RE: Moore OK Tornado dog found during news interview
I saw it live on TV. :*( It makes you wonder how many other pets are trapped in houses or other buildings. And this is kitten and puppy season. I hope some animal rescues can get there to help save the pets who will soon be wandering around bewildered, hungry and thirsty.
RE: What do you use to stabilize when parked?
We use heavy duty scissor jacks. The original cheap jacks that came with the NT BRS28 were scraped off/destroyed because the NT BRS28 is too low to the ground. They were welded on. Now we have manual ones used with a cordless drill. :)
RE: Pimples in wall paper
I have NorthTrail 28 brs . On the front wall of camper I have area about a foot in size where the wall paper has pimples on it. What causes this? Is this a cause for concern?
I also have the NT BRS28. Wallpaper is fine but WARNING - watch your axles. Many are bending, destroying the tires as Heartland didn't use a heavy enough axle on this model. Check the inner side of your tires and take a good look at your axles.
RE: Have I plugged up my black tank drain?
I did not check the tank level until after we left the dump station as the line was long. The tank still reads at 1/3 and I can see tissue in the tank when I look down into the toilet.
Don't go by the tank gauges as they fail after the first few times the gray and black water tanks are even partly filled.
I hindsight I am wondering if we created more of a sludge/slurry than a liquid that could be flushed easily.
We found, with all three of our RVs, that no amount of water used to flush will empty the black tank completely of all gunk, paper and clumps of feces. That's why they have hoses at the dump stations and why the newer RVs come with FLUSH connections for a hose. Stick the hose down the commode if you have no outside black tank FLUSH connection. Use a clear elbow on the dump pipe - VERY IMPORTANT - turn the hose-water on high, and watch what comes out! :E The first time we did this we couldn't believe what was left behind, and as I said, we don't scrounge water when we flush.
How much water should you use when flushing? I would suggest we were using about a 1/4 to 1/2 gallon per flush.
Where do I go from here?
Get the clear plastic elbow for the sewer outlet and after the tank empties, HOSE FLUSH and piles of gunk with waded tumbles of paper will come out you never thought would be there.
RE: Freshwater Tank Refilling - What Do You Do?
Although these suggestions are excellent for saving water, they are not a comfortable way to live. And using minimal toilet water is the main reason for black tank problems.
I'll spend my effort and money on carrying more water. To each his own.
Even though we don't need to scrounge water and use plenty to flush, we still need to use that "tank flush" gizmo that came with our RV. And if we stick a hose down the commode itself, even more "gunk" comes out. This goes for all 3 RVs we've owned. Using loads of water alone to flush doesn't do the job completely.
RE: Freshwater Tank Refilling - What Do You Do?
Thanks all! These are some great suggestions. I think our biggest strategy will just be conserving, which will take practice.
Taking a cross country trip in a van-conversion with nothing but large containers of water and no toilet, I really learned how to conserve water. Especially important in the desert where there was nothing for miles around but cactus and lizards. :) All we had was a bed, fridge and tiny stove. Showers were taken every few days at truck stops with sponge baths in-between. We never ran short of water.
To conserve the most water you can do all or most of your cooking on those grills we all have with us. We only used a pot or pan when there was no choice. Use as much disposable kitchen stuff as possible, from plastic silverware to those cheap plastic or paper soda cups. You can even use those disposable Styrofoam cups for your coffee. We had cereal for breakfast and sandwiches for lunch - which left nothing to wash but our hands. :)
If you want to live as you do at home and use water as you do at home (or close to it) with everyone showering daily etc, you will need to find full-hookup places to camp because everything that goes down the drain will end up in your black water tank which will have to be hauled to the dump-station, another PIA. Not all places allow gray water from dish washing to be dumped on the ground which means everything used and washed ends up in the GWT.
As for refilling the fresh water tank... most truckstops have water taps as well as state, federal and COE campgrounds.
RE: Freshwater Tank Refilling - What Do You Do?
When in a campground without potable water (either none at all or the spigots aren't turned on yet for the summer) what do you do to manage your water use and/or refill your freshwater tank as needed?
We only dry-camp on the way to somewhere else where there *are* hookups. But we have learned to scrounge water by using Truckstop showers or taking brief "Navy" showers, using little water. You're camping and don't have to smell like a rose. There are also those products called No-Rinse-Body-Bath made for the handicapped and bed-ridden. You use only a few qts of water and they do an excellent job. :)
Pots and pans - one of you stand there outside and tip the water container so the other can quickly wash/rinse the stuff. Use disposable plastic silverware, plates and bowls. Use and throw them away. Try to make food that can be made in one pot or pan or use the BBQ grill to cook on - no pans and pots to wash. Get a few more 5g containers for extra water.
We have a travel trailer with a 20 gallon freshwater tank. We find that with "normal" use (dish washing, toilet flushing, filling the coffee pot, etc.) it lasts about 24 hours.
Try less flushing. Flush only after a few uses or after a BM.
We carry bottled water and a rubbermaid jug (I think it's a 5 gallon) for drinking and dog water (a giant St. Bernard need lots of water). If we conserve by using paper plates we can maybe go about 1.5 days. We carry along a 7 gallon potable water jerry can to refill our freshwater tank and it has a wonderful spout that makes it easy to pour directly into our freshwater tank. We'd like to purchase a few more but haven't been able to find them in stock. We have some of the basic plastic jugs that you would find at say a Wal-Mart, but those aren't as easy to pour into the camper and they tend to crack pretty easily. We'd love to find a solution to lugging along 10 jugs or being worried about running out of our water when there isn't a spigot to refill from at the campground. If you have a solution to using less water, or have found great products for hauling water from home, I'd love to know.
Thanks!
We just use those 5g containers from WM and haven't had one crack or split yet, plus as many washed milk containers of clean water as we think we'll need. Watch the balance on your RV as water is heavy. Don't store it all in the back or the front. You may be better off camping where there are full hookups if possible or you know they have the water turned on.
RE: traveling with cats
Picking up a new 25ft TT after Memorial Day and wondering about how to deal with our 2 cats when we travel. We had a 28ft MH for 5 years and they did best there if we let them roam while we drove since they could come find us when they needed us. Not sure being alone in the trailer is a good choice.
Some people do it and some don't. Our cats ride in large cages with litterpans and shelves when we're on the road. These cages are in the Savannah tow van. Riding lose in the TT can be dangerous for them if you have to hit the brakes hard or there's an accident. I suppose when we take our trip with the Class-C we'll confine them to the back bedroom - or in their carriers above the cab. We don't know what will work best with the Class-C. We're afraid one will bolt out the cab doors when opened or the cab windows so they can't be free to wander all over when on the road.
RE: installing a house toilet in our trailer
I think you would have to spend an awful lot of time on the toilet to justify the expense and hassle of changing it out.
I was just thinking the exact same thing. :B But he added there was a problem with the seal.
RE: installing a house toilet in our trailer
Hi All....My wife has never liked the toilet in the trailer....
I have to ask what it was she didn't like about the RV toilet. I like ours just fine. If we press 1/2 way on the lever we can fill the bowl with extra water for flushing. All the way, and it flushes. There is no odor from the toilet and it's easy to keep clean.
The only RV toilet I wasn't crazy about was the small recirculating toilet in the first RV we had, a Dodge Xplorer van conversion. But regular RVs don't come with these.
RE: Best Northern Summer Campgrounds
Just wondering were some of the best Northern long term campgrounds are?
We are considering staying in FL during the winter and someplace during the summer.
Private CGs will let you stay as long as you want. The state and Federal ones will limit your stay. For nice warm days and cool nights and no need for A/C I would head to places like Maine or NH or even the Adirondacks of NY. The weather is great for being outdoors in these states over the summer. I spent a summer in the Cooperstown area of NY and the weather was great. It's not the most exciting place in the world for those looking for nightlife, but there were some nice places to eat, beautiful scenery, museums, friendly people etc. Prices at CGs there are average as long as you don't want to be right near the town.
RE: Conditons heading south after Christmas
Until you get into southern Alabama, you could have nights that are down into the 30's and 40's. Unless you have solar and boondock, you will want to try to find electric so you can have heat.
We use the propane furnace to heat our RV when dry docked for the night at a WalMart or Flying-J. No solar needed.
RE: Conditons heading south after Christmas
We are planning to head to Florida from Michigan (I-65) within a few days after Christmas....departure date will be weather dependent.
I was wondering what accomdations along the way are like at that time?
We also head for FL about that same time. We stay night's in WalMart parking lots with the other RVs heading south. Most are near but not so close to the Interstates that noise is a problem. We go in the store and buy Rotisserie chicken, potato and macaroni salad for dinner. The stores make money on us. Several times we picked up things not on the list. These lots are safe, well lit and have security cameras if not security guards themselves.
Are the RV parks near the highway in Kentucky and Alabama full?
We don't go through those states but I doubt they'd be full that time of year. Avoid traveling on the weekends if possible.
Are the rest areas packed full of overnighting RVer's?
I never saw one anywhere packed full of overnighters. Not all RSs allow overnighting so keep that in mind.
Do we need to make reservations for stops along the way or can we safely wing it?
reservations will limit your mobility. If you want to keep going or stop for the night... you can't. Your "paid for spot" is awaiting you. We hated dealing with that. If you want a CG you can wing it. None are 100% full in midwinter.
People have told me of their experiences coming north the first of April (packed rest areas, etc.) and I was wondering if conditions are similar around the first of the year when heading south?
Geeze, that's not what we found in TN,GA and FL. We leave Fl the last day of March or April 1st. Rest areas are not packed, but here again, not all allow overnighters. We also found them noisier than WalMart parking lots. We avoid traveling the weekend if possible, but even on the weekends the traffic isn't bad except around Atlanta GA. We try and hit Atlanta late at night.
RE: Canadians buying RV lots in Florida
If it's a lot with an old mobile homes on it, sewer, water and electric should already be there (in most cases).
EXACTLY! All you have to do is sell any old MH that's on the lot and back your RV right in and hook 'er up. :B And that's what we talked about doing. But we decided we didn't want to own property in another state, nor be obliged to keep returning to the same place.
BTW, there are also nice lots with old houses on them of no real value. Good to use for storage or just have someone from Craigslist knock them down for the wood, windows - whatever. All hookups would be there ready for your RV.
RE: Canadians buying RV lots in Florida
We would like to purchase a RV lot in Florida,any suggestions on how or about financing?
Thanks in advance!
I don't know if this is true or not but was told it's cheaper to buy a lot somewhere that allows RVs and Mobile Homes (much of FL) and set yourself up. You may not need financing that way. By that I mean you buy a nice lot and have water and electricity and sewer installed yourself. In fact I did that where I live now. Or buy a lot with an old MH on it, get rid of the MH, and set up your RV for the winter. From what I have seen in FL that would be the cheapest way to go. Buying an RV lot in an RV Resort can be very costly and you'll have neighbors right on top of you. And you will have all kinds of rules and regulations about everything from disallowing screen rooms to how many pets you can have to being banned from drying anything outside your RV. It would be every bit as bad as living where there's a HOA.
To me that would be pretty boring if you like the facilities, activities and friendships made in a RV Park type setting, Who would you have Happy Hour with?
However if you are more of a loner that may be just the thing.
But there's a price to pay for those facilities, activities and friendships. You have to put up with many rules and regulations that may not be what someone wants. You have small lots with little privacy. Most don't allow the people to have campfires to enjoy or cook over. Many don't even supply picnic tables anymore. Others don't want you to use those outdoor carpets/mats as they damage the grass. There are drawbacks that have nothing to do with being a loner. And we got to know a LOT of people in the place we spent last 2 winters who had no interest in Bingo, crafts, Karaoke, sitting and putting puzzles together and other such activities. I would be close to accurate if I said only about 25 to 30% of the people there participated in those things. The only huge turnout was the covered dish dinners. They were extremely popular. One singalong we went to no more than about 10 people show up.
RE: When the Snowbirds are Gone
.......... The plentiful live oak trees gave the impression of "old Florida", but the location on a 4 lane U.S. Highway contributed a lot of noise 24/7. Plus, I was a sardine in a can. There's not many commercial parks that have MY definition of the "it" factor. Spending the winter at a 6 screen drive-in, sans the big screens, is not my cup of tea. To each, their own.:D
This is how I feel also. This past winter we were stuck in a lot with an RV so close on each side I could hear everything our neighbors said. We weren't thrilled with the situation but they did allow screen rooms and those First-Up gazebos. I felt we had no privacy at all. No space. I any case I wish my husband would consider spending a month in each place instead of all 3 months in the same Resort or CG. We did find a better place in the Ocala National Forest with much larger lots with RVs spaced further apart. We will at least have some privacy, some space to breathe this coming winter. Look past the cat and out the window behind her. You can see how close the RV next to us was. The green thing is their handrail. The RV in front was just as close. :(
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k28/Lottaminya/Cats-Fl-2013014_zps78d00149.jpg
RE: Canadians buying RV lots in Florida
We would like to purchase a RV lot in Florida,any suggestions on how or about financing?
Thanks in advance!
I don't know if this is true or not but was told it's cheaper to buy a lot somewhere that allows RVs and Mobile Homes (much of FL) and set yourself up. You may not need financing that way. By that I mean you buy a nice lot and have water and electricity and sewer installed yourself. In fact I did that where I live now. Or buy a lot with an old MH on it, get rid of the MH, and set up your RV for the winter. From what I have seen in FL that would be the cheapest way to go. Buying an RV lot in an RV Resort can be very costly and you'll have neighbors right on top of you. And you will have all kinds of rules and regulations about everything from disallowing screen rooms to how many pets you can have to being banned from drying anything outside your RV. It would be every bit as bad as living where there's a HOA.
RE: When buying a used TT a picture is NOT worth 1000 words...
It's useless apparently.
Traveled today to look at an older TT that looked pretty good in the ad, but unfortunately, upon a close look was a train wreck.
Jon
Yep, been there, done that. They use pics to make the RV look like it's clean and in great condition. When you get there and actually see the RV, it's a whole other story. Then there are those that stink from tobacco smoke, dirty laundry, tomcats, unwashed dogs and fried fish that would gag a maggot. Sadly some of them are good buys if you can stand the stink. We couldn't.
And watch out for those "hidden lemons" that look great until you get them home or go camping for the first time. Then you find leaking pipes, cracked waste tanks, worn out water-pumps, 10 yr old tires treated to look new, fridges that can barely work - and who knows what else.
Buying used is buying a pig-in-a-poke. Don't ask how I know this....
