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Forum
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RE: Where are you guys putting your gennys when in use?
The one time I used the gennie in my truck bed the noise was horrendous. The truck bed (Ford 150) acted as a resonator and sounded like a 747 was landing. Haven't tried the truck bed it in my Tundra yet.
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dave54
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12/13/09 05:57pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: gps question
Garmin Nuvi 5000 in the TV. for the main part of the trip.
But even the most current updated maps don't have all the side roads and goat trails we like to explore on our excursions after we set up camp. So I have a handheld Garmin GPSMap 76 with all the topo maps loaded. Plus 7.5 minute USGS topo maps/ortho photos loaded onto a hard drive. I can print a hard copy map of the local area.
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dave54
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12/13/09 05:50pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: Gov't to reduce Golden Access Discount to 10%
The original legislation that created the passes exempted concessionaire and contract operated campgrounds from the discounts. (1965 Land and Water Conservation Act). Over time they were included in the discount program.
The concessionaires are the ones complaining because it reduces revenues. It is not uncommon for at any point in time the majority of the campground occupants to be discount permit holders, and the number is increasing.
I am at least partially sympathetic to the contractors. They face increasing operating costs and flat or declining revenues. There are a number of FS campgrounds that reverted from contract operation back to agency, because no contractor wanted them.
When choosing whether to boondock in a less desirable location or use a developed campground cost is a factor. This will affect my future decisions.
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dave54
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12/06/09 12:49pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Boondocking battery power?
Every rechargeable device we have is plugged in any time the generator is running (and it only runs when we need to recharge the rig batteries every few days, or use the A/C or microwave).
We don't use the lights all that much. We tend to go to bed shortly after sunset.
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dave54
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11/29/09 10:17pm |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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RE: length limits
The National Forest visitor maps and web sites almost always have a chart that lists the campgrounds and the max trailer length. I have found to take those numbers with a healthy dose of skepticism. In most cases you can get a longer rig in there easily (but not always). Park on the road outside the campground, get out, and take a walk around the sites. Chances are you can get your 39' into some of them. Check the parking pad length, overhead branches, road dips, and any tight corners on the campground roads.
The campgrounds are periodically refurbished and updated. The original specs and limits from 30 years ago do not always get changed in the brochures.
If you are boondocking then the only limits are what your rig and your skill level can handle.
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dave54
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11/29/09 10:08pm |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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RE: Trailer leveling
I've thought about switching to Lynx levelers for the reasons the others have pointed out above. How well do they work on dirt surfaces? We boondock most of the time, so I was worried about them sinking in.
Carry several 12x12 pieces of plywood to go under the levelers on soft surfaces.
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dave54
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10/31/09 10:54pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: which # should we be looking at for weight
Adding a 1000 to the dry weight is a common rule of thumb.
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dave54
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10/31/09 10:50pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Golden Access and Age Passes beginning to shrink
No water, no services?
Why stay there?
Drive down the road a quarter mile and boondock for free.
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dave54
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10/04/09 03:07pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: how often do you shop?
Usually just groceries, specifically perishables like bread and milk. Frequently stop at roadside produce stands to check out the local fare. We have found some delicious local varieties of fruit and vegetables we have never located anywhere else.
The occasional trip to a hardware or RV store for lightbulbs, broken latches, etc. No matter how many spare parts you carry with you, you do not have a replacement for the one that breaks...
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dave54
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10/02/09 08:41pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: What is your campfire profile?
We don't have one.
On our recent trip to Olympic NP I realized I don't even like the smell anymore.
I will sometimes dismantle and bury old campfire rings at remote boondocking sites.
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dave54
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09/20/09 09:58pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Bi-weekly?
Semi-monthly means twice per month.
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dave54
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08/18/09 08:56am |
Around the Campfire
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RE: Increased octane for towing?
I get slightly better fuel mileage with higher octane, but not enough improvement to pay for the higher cost. I have not noticed any difference in power while towing.
OTOH -- how many different gas cans are you going to carry? The small 4 cycle engines (i.e. generators) like a higher octane. The owners manual all say you can use 87, but that is because the law says the engine must be able to use 87. Every small engine mechanic I have talked to, and my personal experience, is the generators perform better on 89 or 91 and have fewer problems over time. So, my gas can is filled with 89. If I need to top off the can and vehicle at the same time I use 89. Just not worth the hassle of switching gas grades while sitting at the pump for the few cents difference.
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dave54
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08/05/09 10:27pm |
Towing
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RE: tow vehicle question
OK, here goes. I did a lot of research when I was looking for a TV. I have always been a GM guy. The new redesigned Tundra with the 5.7 drive line and the factory tow package is darn near the equivalent of a Chevy 2500. So I repeat, with the proper hitch, towing a trailer that size will be no problem! As for Steveo35 all I have to say is "Did so!"
Too many people have been out of touch with changes in truck design for too long. The new generation Tundra is a full 3/4 ton in everything but name -- comparable to the F-250/Chev 2500 series but with better fuel mileage and cheaper to own and operate. The new Tundra is not a baby rice wagon. It's a real truck.
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dave54
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08/05/09 10:09pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: This heat is awful!!!!
Northern Sierra weather forecast is 8,000 feet snow level tonight and tomorrow.
And dry lightning...
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dave54
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08/05/09 09:27pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Cigarette Butts
Just curious, but I wonder how many of the posters complaining about butts dump their grey or black water on the ground before leaving their campsite.
Litter comes in liquid form also.
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dave54
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08/05/09 09:25pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Camping without services ...
16 days backpacking with no resupply. But I was younger then and could carry all that food weight.
In the TT I try to top off the water after 5 days max.
We normally carry a couple of 5 gal jugs in the back of the truck and fill them any time we are out and about, and pour them into the fresh tank when we return to camp. If we don't, after 5 days we pretty much have to.
We rarely pass by a farmer's roadside stand without stopping and at least checking to see what is offered. So we tend to replenish food on a regular basis.
Gasoline is also regularly refilled. We always start out with full propane. I can't recall having to refill propane on the road.
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dave54
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08/02/09 10:47pm |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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RE: New phrases that you just hate!!
whatever...
When I hear that I know the the speaker is not literate enough to articulate an intelligent response.
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dave54
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08/02/09 10:33pm |
Around the Campfire
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RE: ut-oh, some folks are going to be upset
There is the misconception that organic vegetables are grown on small family farms, picked daily, and taken to the back of the grocery in the farmers 1949 Chevy pickup...
aw c'mon...
Everyone knows organic food companies are all small family owned businesses free of corporate greed and corruption. Here's the proof:
* General Mills owns Muir Glen and Cascadian Farm
* Heinz owns Hain, Breadshop, Arrowhead Mills, Garden of Eatin', Farm Foods, Imagine Rice (and Soy) Dream, Casbah, Health Valley, DeBoles, Nile Spice, Celestial Seasonings, Westbrae, Westsoy, Little Bear, Walnut Acres, Shari Ann's, Mountain Sun, and Millina's Finest
* M&M-Mars owns Seeds of Change
* Coca-Cola owns Odwalla
* Kellogg owns Kashi, Morningstar Farms, and Sunrise Organic
* Philip Morris/Kraft owns Boca Foods and Back to Nature
* Tyson owns Nature's Farm Organic
* ConAgra owns LightLife
* Danone owns Stonyfield Farm
* Dean owns White Wave Silk, Alta Dena, Horizon, and The Organic Cow of Vermont
* Unilever owns Ben and Jerry's
The largest organic produce grower in the U.S. is Earthstone Industries, a publicly traded corporation, and has around 40,000 acres under cultivation.
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dave54
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07/30/09 09:08pm |
Around the Campfire
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RE: Figuring grade of a hill
If you know the degree angle of the grade (many clinometers show degrees, not %), take the tangent of the angle for % slope.
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dave54
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07/30/09 08:55pm |
Around the Campfire
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RE: Who camps close to home?
We have many boondocking sites within 20 miles. One of our more frequented ones is 3 miles as the crow flies, 5 miles by road.
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dave54
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07/24/09 10:24pm |
General RVing Issues
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