Toad: a tow car or dingy towed behind a motorhome.
Campground: A place specially prepared for camping, often with both tent and RV sites, but sometimes only one or the other. It may refer to a formal camping location or a group of campers boondocking in a dispersed camping area.
RV Park: a campground dedicated to RVs. They may or may not allow tent camping on occasion, but are usually focused on RV friendly camp sites and services. There is usually a picnic table and fire pit or fire ring at each site for your personal use. Some sites may have various levels of hookups (water, sewer, electricity, phone, cable TV, Internet access). Sometimes there are shade pavillions at each site or a larger community pavillion for general use. There may also be community restrooms with showers. Some of the larger RV Parks include clubhouses that offer games and social activities.
Back-in Site: an RV camping site designed for you to back your RV into. Sometimes you can pull in instead, but then you have to back out when it is time to leave.
Pull-through: describes a campsite in which the driver can
drive in one side and then out the other without ever having to back
up. Particularly convenient for large trailers and motorhomes towing a
dinghy vehicle.
Primitive campground: A camping area without water, electricity or sewer hookups.
RV/Marine Deep Cycle Battery: a 12-volt battery designed for powering RV lights and appliances. They are designed to accommodate frequent discharge and charging needed for off the grid use. Ordinary automotive starting batteries are designed for the heavy load of turning the engine over and do not stand up to frequent discharge/charge cycles.
6-volt Golf Cart Batteries: as the name implies, they are used to power golf carts, but are often used in series to create 12-volts, replacing RV/Marine Deep Cycle Batteries. Golf cart batteries are even more heavy duty than RV/Marine Deep Cycle Batteries and will deliver more power and last longer. Two 6-volt golf cart batteries wired in series would deliver better performance (i.e., more power and longer life) than two 12-volt Deep Cycle batteries wired in parallel.
Holding tanks: normally refers to the waste water tanks on self-contained recreational vehicles but technically includes the fresh water tank.
Gray water: the waste water from sinks and showers.
Black water: the waste from the toilet. Some RVs also catch water from the shower in the black water tank to minimize filling of the gray water tank and to provide extra liquid to facilitate chemical breakdown of wastes and flushing of the tank.
Fresh water: potable water stored in a tank or supplied by a hose connected to city water.
City Water Connection: an externally mounted female hose connection used to connect an RV to a campground faucet to get fresh water.
Potable water: Water that is fit to drink.
Potable water hose: a hose specifically designed to maintain the integrity of potable water. Similar to a garden hose but they don't leach plastic taste into the water. You should ALWAYS use a potable water hose to provide city water to your RV or fill your RV or water jugs. They are usually white with a blue stripe or light blue in color.
Shore power: electrical power (120 volts AC) supplied to an RV (or boat) via a heavy cable to power on board 120 volt electrical appliances.
Full hookups: Full hookups in an RV campground include electricity, water, and sewer. Many modern campgrounds also include Wifi Internet access.
Dump station: usually a concrete pad or basin connected to a sewer system into which the holding tanks of recreational vehicles are emptied.
Full timers: people who live in their RVs year round.
Part timers: people who use their RVs for more than just weekend outings and vacations but don't live in the full time.
Snowbirds: People who spend the winters in their RVs in warm southern climates.
Caravan: RVs traveling together as a group. The term is also used commonly in England and Europe to describe what is called a camper or travel trailer in the United States.
Cockpit: The area of a motorhome where the driver sits and the controls are located. In a boat it is the open seating area usually at the stern of the boat.
Galley: the kitchen of a recreational vehicle or boat.
Head: the bathroom in a boat or RV and sometimes used to refer to the toilet facilities in a campground. Often it refers to the toilet specifically.
LP Gas: LPG is short for liquified petroleum gas; this gas is used to power the stove, hot water heater, furnace and even the refrigerator in most RVs. Also known as propane but sometimes includes a percentage of butane. The rather offensive odor is added to make it easy to detect and avoid leaks.
Toy-hauler: an RV equipped with an integrated "garage" space to haul Off Highway Vehicles and other motorized or non-motorized "toys" or equipment. Most toy-haulers are travel trailers but there are a few toy-hauler motorhomes as well.
Rig: many RVers refer to their RV (motorhome, camper, or trailer) as their "rig".
Iron ranger: the collection box where you deposit your fees at campgrounds without a human attendant.
Water thief: a device that attaches to an unthreaded faucet via a rubber connector that allows you to temporarily connect a garden hose to the faucet.
Automatic Transfer Switch: an electrical device that automatically connects the output of an RV generator to the breaker panel when the generator is running; normal (default) position connects the shore power cord to the breaker panel. RVs without an Automatic Transfer Switch require the user to plug the shore power cord into a receptacle powered by the generator.
Generator: a portable or on board device that generates 120-volt AC electric power for RVs. On board devices may run on gasoline, diesel, or propane. Portable models usually run on gasoline or propane. On board generators usually have an electric starter so they can be started from inside the vehicle. Portable units usually use a pull starter but may have an optional electric starter. These devices consist of two major components: a motor and a generator. When running, the motor turns the generator which creates electrical power.
Levelers: Electric/hydraulic jacking systems used to level and stabilize an RV. Automatic leveling systems level the RV at the touch of a button; manual controlled systems use a separate switch or lever to manipulate each jack until the vehicle is level.
Stabilizing jacks: jacking or jack stands used to support and stabilize the body of an RV to level and prevent rocking. Some popular versions of permanently installed active stabilizing jacks are scissor jacks, hydraulic jacks, and ratcheting jacks similar to a permanently mounted bumper jack. Portable, pyramid shaped adjustable aluminum jack stands can also be used for stabilizing smaller vehicles like travel trailers. Taller version are available to larger RVs. There is a large bolt like extension on the top that screws up and down to adjust the height. They are mostly used for stabilizing because they don't really have sufficient lifting capacity to raise an RV to level it.
Leveling blocks: originally leveling blocks were usually home made from pieces of dimensional (2" thick) 6" or 8" wide lumber that could be stacked to raise wheels of an RV to level it. Modern versions are often made of plastic and fit together like giant legos. They are lighter and easier to clean than the old wooded blocks. Blocks are placed in front of a wheel that needs to be raised to level a vehicle and then the vehicle is driven up onto the blocks. Some version have chocks to keep from driving too far and to hold the tire in place so it doesn't roll off once it is in place.
For additional details enter "RV glossary" into your favorite search engine.
Managing RV Black Water
Black water is the term used to describe toilet wastes from an RV. Black water isn't really black. It is usually green, blue, or brown, depending on the type and amount of holding tank chemicals -- or lack thereof. Doesn't really matter whether you have a motorhome, travel trailer, truck camper, or van conversion -- the process is pretty much the same. Tent campers usually don't have any black water unless they are using a port-a-potty. Dumping or spilling black water onto the ground is nasty and is NEVER permitted. Black water should only be drained into an approved dump station or pumped into a proper sewer system. The only way to manage black water accumulation in remote areas is to limit filling your black water tank or plan to drive to approved dump stations. That means taking advantage of pit toilets or outdoor latrines as much as possible. When the tank gets full, you'll need to go to a dump station or drain the tank into an approved portable holding tank for temporary storage and subsequent disposal. Dealing with transporting temporary holding tanks any distance to a dump station is cumbersome. Some people find it helpful to use them if the campground has a dump station but no sewer hookups in each site. You can periodically drain black water into the portable holding tank and drag the portable tank to the dump station instead of having to disconnect everything and drive your RV. Some of the larger portable tanks have wheels and are designed to be pulled by a motor vehicle. When boondocking, you will have to either limit filling your holding tanks or take time to drive to an approved dump station before your tank fills. If you wait until the sewage is backing up or the toilet won't flush, you'll have a really nasty mess to deal with.
If you consistently fill your black water tank, you might need to look for a different RV with a larger holding tank. The big Class A rigs we used when the 6 kids were with us had 100 gallon black water tanks. The Class C we downsized to had a 25 gallon black water tank. In some cases, probably rare cases, you might be able to install a larger black water tank on your rig. Available space on most RVs has already been used up one way or another. You might be able to gain some black water capacity if you can sacrifice some exterior storage, but finding room for a second or larger holding tank on most rigs won't be very practical and could be expensive if there is room. If you do modify your black water tank make absolutely sure is is adequately supported so it won't sag or fall out!
Use the right toilet paper. There is a special grade of toilet paper designed for use in RV holding tanks and porta-pottys. While ordinary household paper does the job, it is usually thicker and doesn't break down as easily as RV toilet paper, leading to difficulty dumping the tanks. If you can't get RV toilet paper, use the cheapest, single-ply residential paper you can find. It is likely to break down easier than the fancier, multi-ply brands. Of course, be somewhat selective. Remember the old poem: "Roses are red, violets are blue; Toilet paper's no good If your finger goes through"! Avoid putting facial tissue in the toilet as it doesn't break down well either. Never put paper towels or sanitary napkins in your RV toilet. They are almost sure to cause a clog or get stuck in the tank when dumping. Even "flushable" baby wipes should be avoided. They might be OK in city sewer systems, but not in RV holding tanks!
There is a simple test you can do to see if your toilet paper is suitable for use in an RV or porta-potty. Put couple of sheets of toilet paper in a quart jar, fill it with water, shake it, and let it stand. If the toilet paper breaks down within a few minutes it is OK to use it in your RV or porta-potty. To see what happens with toilet paper that doesn't break down, try the same test with a facial tissue. It will probably retain its structure in the jar of water for days!
The other part of managing black water, besides limiting accumulation and dumping, is controlling odors and facilitating the break down of solid wastes. This is controlled by the use of proper holding tank chemicals and making sure there is adequate liquid in the tank and dumping the tank as needed. RV toilets usually use only about a quart of water or less per flush, compared with 3-5 gallons in a residential toilet so solid wastes can build up in the tank if there isn't enough liquid. Some RVs drain shower water into the black water tank to increase the liquid to solid ratio. If yours does, overfilling the black water tank will result in a very unpleasant and unsanitary back up into your shower! Holding tank chemicals serve two functions: 1) they assist breaking down solids and 2) they control odor. If your holding tank develops foul odors between dumpings you probably need to add more chemicals. You will normally need more chemicals in hot weather than cold. Improper or inadequate dumping of holding tanks can also contribute to bad odors. First of all, the tank needs sufficient liquid to flush out all the solid waste. Normally, with proper chemical treatment, the solids will have begun to break down and will flush out easily. Rinsing the tank after it has been dumped is necessary to ensure no residue is left behind to cause odors. There are several ways to rinse the black water tank. The "old school" method is to use a "wand" attached to a garden hose. The wand is put down through the toilet and is rotated so the jet of water coming out one side sprays around inside the tank to wash away any debris stick to the walls and roof of the tank. Using a wand can be messy if you aren't careful to keep the spray aimed down inside the tank. If you pull it up too high, it will hit the down tube from the toilet and spray back in your face! The water in the wand is probably clean, but what it picks up from the down tube can be nasty. There are back-flushing devices that allow you to attach a garden hose to special connectors on your dump hose. These are usually pretty effective but lack the ability to be aimed all around inside the tank. These nozzles are designed to spray back up inside the tank past the dump valve without washing sewage off the inside of the hose, which can happen if you just run water back through the dump hose. Lacking a backflush adapter you can simply run clean water back into the dump hose until it flushes out the holding tank. The most effective and convenient method uses an "EZ-Flush" system. This is a permanently mounted nozzle in one of the walls of the holding tank that is connected to a female hose connection like the one for your city water hookup. You just hook up the hose and turn on the faucet and let it run until the stuff draining from the dump hose is clear. "Black water" is usually actually blue, green, orange, or brown depending on the type and concentration of chemicals -- or lack thereof! Properly treated black water has a somewhat unpleasant odor but won't smell excessively bad, but inadequately treated waste will be horrific!
Black water tanks are vented through the roof of the RV. Any damage to obstruction of vent will result in unpleasant odors making their way into the interior. Sometimes careless installation of accessories may allow a screw to penetrate the vent pipe and that too can allow odors to enter,
A cool idea. If you suspect solid wastes are building up in your black water tank (e.g., the sensors read full or you can see a pile of stuff in the tank when you flush the toilet even after you've just dumped the tank) you might try dumping some ice cubes and water down the toilet and driving around. Be sure to add plenty of water. You want enough so the water and ice cubes will slosh around and loosen stubborn deposits while you drive. The ice will help scour and loosen deposits but will then simply melt and flush out without leaving any additional solids behind.
Another suggestion for keeping the black water tank clean is to add some fabric softener to the black water tank after you've dumped and rinsed it the first time along with some clean water. Then drive around for a while to mix the softener and slosh it all over the inside of the tank. It is said to help keep stuff from sticking to the walls of the tank as well as mitigating odors.
You might get odors from your holding tanks while driving. This is usually caused by a partial vacuum inside the coach generated by an open window. It may also be caused by a clogged vent (birds and other pests sometimes build nests inside the vent caps on the roof) or a damaged vent pipe. If the odors are strongest inside a kitchen cabinet the problem may be a faulty vacuum breaker. This is a device in the gray water plumbing that prevents the water seal in the P-traps being siphoned out when the tanks are dumped. Sometimes tapping the device lightly will release a stuck valve, but don't hit it too hard. It is made of plastic and if you break it you'll have far worse problems than bad odors. You can usually distinguish whether the odors are coming from the gray water or black water tank. Black water tank odors are more pungent and usually come from the toilet (perhaps the shower if the shower drains into the black water tank). Gray water odors will be more musty or smell like dirty dishwater and usually come up through a sink drain or escape through a faulty vacuum breaker inside a cabinet. A faulty vacuum breaker won't release black water tank odors into your RV. If your shower drains into the black water tank, make sure there is water in the P-trap to avoid odors from entering your rig. If the shower hasn't been used in a while, run a cup or two of water down the drain to fill the P-trap. If you overfill the black water tank it may back up into the shower, creating a REALLY nasty, smelly mess!
A common cause of sewer odors in RVs is a plugged vent pipe. Holding tanks are vented via pipes through the roof. If the vent or the pipe gets plugged, odors will build up in the tank and seep into the living space. If you experience persistent sewer odors in your RV, remove the vent caps and inspect and flush the pipes to make sure they are clear. Loss of a water seal in the P-traps of the sink and shower drains can allow odors to enter through the drains. Water may be lost during ascending or descending steep slopes or negotiating sharp turns or on rough roads. Simple adding a cup or two of water down each drain will solve this problem -- until violent movement empties them again.
Dumping of holding tanks is one of the least appealing tasks associated with owning an RV. Many people find it revolting, but done right it doesn't have to be. Proper dumping requires a good dump hose and a proper dump station. Most dumping of holding tanks is done using gravity only using a 3" dump hose but there are pumping systems, called maserators, that grind solid waste and pump it out through a 1" garden hose. This allows you to pump waste uphill and, if you don't have access to a proper dump station, you might be able to pump waste into a toilet or through a clean-out plug on your home sewer system. Periodically check your sewer dump hose to make sure it hasn't developed loose connections or leaks. The hose may wear through while in bouncing around in storage, so be sure to check it out BEFORE you need to use it. Cap one end and raise the other end about chest height and fill the hose with clear water. If there are any worn spots you should see little sprays or drips of water. If you do, replace the hose before dumping your tanks or you'll have a nasty mess to clean up. Sewer hoses come in different thickness or grades. The heavier or sturdier the hose, the longer it will last and the less likely it will leak. Lighter weight hoses are often much less expensive and will do the job (for a while), but plan on replacing them more often. Properly designed black water systems should drain completed through the dump valves but you may need to raise the side of some RVs opposite the dump valve to ensure complete flushing. Locate the dump valves and position the vehicle so the dump valves are in line with the dump station and so that the dump station is within reach of your dump hose. Some people carry extra lengths of hose and connectors to tie them together in case they can't get close enough to the dump station. Most dump stations are designed so you can get the RV very close and the most common use of extended sewer connections is for use with full hookups when the dump port isn't near the position of the dump valves when the vehicle is parked in the site.
Proper dumping and cleaning of holding tanks can help keep the sensors clean so you get accurate readings on you gauges on the monitor panel inside. If your monitor doesn't seem to be working correctly the sensors are probably contaminated. A thorough rinsing of the tank might help correct the problem. You might find special chemicals for cleaning the sensors at your favorite RV supply store.
Porta-pottys and other portable toilets require about the same procedures as RV black water tanks. They will need to be properly dumped and flushed regularly and treated with appropriate chemicals to control odors and break down wastes.
Black water systems are subject to freezing when the temperature drops below 32° F. Depending on the concentration of chemicals and biological contaminants, the freeze point might be a little lower, but protecting it at 32°or less should always be safe. If your dump valves are in an enclosed cabinet, leaving a 100 watt incandescent light bulb burning may be enough to keep them from freezing. Since 100 watt incandescent bulbs are being phased out, you may have to settle for a 60 or 75 watt bulb. Or use a bulb for a heat lamp or get a reptile warming light from a pet store. If your valves are exposed you'll need heat tape and/or antifreeze to protect them. Adding RV antifreeze to the black water tank may prevent it from freezing solid and splitting the plumbing or the tank. Check with your local RV shop to determine how much antifreeze you need for the size of your tanks. A gallon should usually be enough added to an empty tank to fill and protect the valves, but you may need a lot more to protect the entire tank if you're using the RV in sub-freezing weather. The chemicals and waste products in "black" water may lower the freezing point some, but I'd rather not risk having the tanks freeze. Clean water freezes a 32°F; chemicals and other contaminants may lower the freeze point some. If a tank or pipes freezes and splits you're going to have a very, very nasty mess in and/or under your RV when it warms up! Exposed drain pipes are even more susceptible to freezing and need to be protected with heat tape or antifreeze if the RV is used in freezing weather.
One of the most important keys to keeping black water tanks functioning properly is appropriate use and regular, thorough dumping and cleaning. Appropriate use includes using the right toilet paper, avoiding putting clog-inducing materials (diapers, sanitary napkins, paper towels) in the toilet, and using the right amount of water when flushing. When boondocking you want to minimize your water usage, but using too little water to flush will result in solid waste buildup that will inhibit dumping and create nasty odors so you need to learn how to balance usage for best results.
Flush it!
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