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Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: Hensley Arrow tips
Agree with other posters. Patience, Hitch Helper, a back-up camera (helpful....though I did it for years without), and more patience.
I mainly dispersion camp (boondock) and often find myself jackknifing the trailer into just the right spot between trees or rocks. When I unhook, I mark the location of each of the tow vehicle wheels (with a rock) and leave the hitch alone. Makes finding the sweet spot easier when I hook back up.
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SteveAE
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03/22/23 04:58pm |
Towing
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RE: Looking for a TOAD for our New Travato
Knowing nothing personally about this topic, but curious. A quick internet search yielded a couple possibilities in your desired weight range.....and several others that were darn close. Maybe take a look at this website. Good luck and safe travels.
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SteveAE
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03/06/23 07:06am |
Class B - Camping Van Conversions
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RE: Pet Boarding when visiting Disneyland
Maybe try looking on Rover.com
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SteveAE
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02/22/23 10:00am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Cassiar Highway
I can't speak to the cruise line rules.....though how would they know?
However, if you haven't already bought a SPOT, take a look at In-Reach.
Worldwide two way texting and email on the Iridium constellation for a reasonable price (IMO).
As far as renting one, not sure if they do, but try REI. They have stores in both Seattle and Anchorage
Thanks for this. I have checked the REI website, but unfortunately I don't think they rent them out.
I just did a quick internet search and found several companies that rent satellite phones. They ship them to you and you send it back when you are done so your starting and ending locations shouldn't matter. Probably more convenient than trying to find a store at both ends. Didn't look any further into it than that, but maybe that would work for you?
Safe travels.
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SteveAE
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01/29/23 10:56pm |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Cassiar Highway
I can't speak to the cruise line rules.....though how would they know?
However, if you haven't already bought a SPOT, take a look at In-Reach.
Worldwide two way texting and email on the Iridium constellation for a reasonable price (IMO).
As far as renting one, not sure if they do, but try REI. They have stores in both Seattle and Anchorage
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SteveAE
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01/26/23 06:40am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: DISCUSSION: 8 ft + crew cab vs. SUV
I think it depends on:
- what a person wants to carry and/or tow with the vehicle
- if it is used as a daily driver in cities or primarily for traveling
- budget constraints
- any future plans, dreams and schemes
We have a new 3500 crew cab diesel that is primarily use for travel. Only the dog uses the back seat .... but maybe someday I will get a truck camper so I may want that space for storage.
We tow the same 22' travel trailer that we used to tow with our 1/2 ton truck .... but maybe someday we will get something bigger and/or a 5th wheel.
We also carry a full size Side by Side on a heavy duty Tonneau Cover and still have full use of the (secured and weather proof) bed area below the SxS for storage (more toys). No way could a Suburban, short bed truck (the SxS would stick out too far and hit the front of the trailer) or even a mid-sized toy hauler (toy haulers have to be parked where you are going to ride) do all of this.
So, for us, the long bed crew cab was the only logical choice. And "hopefully", as life changes and evolves, the truck will be flexible enough to change with us.
Good luck with your decision.
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SteveAE
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01/24/23 06:14am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Armada to Pull 33' Lightweight TT
Sometimes, tow capacity isn't the whole story.
While the vehicle may be able to tow the trailer on the interstate just fine (all be it, probably slowly going uphill), you might want to investigate how well it do the much more critical task of slowing/stopping it....especially on steeper grades.
Perhaps you could rent/borrow a similarly sized/weight trailer for a few hours to see how it would work? Not on I-5, but up and down some long, steep, hills (i.e.; West or North/East entrances to Death Valley).
When we started RV'ing, we towed our 22' trailer with an older (2006) Toyota Tundra. And while we were within the tow limit, and didn't mind being passed by bicycles going uphill, it really sucked to have brake fade dropping into Death Valley (or similar). Switched to a 1 ton diesel and instantly learned that there was a night and day difference in the towing experience between being on the edge vs. having lots of margin.
Anyway, something to chew on and hope this helps.
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SteveAE
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01/10/23 08:30am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Best route from Salem, Oregon to West Valley City, Utah?
Awesome story. You are making a wise choice and I hope you have a great trip and reunion.
It's super easy to remove the bench seat(s). So, unless you have a bunch of people going, just take it out and leave it at home as it would be a whole lot more comfortable sleeping on the floor. A big foam pad (or one of those blow up beds) for underneath and a bunch of blankets (or sleeping bags) above and you'll be fine....unless it just happens to be during a rare cold snap.
Don't forget that, if you go over any of the passes (almost impossible not to), you will need to have tire chains for the front tires along just in case. If you get them at Les Schwab, they are more expensive, but you can return them if not used (just don't lose the receipt!). Or just get them at Walmart as they are probably a lot less expensive than Schwab.
Hwy 20 east to I84 would be the quickest and shortest route. About 3 hours to Bend and then another 12 hours from Bend to SLC (have driven it sooo many times). Tons of good places to stay along that route too.
Safe travels and Happy Birthday.
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SteveAE
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12/30/22 03:42pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Best route from Salem, Oregon to West Valley City, Utah?
Welcome to the group.
I hate to be just another nay sayer, but I tend to agree with others here. Not so much about the route (I wouldn't hesitate to go straight over the mountains, through Bend, and out to I-84 at Ontario), but in the capabilities of your tow vehicle.
I had a similar vintage Dodge Grand Caravan. Great vehicle for bebopping around town and carrying stuff, but not so good for towing. Tow capacity is 2000 pounds and it was about all it could do to tow my raft trailer (about 1500 pounds). My guess is that your trailer is a little over 3000 pounds.
Two suggestions:
1 - Fly to Utah. Between the price of fuel and the extra costs you are going to incur to get your vehicles ready for the trip, plus the possible costs due to breakdowns, it would probably be much less expensive.
2 - Leave the trailer and just take the van. Set up a little sleeping area in the van (either on the floor or build a platform to sleep on with gear storage below you), cover the windows with Reflextix insulation at night to keep it a little warmer inside. Shower at truck stops and go out to eat. We did just that many times.
Best wishes and I hope you get to visit your family.
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SteveAE
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12/26/22 09:17am |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Fun in the snow...
My Polaris (General) is still on the truck after coming home a couple days ago after a few days of riding at the Oregon Coast. Been too busy plowing and shoveling to unload it....besides, it's now covered with snow too. Probably should just leave it and hitch the trailer back up and head to warm(er) Southern Arizona.
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SteveAE
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12/12/22 01:05pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Southern Utah with kids
That is a lot of doing for 2 weeks. There isn't much between Kanab and Lake Powell, especially once you get past Jacob Lake. Which is the entry way to the North Rim of the Canyon.
Agree that two weeks isn't a lot of time. I suggest picking one area and focusing just on that rather than trying to "see it all".
Case in point, I could easily spend a month (even a lot more) between Kanab and Page.
Note that Lake Powell is at historically low levels right now which has it's good and bad points. On the bad, it's sort of ugly with a big bathtub ring and lots of mud between you and the water. On the good, there are canyons that haven't been exposed for decades to explore...all be it, somewhat filled with silt, but they are cleaning out.
If you want a couple good books to help research places to explore, I suggest "Photographing the Southwest, volumes 1 and 2" by Laurent Martres.
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SteveAE
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11/20/22 08:39am |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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RE: Southern Utah with kids
So much depends on the season and your intended route, but here are some ideas:
(note that my brain seems to be working from South to North today, so adjust as needed)
A few miles west of Marble Canyon off Hwy 89A then about 2 miles north up House Rock Valley Road, is a Condor Viewing site. A few more miles north on House Rock Valley Road, is a nice hike to some pictographs. If you have a 4x4 and are adventuress, check out White Pocket in the same area. Awesome place, but do use caution (if you try to go to White Pocket), as there can be deep sand in there.
Condors can also sometimes be seen under the bridge and cliffs at Marble Canyon (just park at the visitor center and walk out on the old bridge. Nice NPS CG at Lees Ferry.
A few miles north of Kanab, off the East side of hwy 89, there are Dinosaur Tracks. It's a bit weird parking at a truck stop/weigh station, and then you gotta figure out the trail to the top of the ridge (not marked, but lots of folks have walked there so there is a "route". Up on the ridge you will find the tracks. A little imagination (and some water to lightly spread over the tracks) helps.
A little further to the north and east, Escalante is the best. You could spend a lifetime exploring the region (I have been doing just that). Research Spooky and Peek-a-Boo canyons, check out hike up to Calf Creek falls (don't miss the large picto's), walk along (and in) the river to several arches, lots of petrified wood down the Burr Trail (you can drive it) past Deer Creek CG. Personally, I would stay at the large BLM dispersion camping area about a mile down (south) Hole-in-the-Rock Road when exploring the area or stay at Kodachrome Basin State Park (or one of the several RV parks in the area if that is more your style. Soooo many places to explore here. Much, much, much better than the Big Ditch (Grand Canyon).
I could go on and on, but then you would miss the fun of researching and finding special places for yourself. But these should give you some starting points.
Have fun.
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SteveAE
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11/19/22 10:39am |
RV Parks, Campgrounds and Attractions
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RE: Travel Trailer electrical, - Inverter placement/hookup
There are a lot of great, very experienced, folks on here (pianotuna in, I believe, Ontario comes to mind but there are others as well), and it just might take them some time to see your post and respond.
I considered separating the solar but we get almost all of our power that way so it didn't really make sense. Hence the simple double throw/center off switch to isolate the two works .... for us. Kinda idiot proof....which, as I get older, is a nice thing.
Regards and welcome to the group,
Steve
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SteveAE
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10/30/22 01:31pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Travel Trailer electrical, - Inverter placement/hookup
We almost are never plugged in. I have a 2000 watt inverter, solar charger and regular charger (I disabled the "stupid converter") under the bed. The bed is in the front of the trailer so it's all close to the four batteries on the tongue allowing for short lengths of heavy wire to connect it all. I started out with a fancy automatic transfer switch, but changed it to a much more reliable manual two position - center off electrical switch. All outlets (including the AC which the inverter can't run but it's doesn't take a rocket scientist to simply not turn it on) are powered which makes life super simple. Wife loves being able to use the microwave. I run the refrigerator and water heater on propane. If we accidentally overload the inverter (which has only happened when I tested it to see what would happen) it simply drops off line until the overload is resolved. It took some time and money to put together, but this systems works well for us. You can get fancy and get an inverter/charger that is smart enough to take power from wherever you have it available (shore power, the batteries or both), but this isn't as economical as a little $70 switch in an electrical box.
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SteveAE
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10/29/22 09:10pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Tent Camping Tricks and Cheap tricks
OK, you wana go there, huh?
We have been using groovers (portable toilets) of varying types for many years on river trips.
Some tips:
- Don't urinate in the groover (rule number one on river trips). Urine is the primary cause of the odor.....besides it weighs a lot and fills up the groover that much quicker. If you need a night bucket, use a small separate jug and just dump it outside in the mornings (we pee in rivers on river trips....yup, it's the required way to go).
- To save even more space in the groover (when you are out for weeks, this is super important), you can burn your TP or toss it in the trash.
- Put a little baking soda in the groover after each use. It neutralizes any odor (I row all day with a groover inches from my knees and don't smell a thing).
- If you must cover the contents up, you can put some pine shavings (available at any farm supply or pet store) or kitty litter in. But keep in mind that septic systems (or river dump stations) don't like this stuff (it clogs them up). Poop, water, and TP is all that should in the groover.
- I spray the inside of my groover with Pam (or rub Crisco on the inside) before every trip to make emptying easier at the end of a trip (avoids Klingons). If there is room, a little water the day before emptying also helps with the dump.
- An easy, cheap, groover can be had by simply using a 5 gallon bucket with a screw on Gamma lid. Put a RV toilet seat on it if want a little more comfort (the rim of the Gamma Lid is a whole lot more comfortable than the rim of a metal ammo can).
- Some folks put a plastic bag inside the groover than just dump that in a trash can after the trip, though that practice is frowned upon by most river management agencies.
- Generally, one pint of space per day per person is considered adequate (and usually the required space on river trips).
Why do I call it a groover?
Back in the day before the invention of fancy river toilets, we used to use 30 mm ammo cans that would would leave a very distinct "groove" in the cheeks for several minutes after use. Many still continue to use the ammo cans, but now add a seat.
If you have young children, make light of it and they will quickly adapt.
I hope this helps with the go.
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SteveAE
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10/28/22 06:44pm |
Tent Camping
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RE: SoCal to east side of North Cascades: 395 or 395/97?
Unless it's hunting season, there is nice dispersion camping at the Summer Lake Wildlife refuge. Just turn right off 31 at the BLM office (before the rest stop) and you'll figure it out.
If it's busy (only in hunting season) at the Wildlife refuge, there's tons of spots in the NF along 31 about 16 miles SE of hwy 97.
Once on 97 (near LaPine), there isn't a lot of great (dispersion) places unless you go a little way's from the road. Indeed, not much for quite a longgggg way....unless you get off the road. Might wind up in a dreaded CG.
There is a super nice roadside wayside north of Moro (DeMoss County Park) where you could overnight.
Up near Ruffis, some folks stay on US Army Corps of Engineering land along the Columbia river. Have never checked it out myself though.
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SteveAE
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08/24/22 09:01pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: SoCal to east side of North Cascades: 395 or 395/97?
Other than the section of 395 between John Day and Pendleton, I suspect that you'll find 97 more interesting overall.
Heading north on 395 from eastern California, I usually take hwy 31 from north of Lakeview to LaPine.
Sometimes, for a change in scenery, I take 139 out of Susanville to Klamath Falls. But this route will take (quite a bit) longer.
Hope this helps.
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SteveAE
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08/23/22 10:24pm |
Roads and Routes
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RE: Diesel fuel prices … how is that affecting your RV travel ?
these are the good old days. my boss said that back in 1971 he was right.
This one got me wondering what gas really did cost in 1971 (sorry, I couldn't find similar data for diesel....though no doubt someone will):
Inflation adjusted price of gasoline
Anyway, the national average was $0.36 per gallon. If that was adjusted for inflation (1971 to April 2022) it would be $2.57 today.....interestingly, about what it was before it started it's rapid rise.
I also found it interesting that the long term inflation adjusted average since 1918 was $3.20/gallon
I have noticed that, in the past couple weeks, it seems that the spread between the price of Diesel and Gas is decreeing here (Bend, Oregon). I wonder if anyone else is seeing similar?
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SteveAE
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06/11/22 06:04pm |
RV Lifestyle
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RE: If’s you’re headed North….
We spent three months in N. Canada/Alaska a number of years ago. Didn't bring a generator and and never plugged in once. Of course, that was in the summer................
This past winter, traveling in S. Arizona for three months, we brought along (and used) a generator (once). We were camped under trees and it was raining. Had we not been under the trees, we wouldn't have needed the generator. Actually, probably didn't really "need" to use the generator as we could have simply reduced our usage (i.e.; no microwave use)
We have 300 watts of solar, flat mounted to the rood and four 6 volt deep cycle batteries. Refrigerator and water heater are set to gas (all the time). We use a Fantastic Endless Breeze fan if it's hot. The DW uses the microwave daily.
Solar is great (for a RV) when supplemented with propane as needed.
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SteveAE
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06/07/22 08:26am |
RVing in Canada and Alaska
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RE: Water filtration when boondocking
No need to give up your backpacking techniques.
A different approach would be to use one of the many water purification products such as Aquamira
No filter to clean/replace and no chemical taste (that we have ever detected anyway). Lightweight and doesn't take hardly any space.
Disadvantage of course is that it doesn't remove solids.....or change the color (muddy water is still muddy water.....)
However, Alum does a "pretty good job" of settling out most solids if you are willing to give it time (overnight) to work.
With the combination of the two (Alum and Aquamira), I wouldn't hesitate to fill my tank from almost any water source (unless there was heavy metals or chemicals involved). The water may not look pretty, but it will be safe to drink.
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SteveAE
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05/08/22 07:54pm |
Truck Campers
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