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RE: Boondocking Tips and Tricks Blog Entry
There you go, Bob. You can expect that I will amend my blog entry to "borrow" that excellent idea! In fact, I would go so far as to say that before leaving, we should email our intended GPS coordinates to our kids -- we do that with our ordinary vacation itineraries (names of motels and contact numbers), so for sure we should do that when planning to boondock. Thanks!!
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profdant139
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12/02/08 06:26pm |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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Boondocking/Dry Camping in Small TT Tips & Tricks
Dear Fellow Trailer-ers --
I have put together a long blog entry on tips and tricks for boondocking and dry camping in a small trailer:
Boondocking and Dry Camping in Small Trailer -- Tips and Tricks
If you get a chance to read it, you may notice that some of my ideas have been "borrowed" from experienced campers who post on this forum. Thanks again for your advice!!
Dan
(Note to Moderator -- I also posted this link over on the Boondocking Forum, on the theory that there are non-trailer boondockers who may be interested. If this violates the rule against double-posting, please delete this post and leave the one on the boondocking forum. Thanks, and sorry for any inconvenience.)
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profdant139
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12/02/08 04:26pm |
Travel Trailers
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Boondocking Tips and Tricks Blog Entry
Dear Fellow Boondockers --
For whatever it is worth, I have put together a long blog entry on tips and tricks for boondocking and dry camping -- if you suffer from insomnia, this will cure you right away. If you get a chance to read it, you may notice that some of my ideas have been "borrowed" from experienced campers who post on this forum. Thanks again for your advice!!
Dan
Boondocking in a Small Trailer -- Tips and Tricks
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profdant139
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12/02/08 04:19pm |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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RE: Norcold shelf support lugs broke off -- any fixes?
Well, thanks to the folks who came up with the ideas, the fridge is fixed -- I cut a stud out of thick aluminum stock and shaped it with my belt sander. On the back side of it (out of sight) is a triangular prong that sticks into the foam inside the door. I hollowed out a little space and put in some epoxy, and then stuck the prong into the epoxy. As you can see, the shape of the new stud fits the slot in the shelf:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_dtW7wd3cENA/STR4qY94tsI/AAAAAAAAAuM/U3_r3wekoPs/s576/IMGP2475.JPG height=576 width=461
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profdant139
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12/01/08 05:17pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Do I need to recharge before using batteryminder?
Yes, the manual says to leave it on desulph after about three days of charging --
Batteryminder Plus Model 12117 Manual
When I charge my two deep cycle batteries (110 amp hours each) at the same time, the batteryminder will not go into "automatic desulp" mode -- I have to push the button to get it to that phase. I spoke to a tech at the company, and he told me that this is normal under those circumstances. (I was worried that there was something wrong with these batteries, which are basically new.) The batteryminder will supposedly automatically convert to desulph when the batteries are charged up to 14 volts -- but that only works with one battery or maybe with ordinary car batteries.
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profdant139
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12/01/08 11:40am |
Tech Issues
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Do I need to recharge before using batteryminder?
Suppose that my two group 27 deep cycles are somewhat discharged after a camping trip -- down to about 12.4 volts. Now I hook them up to my "batteryminder plus," instead of charging them up with my 10 amp deep cycle charger. I leave them hooked up for a few days and then switch the batteryminder over to the desulph setting and leave them there for a few weeks.
My question is this -- do I need to zap them with the 10 amp charger for a while before using the batteryminder, or will the batteryminder do the job eventually? (I have the 10 amp for the times when I need a quick turnaround.)
Thanks.
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profdant139
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12/01/08 02:59am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Where to Go in Oregon
There is some good boondocking near Mt. Hood:
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/839/2392/320/Lupine%20on%20Mt.%20Hood.jpg height=320 width=214
Here are a few more photos of the area:
Oregon photos
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profdant139
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11/30/08 09:22am |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: monterey, santa cruz campgrounds ca.
My vote is for Smithwoods in Felton -- lots of redwood trees right on the property. The picture below shows what you see when you are sitting in that park next to your rig and looking up:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_dtW7wd3cENA/SPfeWpu9QJI/AAAAAAAAAdU/wP-GQ99iXP0/s576/04%20Mist%20in%20Henry%20Cowell%20Redwoods.jpg.JPG height=576 width=462
Bring a sweater -- it is very shady and very cool.
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profdant139
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11/29/08 12:10pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: need some help planning No. Cal. trip
Do you mean Jedediah Smith, up near Crescent City? There are some good places near Prairie Creek, a little further south. We like Kamp Klamath, but not everyone does -- see rvparkreviews.com.
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profdant139
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11/26/08 07:58pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: Sagging fridge door gaskets -- fix 'em or leave 'em alone?
Thanks, Brian -- very sensible solution! This is one of those "why didn't I think of that myself" moments -- but I guess that's because "common sense" is not really all that common, unfortunately.
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profdant139
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11/26/08 09:25am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest??
We have done our share of fairly serious backing -- never more than an eighth of a mile, but that is plenty. Sometimes, if we can't tell in advance if there is a place to turn around, we will hop on our mountain bikes and check it out.
But yes, that is one of the big advantages of a truck camper!!
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profdant139
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11/25/08 08:54pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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Sagging fridge door gaskets -- fix 'em or leave 'em alone?
The rubber gaskets around my fridge door are "gapping" away from the doorframe -- not a lot, but maybe a little less than an eighth of an inch. (Especially the one on the bottom -- kind of sagging.) The fridge seems to be working fine -- stuff stays cold at a medium setting.
I know that if it ain't broke, don't fix it -- but are these gaskets broke? I am thinking about shooting a little hot glue into the gaps. (This is a Norcold 300.3, by the way -- and it has gotten a lot of use.)
Thanks in advance for your advice!
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profdant139
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11/25/08 05:49pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest??
Thanks, Tiger! As always, you lead the way! The backing up part would be a trick, though -- I am hoping that if I meet someone, they won't have a trailer and will take pity on me. We CAN back up on narrow roads, but it is not a pleasure. For some reason, a single axle short trailer is very tricky to back up -- it wiggles all over the place.
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profdant139
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11/23/08 09:50pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest??
There is a little-known park in the southern Sierra -- Mountain Home -- and the website does not provide much detail about trailers and RVs in the campgrounds. I'm wondering, first, about the road up to the park -- it looks long and twisty but not too steep (judging by my Topo program). Is it too narrow for trailering? (I have a small tow vehicle and trailer, so we are not talking about a 50 foot long rig.)
In the park itself, how are the campsites -- is access tricky? Are they reasonably level?
There are several campgrounds -- are any of them right in the sequoia trees?
Thanks in advance for your input!
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profdant139
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11/23/08 05:03pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: Grand Canyon campground
Have you thought about the North Rim? There is a good campground there and some very good nearby boondocking:
North Rim
North Rim is a lot cooler -- that may or may not be a good thing, depending on the time of year.
Personally, I would not bother with Vegas, especially with a child. But that is just my bias, since I don't gamble and I don't like cities. (Plus I can remember being dragged to Vegas in the early 1960s as a 12 year old and hanging around the hotel lobby -- really dull.) There are some family-friendly shows -- but they are not cheap.
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profdant139
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11/23/08 03:37pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: Boondocking in a small blizzard -- no problem
Tiger, the foam works fine, so far -- it is not chipping or shredding at all. We store the foam panels under the seat cushions when they are not in use -- a little extra padding never hurts!
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profdant139
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11/22/08 10:07am |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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RE: Tahoe National Forest DEIS
Damone, two questions -- first, what is "DEIS"?
Second, what is your opinion of "annual pass user fees" in the forests? As strange as it may seem, I am in favor -- the national budget is a mess, and maybe fees would be a way to help keep more of the roads open (because we can pay for more rangers and more trail maintenance). Plus I have never understood why folks who do not use the forests should pay for my recreation with ordinary tax money. It is sort of a pay as you go theory -- just like the folks who cut timber have to pay for it.
The other thing about a fee is that it will hold down the number of folks who come into the forests and trash it -- people who have to pay for the privilege of using the forest tend to be more careful. But I know that not everyone agrees with me on this!
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profdant139
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11/19/08 02:26pm |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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RE: Boondocking in a small blizzard -- no problem
Damone, the interior does stay surprisingly warm. But this trailer is not designed for four season camping -- there is no enclosed "basement," and the floor is just cheap chipboard covered with a thin sheet of linoleum.
But heck -- we figured that if Eskimos can sleep in an igloo on a bed of ice with a bunch of sealskin covers, we could sleep in a tin tent with a thick comforter and lots of blankets and wool socks and ski hats. And sure enough, we sleep better in the cold dark silence of the trailer than we ever do at home!!
The only problem is getting up in the middle of the night to get a drink of water or whatever. Quite a shock.
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profdant139
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11/18/08 06:56pm |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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RE: Lincoln City, oregon advice
Susan, when would this gig begin? If in the winter/spring, you will see a lot of rain -- not the greatest camping. If in the summer, there is so much to see -- for just a few examples, see our blog:
Oregon Camping Blog
In any event, be sure to enjoy the phenomenal seafood along the coast!
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profdant139
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11/17/08 09:51pm |
Campgrounds, Resorts and Attractions
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RE: Has the Internet ruined any favorite boondocking spots?
greenrvgreen, the trick is to pour the drink so that the ice cubes are completely covered. Since they float, this takes a fair amount of liquid.
And kendas, the other trick is to get the DW hooked on boondocking so that SHE is the one who wants to scout for the gems.
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profdant139
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11/17/08 09:43pm |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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