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Forum
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RE: woman travelling alone
A great tip I heard here several years ago was to give your RV a man's name. We call ours Mobi (work in tech industry). We always refer to our RV as Mobi. In our family you will hear "the wife is taking Mobi and the kids to Campbell River for the weekend."
If you name your RV George or Fred, Bob etc and always refer to it by name, people overhearing conversations will assume you are talking about a male partner.
As in "I am taking George to Banff". "George has not been to Wyoming yet" You get the idea.
I travel with a dog, but only because I have a dog, I am not sure that I would get one only for the purpose of rving. Our dogs have people names. The last one was a female. Cassie did not like strangers and no one could have approached the family or the RV if the family was in it. Oscar is a little mutt and loves everyone, no protection from him, but we do know if someone is approaching as he gets excited (not barking, whining to play with new people or dogs).
Other basic safety advice:
Camp in your driveway the first couple nights.
Plan on arriving during daylight hours.
Be aware of your surroundings, move on if you do not feel comfortable
Camp with a group of friends or a camping group (there are lots with various interests) at least the first few times.
In 30 + years of camping first in tents, now in an RV we have twice felt unsafe and called the RCMP. One time a group of drunks had a gun in a campground (illegal in Canada). The second a group of drunks kept the campground up most the night with music, hooting and hollering and setting off fireworks. Both times we were tent camping.
We have not taken our RV into the US yet.
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Tothill
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05/18/13 10:27am |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Pets are NOT to be left unattended... what??
I have found that the 'Rule: No unattended pets' is interpreted differently in different campgrounds. I always ask the office for clarification. I have also found it is enforced to varying degrees.
When we had our old dog, I also asked if there was a beach where I could take her swimming. Many campgrounds or provincial parks do not allow dogs on the main beach, but some have a dog beach nearby.
Lastly I always ask if the campground has a dedicated 'dog walk'. I am surprised when they do not.
The cat is walked on a leash and has the harness on the whole trip. The doors are not opened unless she is leashed.
The dog is leashed when outside and if we have room, we tie a rope from a tree to the back of the RV and attach the leash to it to create a dog run. The dog is never left on the run if there is no one in the campground.
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Tothill
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05/18/13 10:01am |
Beginning RVing
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RE: I'm Sleeping on the Ceiling Tonight
No Rattle Snakes here, but lots of Garter Snakes.
Garter Snakes are good to have around. As a child I used to play with them at my grandmother's house. There was a huge colony (what do you call a group of snakes?) living under and around her house. There were two big ones that were around for years. Biggest Garter Snakes I have ever seen. Each was about 3 feet long and about 2 inches in diameter.
The kittens (I do not know which one), brought in a Garter Snake earlier this week. I walked into the laundry room and there it was on the floor. Alive and uninjured. I just picked it up and put it back outside.
We stayed at http://www.campingosoyoos.com/ a few years ago. There are rattle snakes in the camp ground. If a camper found one, you just had to notify the campground staff and they would catch and more it. No need to kill them.
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Tothill
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05/17/13 11:11pm |
RV Lifestyle
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RE: What's in your tool box?
BCAA RV Plus card. Which was used once on Christmas Day when the alternator died.
Otherwise just some simple sockets, fuses and electrical tape.
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Tothill
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05/17/13 10:19pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Here is something you would not see much in the US
It strongly resembles a garbage truck from the outside. The inside looks good.
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Tothill
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05/17/13 08:11am |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: Use of Orange/Yellow cones is a must!
When I was a kid, long before the days of orange highway cones, they used what looked like little cannon balls with flames coming out of them. They were low to the ground, but I bed no one tried to run them over.
We use an orange cone to identify our site when we have guests coming to join us. We do not put it on the road, we are generally parked 10 plus feet away from the roadway.
In BC traffic fines are double in work zones.
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Tothill
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05/16/13 10:30pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Victoria Day Weekend - Who's camping?
Working over the weekend. Heading out Monday for just one night at a local provincial park.
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Tothill
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05/14/13 11:25pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: UPS Shipping to Canada
The problem is the Canadian government. There is a treaty with the USA that restricts fees on mail and that covers packages handled by the US Postal Service as well. That treaty only applies to the USPS and not any other shipper.
It is such a pain that we avoid taking orders from people in Canada as we know that they will not be happy and there is next to nothing we can do about it.
It is not a Canadian Government Fee. It is a UPS brokerage fee. This fee is only collected by UPS.
If a parcel is sent via the regular postal system, there is a $5.00 brokerage fee, plus any federal taxes, plus any applicable duty owing. Collected at the door or post office.
If a parcel is shipped into Canada via Fex Ex a similar fee is collected, taxes and applicable duty. Often collected by mail after the parcel has been delivered.
If a parcel is sent into Canada via UPS, you will pay a huge brokerage fee that has nothing to do with federal taxes and any applicable duty. You can also be charged duty on items that come under Free Trade. As well as the federal taxes.
You will find that more Canadians do not object to paying the taxes and any applicable duty, plus a reasonable brokerage fee. But charging a $30.00 brokerage fee, plus tax, plus duty on an item that is under the free trade agreement is theft.
I am another Canadian who will not buy from a US based vendor who only offers UPS as a shipping option. I have refused a shipment when it has been sent via UPS, after requesting and paying for USPS shipping.
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Tothill
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05/14/13 07:07pm |
Around the Campfire
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RE: Can I Pick Your Brains About Smaller Class C's?
Another possible option.
Our class C is 27 feet long bumper to bumper. We have a rear bedroom with twin beds. The kids sleep in them when they are with us, and we sleep up top.
We have a dinette and one club chair that the kids call the shotgun chair. It is angled to the back.
We do not spend much time inside, but the chair is comfortable to sit in.
One thing to watch out for, since you are tall, make sure you can fully adjust the driver's seat. Ours only moves back a little way as the dinette is right behind it.
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Tothill
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05/12/13 06:21pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: Do Canadian Walmarts accept US Drug plans
As stated above you will need a prescription from a Canadian Doctor, registered in the province you are currently in. A pharmacy in Alberta cannot fill a prescription written by a doctor in BC.
However it is a good idea to travel with a copy of your prescriptions, so a Canadian Doctor will know exactly what dosage you take.
There is another option. Have your home pharmacy ship the prescription to you in Canada, if you know where you will be. This is what my step mum from NZ does. She is on one medication that is formulated a bit differently in NZ. Her pharmacy at home ships up her supply after she has used up her first 3 month supply. She has her other prescriptions filled here.
You can take your prescription to any pharmacy for filling.
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Tothill
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05/11/13 10:51am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Interior Upgrade advice
Why do you want a grill to mount on the back of the trailer? We have a Coleman on a stand, before this grill we had a table top one.
All but one of the campsites we have stayed at have had the picnic table beside the firepit and at the side of where you would park. I would not want the grill at the back of the RV. But maybe that is just me.
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Tothill
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05/10/13 12:22am |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Now this is some serious toad haulin'!!
I saw something similar about 15 years ago. The bottom vehicle was a Cadillac, boat on top, towed by a big A.
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Tothill
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05/09/13 08:01am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Surviving the cold without heat and without winterizing
We have never winterized. Luckily we live in an area where we do not often have sustained cold snaps, but they can happen. When we do have a cold snap we put in an electric heater and open all the cupboard doors.
All our plumbing is over the floor boards. We also have enclosed waste tanks and insulated drain valves.
If I was looking at simple overnight freezing or frosts I would not worry at all.
You can easily put a bit of anti freeze in the drains and into the toilet.
Another option would be to leave your RV at a lower elevation where freezing temps are less likely to occur.
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Tothill
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05/03/13 08:24am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: RV spots in Banff may be harder to get this year.
They have been working on the Tunnel Mountain campground for the past few years, they have a very short building season there.
If you are not a huge rig, arrive early in the day and can be flexible about hook-ups, you should be able to get a site.
Unless of course it is Stampede Week in Calgary or a long weekend.
We got a site for one night (we only needed on night) during stampede week 3 years ago, without a reservations. Water and electric hook-ups. They were working on the campground that year too.
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Tothill
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05/02/13 06:46pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Scale question where to go.
We have never looked for a ticket or receipt with the weight on it.
Locally, on Southern Vancouver Island the Commercial Truck Scales are left turned on after hours. You can just pull on and get your weight. The weight is displayed on the same sign that tells truckers when to stop pull ahead next axle etc.
Going after hours gives lots of time to weight each axle and from side to side.
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Tothill
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05/02/13 07:36am |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Blind spots & washing your RV
The gas fill on Mobi our 27 foot C is on the driver's side. I know after driving for 7 years how far past the pump I have to drive to be in the correct position for the fuel fill.
But the first trip of each year I have to remember and double check. We do not tow, so that is not an issue.
We wash Mobi in the driveway. Our dealer has an oversized wand car wash for RV's that we can use too. Then there are some gas stations in communities with lots of Rvers that can accommodate big rigs.
Lastly you can check out truck washes.
You can always attach a ribbon to your gas intake and look for it in your side view mirror. Discovered this trick when I was driving down the road and saw a lanyard with keys attached out one of the side view mirrors.
General tips:
Drive off the top half of your fuel tank. You have more options when you are not running out of fuel.
Look for gas stations with easy access and wide turning areas.
Look for gas stations where you can easily get back on the main road the correct direction.
Look for gas stations with no canopy or a really high canopy, know your height in feet and metres.
Ask for help if needed. I bought propane at a Co-op gas station in Airdie Alberta, you had to back into the spot. I was okay with backing up as long as I had a spotter.
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Tothill
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05/01/13 07:30pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Is it worth while listing campgrounds with difficult access.
I do not know that publishing a list of difficult to access campgrounds would make sense as we are all driving different sized rigs. We also all have different driving skills and comfort zones.
I have met people who would never consider driving off pavement, not even on a well maintained gravel road. I have seen a huge custom fiver and tractor maneuvered into a site that would have been tricky for most drivers.
I think though a list of permanent overhead obstacles might be a good idea. Where we live there are two very old railroad overpasses with very low clearance. One is on a curve to boot. A few years ago someone in a rental moving truck peeled the roof back like a can of sardines forgetting they were driving a tall vehicle.
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Tothill
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05/01/13 08:10am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Trip to Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper: advice?
Our Class C is 27 feet and we have not had a problem finding parking or getting around with it in the Rockies. There is an RV only parking lot in Banff that may not be big enough for a big rig but is plenty big enough for us. We travel without a toad and manage just fine. We live on Vancouver Island and are well aware of the costs of BC ferries.
It is possible to walk from the campground in the Village at Lake Louise to the Lake, but it is a couple miles and quite a change in elevation. You would be exhausted by the time you get to the hotel if you plan to walk up the hill. But you may be in phenomenal physical shape and be up to the hike up from the village.
Electric heat can be nice, but we have tent camped in Banff and been plenty warm enough. We have never needed to run the heat when RVing there. But it can get cold at any time of year. We prefer to have a camp fire.
There is a tour bus company in Banff http://www.banfftours.com/banff-activities-and-tours/summer/Banff%20Tours that operates tours to many of the sights you will want to see.
On your trip down to the BC Coast, try to either stay on the Tans Canada Highway (TCH) through the Fraser Canyon for the spectacular scenery or for the road less travelled take Highway 99 from Lillooet to Pemberton and down through Whistler.
Or when you leave Jasper, you can head West to Prince George and come down Highway 97 through Cariboo Country and stop at places like Barkerville a Provincial Park that was a gold mining town. The centre of the BC Gold Rush.
You will have a great trip.
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Tothill
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04/30/13 11:43pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Trip to Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper: advice?
A few thoughts.
There is a bus that goes right to the entrance of Tunnel Mountain Campground. It is downhill all the way to Banff Village, but you may find riding bikes back up the hill at that altitude to be challenging.
I prefer the campsites at Tunnel Mountain that do not have hook-ups, but allow you to have a fire. The hook-up sites, are just parking spot beside the road with a picnic table.
We have stayed in both.
The campground at Lake Louise is in the village, a long uphill walk to the Lake. It is also close to the train tracks and the trains run all night long. If you stay there make sure you have ear plugs. As much as we love Lake Louise we do not camp there.
The walk to the back of Lake Louise is mostly level and well maintained. It is about 4 km round trip. Well worth taking the time to go to the back of the lake. If you are fit and want a longer walk, hike up to the Tea House.
It is worth a walk through the Chateau Lake Louise. Everything there is expensive, but a drink over looking the Lake is a must.
You can rent canoes on the Lake or hire a horse and guide to take you up into the mountains.
Lake Moraine (turn left off the road to Lake Louise) is beautiful, there is some RV parking there. It is only accessible 2-3 months of the year. There is a nice walk along the side of the Lake there too.
For a big splurge, have dinner at the Post Hotel.
On my to do list is to go up to Sunshine Meadows when the wild flowers are blooming. You park at the base of the ski hill and take an old school bus up the mountain.
In Banff the Gondola is well worth the $$, make sure you are wearing good solid footwear and a warm jacket.
We have had snow on top of us while sitting in the outdoor pool at the Banff Hotsprings in June. Be prepared for any type of weather.
We have not camped in Jasper, so I will leave suggestions about it to others.
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Tothill
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04/30/13 05:13pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: How much to budget for RV repairs ?
Our Class C in an 89. When we bought we had quite a bit of work done. All the fluids replaced, brakes, new battery (engine and house) and more.
Since we have had regular tune ups and oil changes. The only unexpected repair while on the road was the clutch fan going. I think it was just under $300.00 for that repair. I have all the repair and tune up invoices in a binder.
The gas gauge has given up the ghost. We have checked the fuses, and they are all okay. We will be taking it in for a repair before our first long trip this summer. I do not yet have a quote on the cost of the repair.
AS far as the house goes, we have replaced the kitchen faucet, toilet valve and bathroom fan. None were expensive repairs.
We have had to repair almost all the cabinets as the glue has dried. It is an easy repair.
Oh, lastly the electric step give up the ghost. Instead of paying to repair it, we now have a manual step.
Next year we plan to replace the curtains and blinds. That will be the most expensive upgrade to date.
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Tothill
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04/28/13 09:56pm |
Beginning RVing
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