RE: About to take my FIRST trip. Please advise..
I would avoid rest and truck stops. Noisy, and not particularly safe.
So far as Walmarts---look for smaller towns, less chance of getting into a really bad neighborhood that way. Go in and ask the manager if it's OK to stay there and do the courtesy of buying something you need. Park in a well-lit area. Chances are you will not be the only RV there. Keep your door locked and do not open it to anyone except law enforcement. Look out the window to see who is out there before you answer or open it.
Not trying to scare you, but you do need to use common sense.
Check your tires, make sure they are not old and dry-rotted. Get a good overall mechanical check.
You will not be able to run the microwave, hair dryer, AC or other high demand electrical off your battery. Be conservative with lights.
In your shoes I would look for state parks or city/county parks, but Walmarts are an acceptable short-term solution.
It's going to be hot. Electrical hookups would be nice for AC, assuming you don't have a generator.
Stay in the RV a few nights in your driveway, and make sure you know how to work things.
I hope you have a place to stay in Kentucky. All lodging and campgrounds are booked. You may have to stay well outside the eclipse zone and drive in for just that day. Be prepared for bad traffic.
RE: Working from the road
If you have a reasonably new Android smart phone, you can run the Mobile Hotspot app on it. No need to purchase a separate device, unless you need to talk on the phone and be online at the same time. I assume there is a comparable app for Iphones.
Generally RV parks/campgrounds near major highways will have decent service. But call the RV park and ask.
RE: Home made waste pump
I use one. I modified this one to my own ideas.
RV Macerator Pump
The gray flow thru. Pump the black as needed. 75 feet thru a 3/4 inch hose. Works like a charm. No worry of overheating the 12 volt pumps.
I know this is in the class A forum, but it's applicable to any RV with holding tanks. It's a good idea.
I can't figure out where the pumping power comes from, to have any lift. Is it just the centrifugal force generated by the garbage disposal?
RE: What's in your freezer when you don't have an oven?
Ice.
Pre-cooked items like spaghetti sauce, soup, chili. Frozen vegetables.
I avoid using the oven in warm weather because it generates so much heat inside the trailer.
RE: Smoky Mountains National Park
EVERY legal campsite, even back country sites, in the National Park will have a designated fire ring, which is quite obvious. That fire ring is the ONLY place you are allowed to build a fire.
FAQ on firewood is HERE.
Basically you can only gather firewood that is on the ground, and can only burn that or wood you purchase in the park.
RE: Thinking about a TH for full-time
One thing you need to consider is the climate you will be in year round. Most RVs are not going to be easy to live in during really cold weather.
My suggestion: start down-sizing your belongings now. Begin the process of getting your house ready to sell, which can take a while. Buy the RV and try your long trips in it for a year or so. Then if you are still happy, sell the house.
Or, simply downsize your belongings, sell the house, and buy a small low-maintenance house or condo, suitable for retirement living.
Don't put all your home equity into the depreciating assets of your RV and truck. At some point you will want a permanent home and need cash to buy it.
RE: Windows 10 laptop very slow
Uninstall the classic shell.
You can quickly make Win10 look a lot like 7.
Right-click all the tile things on the desktop, and remove them.
Now when you click on the windows icon, all your programs will be listed in alphabetical order. You can just scroll down and find them, or what I do is pin them to the taskbar, the row at the bottom of the screen. to do that, find the program and right-click. Sometimes there will be a "more" menu item. If necessary, click on that and then "pin to taskbar."
If you can't find anything you frequently use, click in the search area at the bottom of the screen and type whatever it is, for instance, control panel. Then when you find it, pin to the taskbar.
RE: GRUMPY OR WHAT?
IMHO this sort of thing is worse at "RV parks" rather than state park and national park campgrounds. If possible, pick public locations in more rustic areas, and avoid holiday weekends.
RE: Good Sealant for Sealing our Camper
Use Eternabond to seal the seams.
Dicor Self Leveling Lap Sealant is an excellent product for caulking horizontal surfaces.
Clean well before applying.
I would tarp the roof until I got the proper materials to seal the roof. But, that's me.
I agree.
RE: My 2017 quest for the perfect TT!
Dunno... Your pics look great.. And I'm sure it's a very nice rig..
I looked at 3 used RV's and was so disgusted with them, I would only buy new after that experience... This was back in 2002..
Still have that brand new trailer I bought back then and have seen a lot newer rigs for sale since then and they don't hold a candle to mine.... :)
So, do whatever you need to do to sell your used RV... If you think pics will sell it, great.. If it's a POS and you are hiding it with pics... Well... That's your choice..
I would never buy a rig from pics alone... I also won't won't buy from a private party either... Just my own prejudice because I've been burned once and that's that... Never again...
Good luck! Mitch
I am not hiding anything, but I understand that some people do. MY TT is what it is. It is a 2005, not a 2017. I am only trying to get $5,000, not $25,000. According to the NADA estimate, $5,000 is more then $1,700 under the average value, and in my area, small TTs are at a premium, because of the Midland Oil Filed boom and all the young single guys that just need a place to sleep.
Honestly, I love my little trailer and the only reason I am selling it is because, somehow a 5,10 man and 5,3 woman produced a 6,2 15 year old son, that is too big for the make down table bed. If it were just me and the misses, I would never sell it.
That is a very nice RV. You like it. Let the kid sleep in a tent, he is plenty old. In 3 years he (should) either be in school or have a job and not be travelling with you. And in 3 years your trailer will be just right for you and your DW.
RE: Nitrogen Tire Top Off Kit
Make this simple for yourself...when your tires need topping, top them with air from any compressor and get on down the road.
Yep. The air you breathe is 78% nitrogen. The entire nitrogen in tire thing is HYPE.
The only place nitrogen in tires might be useful is in racecar tires. It MIGHT give them a slight advantage in running cooler. But unless you are running racing slicks at 200+ mph, save your money.
RE: Noticed warm water comes out of cold faucets. Why?
I suspect the outside temp is the cause. If you run it long enough to clear out your water hose and the inside lines in the RV, it will get cooler. Water in a hose gets VERY hot. If it's from a RV tank, it will be at ambient temperatures not very long after you fill it.
On the plus side, your water heater doesn't have to do a lot of work. :D
RE: Sequoia towing at max for over 5,000 miles - comfortably
Clearly with or without that WDH you are close to spec on all counts. Also clearly the Sequoia can handle it. Toyota is very conservative in calculating ALL the capabilities of the Sequoia. That engine will pull most anything, it's mainly the suspension and axles you have to consider.
Sounds like a nice setup.
I'm planning to get a Sequoia and much smaller trailer for my own use in a couple of years. I've towed with a Sequoia in the past, at about 5000 gross trailer weight, with an Equalizer hitch and the 4.6 L engine that was in the older Sequoias. Went up and down the Bighorns in 3rd at 45 mph, but was still a good tow and a very comfortable vehicle.
RE: I Am Thinking of Montana as My Next Adventure
You want a big lake, then head for Flathead Lake, love Montana.
I was looking at that lake on the internet, does look fun, is there a town near there for good food, beer and fun or is it just a lake area.
Poulson.
