Planning for the Unplanned When Camping, Boating, and RVing

How can you plan for the unplanned?   Isn't that a paradox?  Yes and no.  Obviously, if you know what's coming and plan for it, it isn't unplanned.  So exactly how you possibly plan for the unplanned and why should you?

Planning for the unplanned means taking appropriate steps so you'll be able to deal with emergencies or other unexpected situations or take advantage of opportunities for spontaneous outings and activities.  To plan for the unplanned you have to have some idea of what unplanned events you might encounter.  Emergencies at home might include natural disasters, like earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, winter storms, and power outages. Emergencies while camping might involve some of the same situations but are more likely to consist of getting lost, having mechanical problems with your equipment, or perhaps illness or injuries in camp or on the trail.  Sometimes running out of essential provisions creates a mini-crisis.  I know some guys who would consider it an emergency if they run out of beer or chips and dip, but real emergency will involve dangerous or life-threatening situations.  But being properly prepared has other uses too!.  Having everything ready to go will let you take off quickly or a weekend when you need a break.

Basic emergency preparations are comprised of training, equipment, and provisions.   I list training first because I think it is the most important.  For one thing, good training will help you know what equipment and provisions you will need and how to store them and what to do with them.  For another, knowing what to do will allow you to take control and make the best use of whatever resources you do have.  Without training, even the most sophisticated equipment will be of little use. As an extreme example, a CAT scan device is a very useful medical tool, but most of us would have no idea how to use it let alone interpret the results.   Today you see AED devices in many public places, but few people know how to use them.  I certainly didn't until I became certified as a Red Cross Professional Rescuer.  First aid and CPR training should be at the top of everyone's list.  You are very likely to have several chances to practice minor first aid while camping and participating in related activities.  It isn't that these activities are inherently dangerous, it is more that we are unaccustomed to doing them on a regular basis and are, therefore, more likely to have an accident. Your chance of needing CPR skills is probably greater if you are involved in aquatic endeavors, but it is always a good skill to have and may be needed if you come upon an auto accident on the highway or an OHV or equestrian accident out on the trails.

The next major training I suggest is Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.) training.   By now you may be getting tired of me promoting C.E.R.T. but I don't think I could ever say too much about its value.  Public emergency services are going to be overwhelmed in just about any large scale disaster and your very life or the lives or your family and/or your neighbors may depend on knowing what do to until emergency services are restored -- which could take several weeks in many cases. C.E.R.T teaches you how to size up a situation and gives you guidelines for light search and rescue, medical triage, even what to do if hazardous materials are involved.

Wilderness survival skills are another set of useful tools for emergency situations.  They are especially pertinent to emergencies on the trail but can also be useful in camp and even at home during a disaster.  Knowing how to start a fire without matches is an essential survival skill.   A flint and steel or anything that will create sparks can be used.  The old "rubbing two sticks together" and variations like a bow drill or a fire plow works, but is a LOT of work and you may be inclined to give up long before you succeed.   Flint and steel has several advantages over matches.  For one, it can be used over and over again.  For another, it is unaffected by water, as long as you have dry tinder (or magnesium shavings).   Other basic survival skills you may need include building a shelter and purifying water.  Identifying edible and medicinal plants would also be helpful in longer situations.  Be aware that your most important survival tool is your brain.  Keep calm, identify potential problems, and devise possible solutions using the resources you have at hand.

Having the right equipment follows getting good training.  In addition to a first aid kit you might need a back board for transporting victims of a disaster.   Pocket first aid kits are good for everyone in your group to carry to deal with simple injuries but you should have a bigger, more comprehensive kit at your base camp to handle more serious situations.  Beyond immediate first aid needs, you may need to have equipment and supplies to help sustain you and your family for an extended period of time if utilities and public services are out of commission.   Think about the basic things you need to survive: shelter, food, and water.   Your camping equipment, RV and/or tents, may provide emergency shelter if you home becomes uninhabitable.   Tent heaters and camp stoves and help keep you warm, cook your food, and sterilize medical supplies.   Camp lanterns can provide light when the power is off.

Emergency provisions that you need will depend upon the number of people you need to take care of, together with any special dietary needs or allergies, and personal preferences.  I once heard a survivalist say a single jar of peanut butter would last him more than a year.  Why?  Because he hated peanut butter and wouldn't eat it!   If you are going to store food for emergencies, store food you will eat and know how to prepare what you store.   Having 2,000 pounds of wheat won't do you much good if you don't know how to turn it into palatable meals.   Water supplies may be cut off during a crisis so you need to consider how to find or store water.  Lacking any formal storage containers, you can dip water from the toilet tank (not the bowl!) and drain water from your hot water heater.   RVs don't have toilet tanks but they do have water heaters.  Knowing how to purify water and having the necessary equipment to do so will allow you to make use of water from lakes and,  or in an  urban situation, even from puddles and gutters.   You can also use untreated water to flush your residential toilets.  Just dump a bucket of water into the toilet tank for each flush.  You can flush RV toilets by dumping water directly into the bowl if you have no direct water supply.  You should also stock medical supplies.   Pharmacies not be functioning during an emergency so you should keep at least a month's supply of prescription medications on hand if possible.   Current laws may make it difficult or even impossible to stockpile many prescription medications.  Having a variety of Over The Counter pain killers, stomach remedies, antiseptics, dressings and bandages is often the key to relieving suffering.  In a long term disaster situation antibiotics may be essential to survival.  While regulations may prevent you from stockpiling antibiotics, you may be able to purchase veterinary medications that could be used in an emergency.  For example, a product called Fish Mox is virtually identical to amoxycillin and readily available without a prescription.  If you choose to stock antibiotics, be sure to learn why, when, and how to use them.

Carrying tools and spare parts is also a good way to plan for the unplanned.  Having the means to make repairs in camp or on the trail can mean the difference between a minor inconvenience and a lost weekend.  Once again though, the best tool kit in the world will be of little use if you don't know how to use it.  So, if you aren't comfortable with your mechanical skills, get some training.

Maintaining a good supply of medicines and first aid supplies protects you from a lot of suffering and discomfort.   Most of us don't plan to get sick or hurt but minor illnesses and injuries can crop up anytime, even on otherwise ordinary and successful trips.  Having the right OTC medications on hand for headaches and routine digestive problems is always a good idea.  Some cold and flu medication may allow you to continue to enjoy your outing with less discomfort than just waiting it out. Bandaids, dressings, bandages, and antiseptics should be stocked to deal with minor injuries.   Keep your first aid certification up to date.  It helps you maintain your knowledge and skills so they'll be functional when you need them.

Having your RV and/or camping gear always clean, up to date, and ready to go will allow you to take a quick weekend trip when you need a break or accept an invitation from friends or family to join them on short notice.   During the normal camping season when you don't have to worry about freeze protection you can keep your fresh water tanks filled so all you have to do is pack some perishable provisions and hit the road.  Keep all your camping and recreational equipment in good repair, readily accessible, and ready to use.

Stock your RV, camp kit, or boat with basic survival supplies.  Having some extra survival food and water is a good idea, but what is probably more important is to have the tools (and knowledge) you will need to survive if you find yourself stranded somewhere.  A broken down RV or OHV or a boat blown off course could leave you in an unexpected and difficult situation where being able to survive until you are rescued could mean the difference between life and death!

Plan for the unplanned!

A "Typical" Camping Trip

Is there really such a thing as a typical camping trip? Not really. Many times, each and every trip is a unique experience. For the sake of argument, lets take an example of what a fictitious, pretty routine family camping trip might be like.

A More or Less Typical Camping Trip might be a family trip to a local campground or state park. Popular places may require advance reservations. Plan your departure so you arrive in camp before dark. It is much easier to find your space and set up camp if you can see where you're going, especially if its your first time going there! You can spend your weekend in your tent or or RV. Both offer pleasant, albeit different, camping experiences.

Set up your camp as soon as you arrive in your spot. Park and level your RV and make any connections to camp hookups that might be available. If you're tent camping, clear a spot and set up your tent. If you have a canopy or dining fly, set it up.  If you have an RV with an awning, open the awning and lay out your awning mat. Get out your camp chairs and arrange them under your awning or canopy or around your fire pit. Set up any other equipment, such as dining flys, umbrellas, and camp kitchens. Prepare your fire pit so it will be ready to light when the time comes.

Your first time out with your family, you make get some resistance from the kids. Little Johnny may complain about being deprived of his favorite video games and your teenage daughter is likely to be pining for her boyfriend and her cell phone. They may even make a valiant attempt to convince you that taking them camping constitutes child abuse! But don't give in. Eventually they will come to enjoy your camping trips, especially if they include OHV or other fun and exciting adventures! At least that's how it worked for us. Dirt biking proved to be an excellent family activity, one that met the needs of 4 boys and 2 girls with a fourteen year age spread. Whatever you choose for activities, try to make them interesting and rewarding for the kids. Camping can give you chances for one-on-one time with your kids that is often very hard to arrange at home. Before you know it you'll all look forward to your camping trips as treasured family time.  Try to find out what they would like to do.  You may be perfectly happy playing Jermiah Johnson for the weekend, but they might prefer swimming, hiking, or OHV activities.

Plan your menus ahead of time and purchase appropriate provisions for all meals. Keep meals simple. Cold cereal is always an easy breakfast. Switch to hot cereal during cool months (use instant hot cereals if you have a microwave and power to run it or just boil a pot of water on the camp fire). We sometimes get lazy and bring donuts or breakfast pastries for the first breakfast in camp. Sandwiches or hotdogs make good lunches. Add some chips and deli salad, some BBQ beans, and a soft drink and you've got a pretty satisfying afternoon repast. Plan on making dinner a little more of an event. Hamburgers grilled on the campfire is always something of an adventure and gives them a special camp flavor. If its within your budget, fire up some steaks and bake some spuds in the coals. However, I probably wouldn't plan on grilling burgers or making ash cakes if my fire consisted of dry cow patties or buffalo chips although American pioneers and Native Americans cooked many a meal on buffalo chips! Oak, hickory, pine, or cedar make a far more appetizing cooking fire. By the way, cow patties or buffalo chips are mostly just undigested grass so they're not as gross as you might think.

Plan some simple afternoon activities your family enjoys. A little flag football, soccer, softball or just tossing a frisbee around can be done pretty much anywhere you have a little open space. Easy nature hikes can be fun, relaxing, and educational. Bike rides are good exercise and you can cover more ground than walking.  Riding your OHV is always a fun thing to do.   If you are camping near a lake or stream you may be able to go swimming or fishing.  In remote areas where shooting is approved, a little skeet shooting can be fun.  Just make sure you have a safe backstop and keep other campers out of your "shooting range".

Have a campfire. Campfires are the very heart of camping. You can sit around and swap stories, get out your guitar and have a sing-a-long, or just sit and enjoy watching the dancing of the flames.

Star gazing is often much better in camping locations than at home, especially if you live in the city or the suburbs where light pollution hides much of the night sky. Desert or beach camping gives you the best view of the sky.  Mountain and forest sites often have obstacles that limit your view. Just looking at the stars can be fascinating, but I find it even more fun to be able to locate and identify specific constellations. Sometimes, with a little practice, you can even locate planets. A small telescope may give you a better view of planets. Even binoculars can bring the moon in closer. Be careful using any kind of optics to look at the moon. Remember, what you are seeing is reflected sunlight and through just about any kind of magnifying optics it is bright enough to hurt your eyes. You may need a filter to cut it down enough to be able to see things clearly and comfortably. Star gazing is especially good during desert or beach outings. Too often trees get in the way when you're camped in the forest.

Enjoy a good night's sleep. Most campers will be fairly tired by the end of the day, having engaged in more physical activity than many people normally get. Being away from the stress of modern living can make you more relaxed that you are at home but you will be in a strange environment so you may need to be prepared to make some adjustments and get used to unfamiliar sounds and smells.

Repeat for as many days as you are able to devote to the trip. Keep things fresh by varying your activities and your menus.

Plan for appropriate indoor activities in bad weather. We always bring an assortment of favorite movies on our RV trips. I like to include subjects that may be relevant to the outing so we don't depart TOO far from the planned experience. Since we are dirt bikers and most of our outings are dirt bike outings, it isn't too surprising that the base set of DVDs in our motorhome are dirt bike related.

When it comes time to go home give yourself enough time to break camp and drive home without breaking a sweat. Choose a departure time that will avoid traffic if possible.   Disconnect your RV and retract any leveling devices. Gather up your equipment and properly stow it for the trip home. Police your site to make sure you have gathered up your stuff AND all your trash. Schedule your departure so you can reach home comfortably at a reasonable hour and, if possible, avoid heavy traffic that could spoil your relaxation.  Then go through your post-trip checklist and get everything put away safely  to await your next trip.

Camp out!

Finish The Job

Given the myriad tasks associated with various aspects of camping it is all too easy to get distracted and jump from task to task without getting anything completely done.  However, doing so wastes time and often introduces opportunities for parts to get lost or misplaced or for additional damage to occur to equipment under repair.  If we aren't careful, we end up with dozens of partly done tasks and nothing completed!

Cleaning up a campsite at the end of an outing is all too often ignored.  People who are ordinarily quite tidy sometimes become careless when camping.  Don't be one of them.  First of all, control your trash through out your stay so your campsite is always neat and clean.  It will be a lot more enjoyable and cleaning up when you leave won't be a big job.  So finishing the job at the end of an outing means cleaning up after yourself as well as packing up and going home.  I was once very amused by a clever forest ranger who collected a large box of identifiable trash left behind by particular family.  He sent them a letter advising them the had left something behind and it would be arriving C.O.D.  Thinking it might have been something valuable, the family paid the C.O.D. charges and accepted the package.  I would loved to have seen their faces when they found the box filled with the trash they left behind instead of the valuables they expected to find!

Organize your time and resources to make best use of both.  Start by making a list of all the tasks you need to get done.  Then group similar or related tasks together so you can combine the use of tools and materials when possible.  I like to start with tasks that I'm sure I have the time, the materials, and the knowledge to complete without interruption.   If you jump into something you don't understand, you may very well discover you don't have the tools or the materials or the time to complete the task.  That means setting it aside while you you obtain the necessary items and that is often when things get lost or damaged.  Given a list of things you can do, start with the easiest task first.  It is usually easier to "get going" if the task isn't too daunting. S uccessfully completing a task helps boost your confidence and give you momentum for the remaining tasks.  Once you have completed the easiest task from your original list, pick the easiest task from the remaining list. Starting on a very difficult task can be discouraging and, if you run into problems, may suck up ALL the time you have and you may end up not getting ANYTHING done.

Complete each task before starting a new one.   That means cleaning up any mess you've made and putting away the tools you used.  If you know for sure you're going to use specific tools on the next task, its OK to move them to the next work area, but don't leave them lying around at the end of a task.  Tools left out tend to get lost.   I'd rather spend a few minutes putting things away where they belong so I can find them when I need them next rather than come looking for them during the next task.  It is way too easy to ignore little things, like sweeping up sawdust and disposing of trash.   Don't allow yourself to fall into that trap.   Those little things accumulate and before you know it, you have a whole new list of tasks.  I believe most of us have enough things to do that we don't need to make unnecessary work for ourselves.

When you have a list of things to do, stick to the list and finish each task in turn.  It is all to common to start on a task and get distracted and go do something else.  This is a bad habit to get into.  It quickly escalates.  You go off to do the thing that distracted you and get distracted again.  When you allow yourself to fall into this trap, you can use up all the time you have to get things done and find that you haven't gotten anything done!  You need to start with a reasonable list and stick to the list.  If you allow yourself to get distracted, even once, you have set a pattern that will likely repeat itself ad infinitum.  If you discover additional tasks that need to be done, add them to the list rather than running after them and losing your momentum on completing the tasks on your original list.

One of the greatest risks of not completing a task once you've started it is that it may never get done.  Having done "most of it" you may mentally cross it off your list or you may simply forget what remained to be completed.  If it is interrupted due to lack of tools or parts, it may be some time before your get what you need to finish the job.  By then you may have a whole new list of things to do.  All too often, parts or tools you need will disappear by the time you get around to completing the job, adding a lot of unnecessary frustrating and additional delay and expense.  It is very frustrating and a great time waster when you return to a delayed task and discover you don't remember where you were, where  you put things, or what you needed to do next!

With modern cell phone technology we can easily take photos of our projects.  "Before" photos can be very helpful when attempting to complete a delayed project.  If you must delay a project, document where things are and what remains to be done, including photos if practical.

There's nothing worse than getting to the end of the day and looking back on having accomplished nothing.  On the other hand, it is very satisfying to be able to cross off the list of things you got done and look back on a job well done!

Get 'er done!

Campfires In/On Snow

Why would anyone want to build a campfire in the snow?  To get warm of course.   But why not just go inside where it is warm instead of sitting out there in the snow?   Some people enjoy snow camping and other winter sports like snowmobiling, skiing, snow boarding and ice fishing but most campers wouldn't consider snow an asset.   Alternatively, you might get an unexpected snow storm during a camping trip or you might find your self in a disaster situation in the winter.  In any case, if you're out in the snow, a nice warm fire on a snowy day will no doubt be a welcome sight, perhaps the high light of your day.  In a winter disaster, it might even be life saving.  But there are some special circumstances you need to consider when building a fire in or on snow.

First, if you build you fire on top of packed snow, the heat will melt the snow beneath and around the fire.   If the snow isn't very deep that won't be too much of a problem.  But, if you are on deep snow pack, your fire will sink into the snow and drown in melting snow.   Dig down to the earth below, or, if the snow pack is too deep for that, build a platform of rocks or green logs on top of the snow and use that as a foundation for your fire.  If you must use logs, use large, green log to reduce the chance of them becoming additional fuel for the fire.  Wet logs pulled from a stream or lake would be even less likely to ignite.  An even better solution is a metal pan of some sort, like an old car hood or a large water trough or wash tub, if you can scare one up.  The heat from the fire will probably at least partially melt the snow for several feet around the fire, even if it is on a metal pad, turning into a slush pit.  You may need to add some rocks, branches, or chunks of firewood around your fire pit to serve as stepping stones to keep your feet out of the the slush.

Your second major concern is building a fire under trees.   It is always nice to have as much overhead protection from the elements as we can get when we're camping- shade in summer, protection from rain and snow in other seasons.  But building a fire under snow-covered trees is an invitation to failure and nasty surprises.   As heat rises from the fire it will melt and loosen snow accumulated in the branches.  The snow then falls on you and/or your fire, neither of which contributes to your comfort or the success of your fire.  Try to find a spot where there isn't very much snow overhead or get a long branch and try to knock down as much snow before you set up your fire.

Portable fire pits, like my favorite "R2D2" (which is an old washing machine tub), can be used, but unless they are set up on rocks or logs they too will melt into the snow like an open fire, but maybe not as fast.  Using a portable metal fire pit will reduce the chance of your fire igniting a log platform.  I have a leg I can use on my "R2D2" to raise it about 4-6" off the ground.   I haven't tried using it on snowpack, but I expect the heat from the fire will still melt snow beneath the unit since it makes a very good "toe toaster" to get your feet warm, which is one reason I built the leg in the first place.  I have used it with snow all around it and it quickly melted all the snow with about a foot or so of the tub.  My "R2D2" is an old washing machine tub with a center pipe for the agitator.   The center pipe gets in the way of adding large pieces of wood, but it provides a sleeve where I can insert a cut down RV table leg which then fits into a commercially available RV table tripod to lift it a few inches off the ground.  A piece of pipe fastened to an 18" BBQ grill inserted in the top turns the whole thing into a convenient cooking appliance.

If your firewood is exposed to the snow, make sure you brush off as much snow as you can before adding it to your fire.  Large clumps of snow falling from armloads of new but snowy firewood might put your fire out or at least dampen it.   Keep your firewood protected if you can.  Store it in or under a vehicle or cover it with a tarp to keep it out of rain and snow.  Snow on firewood will melt quickly and make it harder for newly added wood to light.  If there is enough snow it can at least partially put out your fire!

On particularly cold days you might want to build more than one fire so you can warm both sides of your body at the same time.  Building a really big fire still only warms one side of your body while it wastes fuel and probably creates unnecessary slush and air pollution.  A couple of smaller fires, or a ring of smaller fires, might work better at keeping you and your companions warm.  Keep an eye on the area between fires as the combined heat will take its toll on the snow and you may soon be sitting or standing in cold puddles.   Overnight those cold puddles will freeze and you could have a serious slip/fall hazard.

Heat from campfires may melt surrounding snow and frozen ground, making it slushy or muddy near the fire.  About all you can do about this is put down something to walk on, find a better place for your fire -- or give up on your fire.  An ideal place to build a fire is on exposed rock, but you can't always find rocky outcroppings.   If you put down something to walk on, try to find something that isn't easily combustible.  Do not use straw, hay, dry grass, or dry pine boughs or anything else that could be easily ignited by sparks or embers from the fire.  If the snow around your fire is deep enough, you could get enough run off from melting snow to drown your fire in addition to making a cold, nasty mess to stand in near your fire.

If it is actively snowing, you will probably want to build a bigger fire than you normally would. Falling snow will have a dampening affect on your fire and you'll need a bigger fire to compensate. Of course, if it is actively snowing, you'll probably want to find shelter from the storm instead of standing out in it around an open campfire.  In this case, you may want to build a large fire in front of a cave, lean to, or other open shelter with a reflector behind it so you can benefit from the heat yet stay out of the falling snow.  Be careful about building a fire in a cave.  Depending on wind direction and speed you may get a lot of smoke inside the cave or the fire may use up your oxygen.  The heat from the fire may cause the rocks that make up the cave to crack as they warm up and conflict with the cold around them.  This could cause pieces to break off and fall on you or could even cause a cave-in!  If you hear cracking sounds in the rock, bank your fire and get out of the cave before it starts to fall on you.  A safer way to heat a cave is to build a fire outside with a reflecting wall behind it so you get some warmth inside for your comfort without stressing the structure itself.  You might also heat some soccer ball sized stones in the fire and roll them into your shelter to serve as radiators to warm the interior.  Just make sure they aren't against anything combustible.  Smaller, softball sized stones make good foot warmers in you sleeping bag too.  Be extra careful putting hot rocks into tents or sleeping bags.  If they are TOO hot they may scorch, burn or even set the tent or sleeping bag on fire!

Heat from your fire may turn snow on your clothing into water.  A lot of winter clothing that is very warm in the snow isn't necessarily waterproof, so melting snow may quickly cause your once warm winter clothes to get soaked and you'll soon be freezing.   Melting that snow into your coat will quickly defeat the benefits of being close to a fire.  You may need to use the fire to dry out your clothes after it has melted the snow and gotten them wet.  It is a good idea to bring along alternate clothing so you have something dry to change into if you get wet.  Try to brush snow off your clothes before it has time to melt or find some shelter to keep snow off your clothes.  Brush off as much snow as you can before you approach your fire or go into a warm place.

Stay warm!

Snow Loads

This time of the year (December) seems like a good time to talk about snow loads.   I am not talking about the questionable stories told around campfires although there are usually plenty of that!   Snow loads you need to be concerned about would be the weight of snow on the roof of your RV, on your tent, (if you go winter camping or store your RV outside) or on a storage area for your RV or camping equipment.  Of course, if you live or winter in the sunbelt, you don't have to worry about snow or snow loads.  Snow loads on residential buildings are usually taken into consideration in the design and construction but if you get an unusually large amount of snow for your area they may be of some concern.

Water weights about 8 lbs per gallon and there is about 7.5 gallons of water in a cubic foot, making water around 62 lbs per cubic foot.   Snow is frozen water.  The weight of snow varies a lot, depending on whether it is light and fluffy, wet, or packed.  Light, fluffy snow may be around 7 lbs per cubic foot.  More average snow is around 15 lbs per cubic foot but drifted and compacted snow can easily hit 20 lbs. That means a foot of light fluffy snow on the roof of your RV will weigh about 7 lbs on each square foot of roof.   Wet or packed snow could weight 20 lbs per foot. What does that mean?  Assume you have modest, 25' RV. With a width of about 8', that's 200 square feet.   Just fluffy snow a foot deep over the whole area would weigh 1400 pounds!!  Drifted and compacted snow could put 2 tons (4000 lbs) of weight on your roof!  Not only might that begin to stress the structural integrity of the roof itself, it could put pressure on other components from load bearing walls to suspension and tires.  Imagine driving with 2 tons of extra weight up that high!   That would significantly raise the center of gravity, screw up handling, and increase the risk of roll over.   I estimated the weight of snow on the roof of my 11 1/2' slide-in camper at more than 1200#  resulting in some saved in roof panels before I could shovel it off.  I've heard of snow build up in mountain areas sufficient to pop the tires on travel trailers left out in the winter weather.

If your RV is stored in a shed, carport, or garage, the RV should be safe but the snow load on the structure may be of some concern.  If the weight exceeds the roof capacity, the whole thing could come crashing down on your RV.   So even if your RV is normally protected against the elements, you will want to monitor the accumulation of snow on the roof of your storage facility and may need to take steps to remove the snow periodically.  Steep roofs, like those on alpine structures, allow snow to slip off, but lesser slopes, quite common on garages, barns, sheds and carports, can allow significant snow accumulation and you may have to manually remove it to prevent damage.  Walmart ran into some problems when they built stores in the snow belt along the East Coast based on the same flat roof design they used in Arizona and California where they didn't have to worry about snow.

Clearing snow from your RV roof can be kind of tricky.  The best way to do it is from a sturdy ladder alongside your RV.  Climbing up on the roof subjects you to many hazards.  The obstacles (vents, lights, antennas, racks, etc.) may be hidden in the snow.  You may damage them inadvertently trying to shovel or sweep the snow off the roof.  Or you might trip over them and fall.  That snowy RV roof is also very slippery.  It is a long way to the ground and even if you land in soft snow, its going to hurt!  For added stability, have someone steady the ladder.  If you don't have someone to steady the ladder, never put an A-frame ladder so the steps are perpendicular to the side of your RV. Your efforts to push the snow off the roof may push the ladder over.   Place it so the steps are parallel to the side of the unit or lean it against the RV for maximum stability.  You still need to exercise caution because you could push yourself off the ladder, but at least the ladder will be less likely to tip and dump you on the ground.   Another tip: don't wait for the snow to get too deep before clearing it off.  You can sweep 3-4" of snow off the roof with a broom unless it is excessively wet or has partially melted and frozen to the surface.  Deeper amounts become harder to remove, requiring more effort and increasing the risk of a nasty fall or damaging components buried in the snow.   Removing it quickly also reduces the chances of it freezing to the roof surface.   Clear snow after each storm. Letting it sit will give a chance to get solid and to stick to the roof.  Plus, the accumulation from the next storm will add a lot of weight.  Even it it doesn't do any major structural damage, it may begin to cave in the roof between the rafters and loosen seams. If you live where you get 1 foot or more of snow at at time and your RV is left outside, consider laying plywood or OSB panels on the roof.  It will more evenly distribute the load and give you something to scrape the snow off of instead of running the risk of damaging your roof itself.   Rubber and fiberglass roofs may crack when you walk on them it it gets cold enough.   Metal roofs won't crack but you may loosen the seams.  Try not to walk on the unsupported spaces between the seams of a metal roof.  Doing so can cave in the roof and separate the seams.

Snow can sometimes get deep enough on other vehicle roofs to cave them in.  The smaller area, somewhat curved shape, and closely spaced supports beneath the roof of most cars and trucks makes them less susceptible than RV roofs, but it can still happen.   And, of course, if you don't clear the snow you have to contend with the added weight and shift of center of gravity, neither of which improve handling on slick roads.  For example, a foot of snow on a 4'x4' pickup roof could weigh from 100 to 300 pounds.   Besides that, deep accumulations on the roof can dislodge and impair visibility while driving, so brush the snow off your vehicle roof before hitting the road.  Snow blowing off your vehicle could be considered an unsafe load and you could be held liable for damages if it causes an accident.

Snow can accumulate on tents when you're winter camping, quickly exceeding the load rating of the poles and the fabric.  Once again, your best bet is to remove the snow as quickly as possible to avoid damage.  It would definitely not be nice to have your tent collapse on you and bury you in a foot or more of snow!  In addition to the threat of being crushed or at least bruised by the collapsing snow load, damaged tent poles could become spears that inflict serious injury.  Sometimes you can simply slap the tent from the inside from time to time to knock the snow off before it gets too thick.   If you allow a couple of inches of snow to accumulate, there is a strong possibility that warmth from inside the tent will melt the snow next to the fabric and then cold outside temperatures and dropping temperatures inside will cause it to freeze, binding the snow tightly to your tent and making it very difficult to remove.   Brush off as much snow as you can with a brush, broom, or pine bough, then bang the inside of the tent to loosen any ice.  It may be very difficult to monitor snow accumulation at night, especially if you're lucky enough to be able to sleep during the storm.  Any shelter you can make use of to reduce the snow accumulation will help.   Be very cautious about setting up your tent under trees.  Snow will accumulate in the branches and may be dislodged and fall on your tent -- or you! -- with disastrous results.  Snow may be knocked loose by wind, by its own weight, or loosened by heat rising from a stove or campfire, or maybe even from your own body heat escaping from your tent.  Double wall tents will generally fare better in snowy conditions but you'll still need to keep the rain fly cleared of snow.  Using a tarp over any tent and then frequently shaking the snow off of it is a fairly easy way to avoid snow accumulation.

Boats stored outside are also subject to snow loading.  You will want to monitor snow build up on your boat or boat cover and clear it off before it causes any damage.

Snow drifts are created by the wind shifting snow around.  Snow is picked up by strong winds and deposited wherever there is a windbreak that slows the wind.   Drifted snow can be very beautiful, almost like it had been sculpted by an artist, but drifts can also present significant vehicle hazards. I've seen 4WD vehicles stuck in the snow because it was deep enough that the vehicle undercarriage "floated" on the snow and couldn't get any traction.  Hitting a deep drift at any significant speed can be about like running into a brick wall.  Snow drifts do have one good quality:   they make a good source for cutting snow blocks to build an igloo or a good place to dig a snow cave or snow trench for shelter in a survival situation.

If you're going to be staying in the snow for more than a day or so, without heat, it might be better to build an igloo than to stay in your tent.  A foot of snow provides as much insulation against the outside temperatures as the R-13 fiberglass insulation in the walls of your home.   Building an igloo is not easy and it may take several tries before you can get the right shaped dome to be self sustaining.  Even Les Stroud (Survivorman) had trouble.  You need pretty well packed snow for your building blocks.  If the snow is loose or not deep enough to cut building blocks, you may be able to build an igloo by rolling basket-ball sized snow balls and stacking them in the shape of a dome.  Pack snow between the balls to create a solid dome large enough for you and your companions.  Then cut some sticks about 2' long and push them into the dome all over about 8-12" apart.   Then dig into the dome and hollow it out until you reach the ends of the sticks.   Make your opening on the downwind side of your igloo.  Hang a heavy blanket over the "door" or roll a snowball big enough to close it off. You will want to leave some ventilation so you don't suffocate but you don't want any strong breezes getting in.  If you use any kind of combustion inside for heat or light you should make a small opening toward the top of the dome to allow smoke and fumes to escape.   The opening should be a little on the downwind side of the roof so wind doesn't drive snow and cold air into it and the wind passing over it will help draw bad air out. You'll also need at least one low vent (usually the entrance) to allow fresh air to enter.

Like most situations in life, surviving a snow storm can be done -- if you are properly prepared and take appropriate measures to protect yourself and your family and equipment.

Let it snow!

RV Winter Maintenance

It would be nice if we could just park our RVs and OHVs and forget about them during winter storage.   Some people do, but they usually pay the price, especially if they live in a cold climate. There are several things you need to do and to monitor to ensure your RV is safe and remains in good condition.

Proper preparation for winter storage (winterizing) is the first step.  We've gone over that in this blog a couple of times already.  The main concern is making sure your plumbing doesn't freeze. Protect tires with tire covers and by parking on wooden "pads" to keep off cold concrete and out of freezing mud.

Some RV insurance plans, like Good Sam, offer a discount while your RV is in storage.   If you have such a plan, be sure to call your insurance company and let them know as soon as you park your RV for the winter so you get maximum savings.

If your RV is a motorhome, you should run the engine about an hour every month.  If possible, take it for a drive.  Driving it helps to circulate lubricants and flex tires to maintain pliability and bring chemicals to the surface to prevent side wall cracking in addition to lubricating the moving parts.  It also gives you a chance to watch for oil and coolant leaks and listen for any other developing problems.  If your insurance allows you a storage option, driving it may not be feasible since your insurance would not be in effect, but starting and running the engine will help maintain the charge on your batteries and circulate fluids.  Most motorhomes have automatic transmissions.  Shifting through all the gears a few times if you can't drive it will help circulate transmission fluid and keep seals from drying out.

Towing your trailer a few miles each month (weather permitting) will exercise the tires and distribute wheel bearing grease.  Listen for any unusual noises and put your hand on the hubs after driving to see if the wheel bearings are overheating.  Some warmth is normal but if any one hub is noticeably hotter than the others it may be dry or damaged and should be removed, inspected and serviced.   Damaged bearings need to be replaced.  Check for proper brake operation each time you drive.  It is also a good idea to check all of the trailer running lights (park lights, brakes, turn signals, and clearance lights) while it is hooked up since insects or rodents sometimes chew on wires and can cause them to short out or humidity and temperature changes may induce corrosion.

Inspect the exterior, especially if it is parked outside where falling or blowing debris might damage it.   Sometimes just changes in temperature can crack glass.  If possible rinse off accumulated dust every couple of weeks or so to protect the clear coat present on many paint jobs.  Dust will trap UV rays within the clear coat and accelerate deterioration.   If you get snow, be sure to monitor accumulation and sweep it off the roof before it builds up deep enough to damage the roof or any of the components up there (storage pods, ACs, vents, antennas, etc.).

Check the interior of your RV periodically, about once a month should be sufficient under normal circumstances, more frequently if you experience extreme weather.   Look for any signs of water, insect, or rodent damage.  Also double check provisions to make sure you didn't leave something on board that was damaged by freezing temperatures or has been attacked by vermin.  See if you need to replace the dehumidifier.  If it is full of water, toss it out and open a new one.

Vandalism is sometimes a problem in RVs in storage.  I've seen units stored at the owner's home vandalized, even with the owner at home.  Storage yards do what they can to ensure the safety of your vehicles, but sometimes people with malicious intent will circumvent security measures and wreak havoc on unattended vehicles.  While your options for physically protecting your vehicle from vandalism may be limited, regular inspection will at least let you detect problems as early as possible. Timely reporting may assist law enforcement in apprehending the culprits and comply with insurance requirements and timely repairs will prevent further damage from bad weather if the integrity of the outer shell has been compromised.

Check your batteries.   Always wear rubber gloves and eye protection when handling lead acid batteries.   If you haven't removed the batteries for storage in a warmer place, check both the charge status and the electrolyte level.  Check the charge status with a volt meter or by testing the specific gravity of the fluid.  A fully charged battery should register about 12.6 volts (half that on each 6 volt golf cart battery) or 1.265 specific gravity using a hydrometer.   Some battery hydrometers use colored balls to indicate charge state instead of a graduated scale.  If you find the electrolyte is low, add only distilled water.  If the temperature is below freezing you'll need to mix the added water to prevent it from freezing.  After you put the caps on, rock the battery or, better yet, take the unit for a hour's ride to charge the batteries and mix the water into the electrolyte.  If you can't take it out, put a charger on the batteries for an hour to help mix the contents.  If the voltage or specific gravity is low, charge the batteries back to full charge to avoid having them freeze.  Fully charged batteries are freeze-protected down to -75°F.  Fully discharged batteries will freeze at just -10°F.   If you have your batteries on an automatic battery tender, they should maintain their charge all winter, as long as the electrolyte doesn't boil off and expose the tops of the plates inside the battery.   The most common reason for boiling off electrolyte is excessive charging voltage.   Deep cycle batteries should be charged at about 14.8 volts. See the charts at PowerStream Sealed Lead Acid Battery Charging Basics for complete charts and detailed testing instructions.

Don't forget the windshield washer fluid in your motorhome and other vehicles.   Summer formulas will freeze.  Most winter fluids are good to at least -20°F, which is usually adequate unless you live in northern Alaska!

We sometimes spend a night in our RV at home during the off season or use it as a guest house for visitors.  This is a good way to make sure it remains inhabitable and to test the furnace and lighting.  Since we live where we get freezing temperatures in the winter, we do not use any of the plumbing during winter months, but if your RV is equipped for winter use you could do so.   Any use, even of winter-capable units, would require re-winterization after use to prevent freezing of water lines and dump valves in storage --- unless you live where you don't have to worry about freezing.

Winter is also a good time to do interior projects in your RV.  Do you want to update or add lighting fixtures?   Repair upholstery?  Add any new gadgets?   Any new entertainment equipment you want to install?  Any appliances that need service or repair?   Any cabinets or drawers that need to be fixed or just reorganized?  Don't we all suffer from the shortage of "round tuits"?    You know, all those things you can't do because you can't get around to it.  Winter is a good time to take care of those things you never got around to during the camping season.  The "off season" is a good time to empty out, clean, and reorganize every closet, cabinet, drawer and tool box.   If nothing else, it is helps us remember what we have on board and where it is.  You can also detect and repair or replace worn, damaged, or outdated items.

OHVs should be properly prepared for winter storage too.   Drain the fuel tank and run out all the fuel in the carburetor or add fuel stabilizer before parking your machine.   Change the oil so it isn't sitting all winter with contaminates that can damage metal parts.  Put a light coating of oil on exposed metal parts.  If it has batteries, they should be removed and stored in a warm place.  Leaving them on a maintenance charger might keep them charged enough to prevent freezing.  Just leaving them sit in freezing temperatures all winter is an invitation to failure.  Park your OHVs in a garage or shed if possible.  If not, cover them with a tarp to prevent damage from the elements.   Tires should be fully inflated and wooden "pads" put under them.

Store it right!

Tent Window Cleaning (Really?)

Tent window cleaning?  Yeah, right!  Who cleans their tent windows?   Probably not very many people.  But in reality there is something to be said about cleaning the windows in your tent.  Dirty windows can inhibit your view and, if it is the screens that are dirty, will also reduce air flow.  If they get stained by sap or spilled foods they might attract insects or vermin that can do additional damage.  Some stuff, like bird droppings and sap, might even rot the screen fabric.

Many tents may only have screened windows, so cleaning them is a matter of removing the dust or other stuff that might have accumulated on them.  Sometimes you can blow off the dust with an air hose or simply wipe it away with a damp cloth.  If it isn't loose enough for that or you need to remove sap or bird droppings, you may need to wash it off with warm, soapy water Take care not to drip or spill water inside the tent or allow it to run down the rest of the wall.  You might want to lay the window down flat on an old towel to wash the screen.  If you have difficulty removing tree sap, be very careful what kind of solvents you use as many solvents may damage the screen fabric.  One of the weird camping tips I picked up says you can use mayonnaise to remove tree sap from your hands and I suspect it could be safely used on tent screens as well.   Make sure to wash the residue off with warm soapy water and rinse and dry it thoroughly or the mayonnaise may attract bugs and/or leave an unpleasant smell as it deteriorates.

A few tents have flexible plastic windows.   These require careful  wet cleaning to prevent accumulated dust from scratching the plastic as well as to keep them optically clear.   If your tent has plastic windows, the owners guide should include instructions for caring for the windows.  Lacking an owner's guide, wash them gently with warm, soapy water using a soft cotton or microfiber cloth. Then rinse them until all soapy reside is gone and dry them with a soft cotton or microfiber cloth.   If the windows also have screens, wash them as described above too.  NEVER rub plastic windows when they are dry. even to remove light dust.  Any dust will act like a rubbing compound and put micro-scratches in the plastic and the once clear plastic will soon be cloudy and then it will difficult if not impossible to make the clear again.  If plastic windows have become cloudy or yellowed you may be able to clean them with a good plastic cleaner for motorcycle windshields such as Novus.   I have a 3-stage Novus cleaning system that can remove fairly deep scratches from plastic windows, Goggles, etc.

While you're at it, clean all the zippers.   The zippers are usually made of plastic and any dirt or debris can damage them or cause them to malfunction.   Use a soft brush like an old toothbrush. A little dry teflon or silcone lubricant may also help keep them working smoothly.  I would avoid oily lubricants because they will stain the tent fabric and may collect dust and make things worse.  There is a product called EZ-Snap that is a non-oily lubricant for snaps and zippers.  I have tried it with great success on zippers on tents, gear bags and boots.

See out!