In this Post:
What's New With Us: RV Seminars & Classes
Brief Article: Expert Opinions
Vicki's Recipe: Hamburger Rice Scramble
RVing Tip: Sleeping Cool
What's New With Us
Check it out! Our latest e-book, RVing Alaska, Insights and Observations, is now available for downloading. Read all about it on our E-Book Page. An excerpt from the e-book is available on our Articles Page. It gives you a sample of one day's travel in Alaska.
We are still at home in Huntington Beach, CA enjoying our beautiful Southern California weather. It is usually gray and overcast at the coast this time of year (known locally as June Gloom) but aside from a few gray mornings it has been bright and sunny with daytime temps in the 70s.
If you are one of those who follow our seminar schedule (we're amazed at how many of you do) then you have noticed that we cancelled our appearances at the September Life on Wheels Conference in Harrisburg PA and the Pensylvania RV Show in Hershey, PA. Vicki and I decided that we have reached a point in our lives where we want to work less and play more. We will continue to present seminars around the country, but at fewer events. Our RV travels will become less destination oriented and more meandering.
Next month, July 6 thru 11, we will be conducting RV classes at the Life on Wheels Conference in Lewiston, Idaho. This 5-day educational event took place at the University of Idaho in Moscow for many years. This year it has been moved to Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho.
We will be teaching seven classes (Learning Priorities For New RVers, Choosing An RV, RVing Made Easy, Full-Time & Extended RV Travel, RV Travel & Camping Trips, Alaska: The Ultimate RV Adventure, and The RV Kitchen). The first five classes, taken in sequence, are designed to be a 10 ½ hour comprehensive course on RVing. Read more about Life on Wheels.
By the way, free dry-camping will be available on the Lewis-Clark State College campus for those students who prefer not to stay in a local RV park. Be sure to arrive with your water tank full and your holding tanks empty. Keep in mind that it gets quite hot in Lewiston in July. The only way you will be able to operate your RV air-conditioner is by running your generator. Be sure it is in top condition. Consideration should also be given to your pet's safety in the event your air-conditioning unit fails while you are away from your RV.
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Expert Opinions
Joe: Recently, while we were presenting our "Choosing An RV" seminar at an RV show, a member of the audience commented “You could make life a lot easier for me if you would just tell me what kind of RV you and the other "RV experts" have and how they are equipped.”
OK! But I don't think the answer will make life any easier for you.
During one of the Life On Wheels Conferences, Vicki and I were among 12 "RV Experts" who participated as panel members in an RV Lifestyle forum.
Among the panel participants were: a single, full-timing woman; a single full-timing man; two full-timing couples; a couple who had full-timed for many years but are now extended travelers and two couples (including Vicki and me) who travel extensively in their RVs but are not full-timers. For the sake of discussion we'll say there were three extended travelers and four full-timers; with a total of seven RVs.
Two extended travelers and the full-timing woman have Class A motorhomes. Each tows a small car. The extended travelers who used to be full-timers have a Class C motorhome. They do not tow a transportation vehicle.
The full-timing man and one full-timing couple have fifth-wheel trailers with one or more slideout rooms. One tows with a medium duty tow vehicle; the other tows with a pickup truck.
The remaining full-timing couple has a fifth-wheel trailer without a slideout room. They also tow with a pickup truck.
One of the Class A motorhomes and the tow vehicles of all three fifth-wheels are powered by diesel engines. The three remaining motorhomes have gasoline engines.
Vicki: The four full-timing RVers and one extended traveler have their rigs equipped with solar panels and inverters. The two remaining extended travelers don't feel the need for them.
Interestingly, the extended travelers without the solar panels prefer boondocking and government campgrounds while one of the full-timing couples with solar panels favors commercial campgrounds with full hookups.
Two full-timers belong to membership campground organizations. The remaining panel members do not.
Preferences in overnight accommodations depended upon each RVers interests, needs and budget at the moment. While most of the panel preferred campground hookups at least some of the time, one couple prided themselves on rarely having hookups. None of us stayed exclusively in any one type of campground.
One extended traveler couple travel with a small dog, and one full-timing couple has a large cat. The rest do not travel with pets.
Only one full-timing and one extended traveler have a washer/dryer in their RV.
As the panel continued to answer questions posed by the audience it was obvious that we all have equally diverse opinions and preferences when it came to the various aspects of choosing, using and enjoying our RVs.
One thing we did agree on though. We all love the feeling of independence and the sense of freedom we get from traveling and living in an RV
Joe: So you see, whatever type of RV you choose, however you equip it, wherever or however you camp, you'll be doing exactly what the experts do.
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Vicki's Quick and Easy Recipe
(From: My RV Kitchen and Favorite Recipes)
Hamburger Rice Scramble
Vicki: If Joe had his way, every meal, every day, would include dishes with ground beef. Many years ago we were in our motorhome and, for dinner, I decided to throw together a dinner that would use up some of the veggies in the refrigerator. I just happened to also have some ground beef on hand. I came up with this. It is one of Joe's very favorite dinners.
1 cup long-grain rice
2 cups water
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 cup bell peppers, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Put rice, water and bouillon into a microwave-safe dish. Cook on high for approximately 15 to 20 minutes until tender.
2. While the rice is cooking, brown the ground beef in a large skillet. Add the green onions, pepper, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cover and cook until tender.
3. Stir cooked rice into the meat and vegetable mixture and serve.
Makes 2-4 servings.
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RVing Tip: Sleeping Cool
On warm evenings, when you can't or do not want to run your RV's air-conditioner, open the windows on either side of your bed a couple of inches. Close the remaining windows and turn your high-volume roof-vent fan to high-speed exhaust. This will draw the cooler outside air across your body while you sleep.
Enjoy The Journey!
Return to RV Know How
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Saturday, May 31, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Tour Our Motorhome
In this Issue
What's New With Us: Going to Alaska?.
Brief Article: Tour Our Motorhome.
Vicki's Recipes: Beef Flavored Rice
RVing Tip: Keeping Cool.
Going to Alaska?
Our latest e-book, RVing Alaska, Insights and Observations, will be available as soon as our webmaster can bring it up on our website.
If you are planning, or even thinking about driving your RV to Alaska, you will appreciate the wealth of up-to-date information this e-book makes available to you.
The book has three sections. The first provides an overview of what to expect and how to prepare for an RV journey to Alaska. Topics include personal and vehicle preparation, crossing the border into Canada, road conditions, campgrounds, availability of fuel, using the ferry system, and a brief description of the various highways you will travel in British Columbia, the Yukon Territory and Alaska.
The second section describes what it is like to participate in an RV caravan trip to Alaska. It also discusses the pros and cons of traveling solo versus going to Alaska with a group.
The third section is a detailed journal of the 44-day Alaskan RV journey we took in the fall of 2007. Each entry includes a description of the day's road condition, terrain, fuel stops and campgrounds. The journal can be used as a base from which to plan your own RV adventure.
RVing Alaska, Insights and Observations is not a flora and fauna book. It is a no-nonsense "how-to" book designed to help you make informed decisions and proper preparations for the ultimate RVing adventure.
Look for it in the E-Book section of rvknowhow.com
Tour Our Motorhome
We've been asked a number of times what kind of RV we owned. So here is a photographic tour of our combination transport, home and office. We have put about 190,000 milles of cross-country driving on it. No, it does not have any slides (or slide problems).
Click on any photo to enlarge it. Click on your "Back" button to return to normal.
1998, 37-foot, diesel-powered Country Coach Allure and 2007 Saturn Vue
Notice all the overhead cabinets
The motorhome's deep pantry had solid shelves. That made it difficult to locate and reach items in the back. So Sean installed three slide-out shelves.
Our couch has plenty of undrneath storage space. But the only way to gain access was by lifting the entire seat cushion section. Sean built and installed three large drawers under the couch. A real nice touch are the adjustable dividers in each drawer.
Our seminar/writing business requires that we have certain files available to us at all times. We needed a portable file cabinet that could be moved between our home office and our motorhome, depending upon where we were at the moment. We also wanted it to be easily accessible but out of the way.
Sean built a combination center-console, file-cabinet and map-drawer. It is normally located next to the driver's seat and butted up to the dash. It has wheels under the rear two corners and short legs under the front corners. Lifting the front end slightly allows the cabinet to be rolled back so the driver can get in and out of his seat. The weight of the cabinet on the legs keeps it from moving while under way. It is amazingly stable.
The cabinet consists of three interlocking sections.The console portion is a removable tray with cup holders and compartments for maps, sunglasses, cellphone, loose change and miscellaneous stuff. Removing the console tray (we place it on the driver's seat) exposes the 18-inch long file box that is wide and deep enough to accommodate hanging file folders. A large drawer at the bottom contains atlases and map books.
When we arrive home the console tray is lifted off the file cabinet and the file cabinet is lifted off the drawer section. The file cabinet and its contents are carried into our home office and placed on a slide-out shelf in our desk.
The television cabinet is located at the top of the entry stairs. It had a tendency to attack the heads of people entering the motorhome and the left shoulder of those who were exiting. The file cabinet, located on the floor under the television, redirected people away from the TV cabinet. But a better solution was cutting the cabinet back 12 inches and installing a flat-screen television.
What's New With Us: Going to Alaska?.
Brief Article: Tour Our Motorhome.
Vicki's Recipes: Beef Flavored Rice
RVing Tip: Keeping Cool.
Going to Alaska?
Our latest e-book, RVing Alaska, Insights and Observations, will be available as soon as our webmaster can bring it up on our website.
If you are planning, or even thinking about driving your RV to Alaska, you will appreciate the wealth of up-to-date information this e-book makes available to you.
The book has three sections. The first provides an overview of what to expect and how to prepare for an RV journey to Alaska. Topics include personal and vehicle preparation, crossing the border into Canada, road conditions, campgrounds, availability of fuel, using the ferry system, and a brief description of the various highways you will travel in British Columbia, the Yukon Territory and Alaska.
The second section describes what it is like to participate in an RV caravan trip to Alaska. It also discusses the pros and cons of traveling solo versus going to Alaska with a group.
The third section is a detailed journal of the 44-day Alaskan RV journey we took in the fall of 2007. Each entry includes a description of the day's road condition, terrain, fuel stops and campgrounds. The journal can be used as a base from which to plan your own RV adventure.
RVing Alaska, Insights and Observations is not a flora and fauna book. It is a no-nonsense "how-to" book designed to help you make informed decisions and proper preparations for the ultimate RVing adventure.
Look for it in the E-Book section of rvknowhow.com
Tour Our Motorhome
We've been asked a number of times what kind of RV we owned. So here is a photographic tour of our combination transport, home and office. We have put about 190,000 milles of cross-country driving on it. No, it does not have any slides (or slide problems).
Click on any photo to enlarge it. Click on your "Back" button to return to normal.
1998, 37-foot, diesel-powered Country Coach Allure and 2007 Saturn Vue
Notice all the overhead cabinets
The kitchen has a side-by-side refrigerator and a microwave/convection oven. The cantilevered dinette table has no leg to bump our knees. We traded the free standing chairs for the booth seating. We like the the large storage drawers and comfortable soft cushions.
We have written and talked about some of the improvements we have made to our motorhome. Here are a few of them:
A panel under the dash in front of the passenger seat provided access to the area under the dash. But there was plenty of room behind the panel. So our son, Sean the cabinet maker, built an open-faced cabinet. The upper shelf slants down towards the back so the campground directories do not slide out. A space is provided for the thermos that holds our morning coffee while we are driving. The cabinet is easily removed when access under the dash is needed.
A panel under the dash in front of the passenger seat provided access to the area under the dash. But there was plenty of room behind the panel. So our son, Sean the cabinet maker, built an open-faced cabinet. The upper shelf slants down towards the back so the campground directories do not slide out. A space is provided for the thermos that holds our morning coffee while we are driving. The cabinet is easily removed when access under the dash is needed.
The motorhome's deep pantry had solid shelves. That made it difficult to locate and reach items in the back. So Sean installed three slide-out shelves.
Our couch has plenty of undrneath storage space. But the only way to gain access was by lifting the entire seat cushion section. Sean built and installed three large drawers under the couch. A real nice touch are the adjustable dividers in each drawer.
Our seminar/writing business requires that we have certain files available to us at all times. We needed a portable file cabinet that could be moved between our home office and our motorhome, depending upon where we were at the moment. We also wanted it to be easily accessible but out of the way.
Sean built a combination center-console, file-cabinet and map-drawer. It is normally located next to the driver's seat and butted up to the dash. It has wheels under the rear two corners and short legs under the front corners. Lifting the front end slightly allows the cabinet to be rolled back so the driver can get in and out of his seat. The weight of the cabinet on the legs keeps it from moving while under way. It is amazingly stable.
The cabinet consists of three interlocking sections.The console portion is a removable tray with cup holders and compartments for maps, sunglasses, cellphone, loose change and miscellaneous stuff. Removing the console tray (we place it on the driver's seat) exposes the 18-inch long file box that is wide and deep enough to accommodate hanging file folders. A large drawer at the bottom contains atlases and map books.
When we arrive home the console tray is lifted off the file cabinet and the file cabinet is lifted off the drawer section. The file cabinet and its contents are carried into our home office and placed on a slide-out shelf in our desk.
The television cabinet is located at the top of the entry stairs. It had a tendency to attack the heads of people entering the motorhome and the left shoulder of those who were exiting. The file cabinet, located on the floor under the television, redirected people away from the TV cabinet. But a better solution was cutting the cabinet back 12 inches and installing a flat-screen television.
It shows what can be done if you have a talented cabinet maker in the family. We plan on keeping this motorhome for another 190,000 miles.
Vicki's Quick and Easy Recipe:
Beef Flavored Rice
(from My RV Kitchen and Favorite Recipes)
This rice dish always makes a hit with everyone. The recipe can easily be halved for less people.
This rice dish always makes a hit with everyone. The recipe can easily be halved for less people.
2 cubes butter or margarine
3 cups uncooked rice
2 cans (4 oz.) mushrooms, drained
2 cans (10-1/2 oz.) French onion soup, undiluted
1 can (10-1/2 oz.) beef bouillon, undiluted
1 empty soup can white or red wine
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Melt butter or margarine in a 9"x 13" baking pan.
3. Combine all other ingredients and pour into the
baking pan.
4. Bake covered for 1 hour.
Makes about 10 servings.
Keeping Cool
Whenever possible, select a campsite that points the front of your RV towards the east or south. This allows your patio awning to protect the entry-door wall from the hot afternoon sun. The opposite side-wall will be the naturally shady side of your rig during most of the day.
Return to RV Know How
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3 cups uncooked rice
2 cans (4 oz.) mushrooms, drained
2 cans (10-1/2 oz.) French onion soup, undiluted
1 can (10-1/2 oz.) beef bouillon, undiluted
1 empty soup can white or red wine
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Melt butter or margarine in a 9"x 13" baking pan.
3. Combine all other ingredients and pour into the
baking pan.
4. Bake covered for 1 hour.
Makes about 10 servings.
Keeping Cool
Whenever possible, select a campsite that points the front of your RV towards the east or south. This allows your patio awning to protect the entry-door wall from the hot afternoon sun. The opposite side-wall will be the naturally shady side of your rig during most of the day.
Return to RV Know How
======================================
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