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Tips for A Better RV Trip

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Nothing is more fulfilling than exploring the wide open country road and the magnificent campgrounds in an RV. For years countless voyagers have gone on epic adventures that don’t require the kind of baggage checks and long security lines experienced at airports. Journeying on an RV offers an uncommon liberty on the road and limitless opportunities.

RV trips are generally fun, with lots of sights seeing opportunities and a couple of challenging to overcome. Ultimately, you’ll learn some extremely valuable lessons from your RV road adventures but here are a few tips to help you enjoy the RV lifestyle.

Plan Rest Days

The key lesson you should learn from you first trip is how to schedule rest days. When you drive for 2 days or more you could cover over 1,300 miles, that’s quite a challenging and long journey especially when towing the camper.

When you find a Walmart parking lot close by you could boondock for a while to refresh before going forward  as you’ll lose a great deal of energy at the beginning of the trip. Another great advice is to wait an extra day or more at a destination before going forward. As a rule for each four days of driving and sight-seeing, put in three days of rest, particularly when you are towing the camper.

Towing the camper is more challenging than driving without it. Although it is great to have it, it needs much more forethought and attentiveness than just driving the truck. Plain long driving days can make you get fatigued. Hence planning rest days is not only important but could save your life.

Driving Long Distances and Maintaining Your Refrigerator’s Coolness

The refrigerator can be powered by propane. However, RVers are divided on the basic safety of making use of propane while towing the vehicle. Most Rvers believe it is better to leave it off.

Buy cooler packs to keep the fridge cold. They work impressively so long as they freeze. Once more, investing a few extra days in one place makes it possible for the refrigerator to pick up, which will resolve this challenge.

The best way around this challenge is not to purchase a whole lot of food items which needs refrigeration at a time, eat out or visit the grocery store when you want to prepare foods.

Boondocking is Not Necessarily a good option in the summertime

boondocking is camping out with no connections, usually not in a formal campground. You could keep your camper in a facility without hookups if you want to but you’ll have to spend your first night in a campground to fill your fresh water tank.

Boondocking is certainly not the worst experience you’ll ever have but it definitely would not be the best.  You could run into serious problem with heat. That’s not to say you shouldn’t get excited about boondocking in the foreseeable future but do it just when the weather is right.

RV Repairs and Maintenance on the Road Could be extremely difficult to schedule

Ensure you get your camper examined well ahead of time and be ready to remain in a place if you must have service.

Moving forward: Journeying with an RV is actually a learning experience after some years you’ll pretty much adjust to the game, learn from your mistakes and move ahead, you are surely on your way to a fulfilling adventure.

National Parks With RV Hookups

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America’s National Parks have an abundance of mountains, valleys, breathtaking landscapes and natural charms. It’s not surprising that those attributes makes them so famous and admired by most people. But a great number of the National Parks only offer accommodations without utility hookups. This suggests that Vacationers have to go dry camping which is often a challenging option for most Rvers. However a few National Parks provide modest or full hookups to help you enjoy the breathtaking American’s countryside, natural charm and magnificence without any challenge.

Why most National Parks are without Hookups

It is important to note that National Parks are priceless assets shielded and reserved. They are supposed to be typically untouched so that visitors can take pleasure in their healthy and all-natural sights. However, a National Park with maximum utility hookups would have piping and cables laid for some distance which would tear up the preserved land and eventually destroy a great portion of the natural splendor and appeal of the park. Even though it might appear overwhelming and stressful at the outset, you should consider the unavailability of hookups as a great trade-off for the all natural magnificence you’ll experience. By compelling RVers to dry camp, the natural beauties of the parks are preserved for hundreds of years to come and for the future generations.

Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park provides a dozen of exclusive campgrounds in but the Fishing Bridge Campground is the only site with utility hookups. This campground has around 340 sites with electrical, water and sewer hookups in addition to a store, bath and laundry. The park also has an amazing backdrop as it is positioned in close proximity to the mouth of the Yellowstone River.

Grand Teton National Park

The Grand Teton National Park is endowed with striking and memorable landscapes it has a lot to offer from awe-inspiring Mountains, lakes, valleys and rivers. It is also a great habitat for rich forests as well as diverse wildflowers and wildlife.

The Colter Bay Campground in the Grand Teton National Park has 112 RV-friendly sites equipped with water, sewer and electric. Colter Bay is in close proximity to Jackson Lake. An additional option is situated in Headwaters Campground which is positioned just five miles north of Grand Teton park boundaries.

Grand Canyon National Park

Trailer Village is the only RV friendly park within the boundaries of Grand Canyon National Park. It is situated close to Mather Campground on the South Rim of the canyon. Trailer Village provides both 30 and 50 amp electric hookups, water, sewage, cable and can accommodate RVs up to 50 feet in length. Reservations fill up extremely fast so ensure you reserve far ahead of time.

To enjoy America’s rich and breathtaking scenery it is advisable to camp at the National Parks. All you have to do is to learn some dry camping skills and you’ll find it relatively easy to stay within the boundaries of most parks. Dry camping shouldn’t be so much a tough task if you want to enjoy the magnificence of the great wild and take pleasure in the natural. You’ll as well take pleasure in the fact that you are keeping the natural habitat of National Parks intact.

RV Myth Busters

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Countless people are desperately yearning for the flexibility, luxury and the independent lifestyle RVers experience. However, a great number strongly believe, they can by no means afford the RV lifestyle. They are drastically wrong because RVing comes with some inexpensive options.

With luxurious Rvs running into six figures and rapidly increasing gas prices, how could RVing be cost effective for the average family? Let’s dispel a number of myths concerning RVing and find out if an RV vacation is a smart option for you.

Purchasing or renting an RV costs a lot of money

No doubt luxury coaches and big fifth wheels could practically drain out your pocket. Custom rigs, particularly new ones can cost a fortune.

But you don’t actually need a luxurious large custom coach. Fifth-wheels and trailers can be reasonably priced, particularly if you purchase a second hand unit.

One great option to enjoying the RV lifestly especially if you are not going full time is renting one. A standard 25-foot class C motorhome goes for around $1000/week with limitless miles. You can get them totally pre-loaded with kitchen utensils, bedding and so on. They also come with zero costs for upkeep, insurance coverage or registration. You simply bring your clothing and you are on your way.

It’s less expensive to stay in a hotel

The charges for rooms in hotels are consistently rising. For those who have a large family and require multiple room, charges accumulate faster. On the other hand, renting an RV space costs significantly less plus there lots of tips to reduce the costs of an RV site.

It costs too much to fuel an RV.

It’s factual that gas prices are soaring, nonetheless it costs money to put gas in your car too and airfare costs too are rising. A sensible way to figure out your gas expenses for your RV trip is to make use of the Camping and RVing BC’s gas buddy on the Google map.

There are methods to reduce RV fuel expenses:

First, fuel up at a truck stop where prices are usually competitive or make use of a discount gas card.

Pack less because the heavier your RV is the more fuel it costs.

Driving 80-90 km helps you save gas.

An RV will put a restriction on the places you go

It’s factual that you don’t want to drive a big 40-foot rig down some thin twisty road.

But the truth is that RVs provide you with flexibility and freedom to go virtually anywhere you want to. Today’s RVs are powerfully built, well developed and simple to drive and can ascend into steep mountains as well as cross hot deserts. As a matter of fact, traveling in a RV could make your vacation a lot more flexible and impulsive and even more secure.

Additionally, if anything happens to your vehicle, you’ve got all the luxuries and conveniences of home in it.

Cooking in an RV is challenging

Almost all RV’s have modern kitchens built with refrigerators, freezers, stoves, ovens, and all the, utensils you need. Traveling in an RV means that you can benefit from the varieties in multiple locations. Shop at farmer’s markets and get fresh fish and so on. In addition eating in your motorhome rather than dining in restaurants can be a huge money saver.

Hence, if you’re on the search for a vacation that’s exciting, flexible, easy-going and affordable, try an RV vacation.

3 Dumb Questions Non-Rvers Ask About Full-Time RVing

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Making a transition to the RV lifestyle is what some consider unusual and weird. Some might even raise eyebrows on you when you decide to make this transition.  But Living in an RV comes with numerous benefits and advantages. The RV’s small living space is a perfect option for those who desire to live simply, this is obviously one reason why the tiny house trend is becoming popular. You’ll always have to get rid of clutters and unnecessary weight on a consistent basis to create free space. And the ability to travel wherever you want to at anytime makes the RV lifestyle pretty cool.

However as soon as you trim down and get ready to make the big leap to full time RV living, you’ll have to answer a lot of questions from your friends, here are the 3  dumbest questions.

What are you going to do with Your Poo?

This might seem unusual to most people but most RVers are pretty comfortable discussing poop and even disaster stories at the sanitary dump site. Most non-RVers have no idea how toilets are managed in an RV and how water is conserve or how the black tank works.

Rvers use campground hookups to get rid of their waste and mange water but most non Rvers are either ignorant or  fail to consider these options when thinking of RV full time living, they wrongly assume that Rvers literally drive without ever stopping. However those who are used to the RV lifestyle know there is nothing to fret about with regard to the black tank.

Isn’t Gas Mileage horrifying?

Obviously, driving an RV is like driving a house they are less fuel efficient compared to cars. But you are not always driving. Most RVers tow their cars while travelling and use it for commuting when they are in the camp. Some even take bikes or motorcycle as an alternate mode of transportation.

One other thing to consider is that fuel in an RV is far cheaper than the cost of electricity in a home also the cost of RV fuel is nothing to be compared to the cost of  air travel and hotel accommodations in a year for full time travelers.

When would you be back To the Real World?

Most non- Rvers can’t just come to terms with the idea of fulltime RV living. You might even come across people who find your nomadic life offensive. They’ll accuse you of being irresponsible and running away from life challenges.  But don’t let this get you down. Full-time RVing comes with its own challenges and benefits just like living in a brick-and-mortar home.

Full Time RVing Dark Side: Thoughts before Making the Leap.

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Fulltime RVing is obviously not for everyone, to enjoy a rich and stress free full time RV lifestyle you have to be exceptionally flexible, comfortable with travels and diverse weathers, greatly love the company of your spouse and be contented in a small living space. Ultimately, you must have a great sense of humor.

Detailed planning is also important for the RV lifestyle you must be equipped for unexpected occurrences. The fulltime RV lifestyle would offer you great freedom, adventure and life long memories but here are a few take on the dark side and some great advice:

Life wouldn’t stop for Travel

Newbie Rvers must have it in mind that Life wouldn’t stop For Travel. Life happens anywhere.  Rvers have to endure a lot of unforeseen situations, make painful mistakes, deal with health related issues, lose things, and sometimes wait for days to get stuffs fixed. And none of these is convenient. Life wouldn’t stop just because you are moving in an RV. The important thing is not the challenges that surround you but how you deal with them. So, get ready to handle the most unusual challenges on the road but be optimistic that they are surmountable.

RVs have less space compared to Apartments

Some new RVers are sometimes astonished at how small RV spaces are. Although your kitchen and refrigerator might be closer  but your shower would definitely not  be that walk-in rainfall you have in a brick-and-mortar home and the toilet might sometimes give a not too pleasant smell, even more disturbing is the fact that you have to move around with the waste. Sometimes you’ll miss some of your stuff but it’s the sacrifice for this lifestyle. One great tip is to camp in nature as city RV parks make your limited space look even tighter but camping in natural environments with trails gives more generous space outside.

You are not in a Fixed Place

Living a mobile lifestyle is one of the beauties of RV living you’ll not always live close to your favorite restaurant and always have to figure out where to eat shop or even get medical supplies. It’s actually an adventure most people love about the RV life and many new RVers make a mistake of racing around too much before learning from their mistakes. It is advisable to spend some time to know more about the local scene and weather before making a move by slowing down you’ll have an even more enjoyable RV life.

Budget and Money are extremely important

Money matters a lot you have to make arrangement with regard to your finances before making the leap. You could make great income from investing and have the proceeds become an income stream to sustain your RV living. Bear in mind that unexpected expenses can come which can put extra strain on your finances  hence, you have to watch your budget closely and adjust accordingly just like in your home.  You can cut down on travel and plan on boondocking for a longer time or chose cheaper camps in order to have extra cash. RVing allows for a great level of flexibility with regards to money. You’ll never have an adaptable financial lifestyle like it.

You will get too close to your Partner

The less spacious size of the RV means you’ll be spending the whole day with your spouse in a limited space you’ll have to make the necessary adjustment if you need to because it can pose a lot of challenges for you and your partner if you are not prepared. It could literally shatter your fulltime dreams hence, it advisable to be mentally prepared for this great adjustment. You could develop separate hobbies and sometimes go on separate sight-seeing trips or take solo-walks but with time it’ll definitely work out.

8 Signs you are totally ready to try an RV Adventure

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The best RVers are usually a bit of a contradiction. They’re as well the most wonderful, kind-hearted — and without doubt, slightly whacky people you’ll ever meet. But have you ever wondered if you have the qualities for an RV road trip? Most likely, if you’re this interested in the RV lifestyle, you’re well on the road to taking the plunge.

Here are eight signs you’re really ready to take on those RV trips you’re musing about.

You like meeting new people.

Getting new connections is one of the finest parts of rving — RVers are an amazing group of people. And when you start your journey in your rig, you’re inevitably part of the club; you’ll always get the opportunity to meet new friendly faces, just by virtue of exploring a new destination.

You’re fascinated by cultures that are unlike yours.

Even if you stay right in America, you’re guaranteed to come across some new ways of thinking, including some that might challenge your own. That’s an integral part living in such a big and diverse nation.

So when you stop in Austin, ensure you try the barbecue. And if you’re up in Vancouver, don’t forget the salmon, even if it’s not your best fish. Try talking to someone whose outfits is different from yours or someone who speaks in a different way than you do? You would possibly learn a lot of new things — not just about the other person, but about yourself.

You’re great at organizing and planning…

The most successful travelers have at least a touch of natural planner in them, from routing unique itineraries to working out the number of nights to stay in each destination.

 You don’t freak out when things don’t go just as you’d planned.

It’s essentially the first rule of traveling: Not everything will go as planned. The happiest campers anticipate that and have no problem rolling with the punches — after all, if you needed predictability, you could have just stayed home.

You want to travel at your own pace.

Even though it’s indisputable that a plane can get you to your destination quickly but whenever you travel in an RV, you set the schedule —  you  are not subjected to some airline’s delay or undependable bus schedule. You choose whether you want to stop early for the day. Your bed’s already made up and set! All you need to do is locate a good place to pull off and set up camp.

There are some stuff you just don’t want to part with.

Traveling always suggests surrendering a bit in the way of possessions and creature comforts, and RVing is definitely not an exception. Even a 40 foot diesel pusher has very limited room!

However if you wish to hang onto your books, clothes, or special kitchen equipment while you’re out travelling the world, it’s quite easier to tote along your must-haves in a motorhome than on an airplane.

You’re not scared of getting a bit dirty.

While most people worry about possibly-nasty RVing must-dos like draining the wastewater tanks, it’s actually not that bad. Camping is really about getting closer to nature, and yes, at times you might find yourself with some dirt underneath your nails. So as long as you’re an intrepid enough traveler to deal with that — or bring along a scrub brush — you’re golden.