Big Ol' Bug Smacker

I’ll Tell You Where You Can Go!

Tim R. Enright

Have we finally gotten to the point where we are letting computers tell us all where we can go? I do have to admit that when it comes to mapping out a RV road trip, there isn’t a handier gadget than a GPS device. Gone are the days of laying maps out on the hood of our cars and stopping at gas stations for directions only to forget if the guy at the station told us to turn right or left at the red house with the little white picket fence in the front yard.

The GPS device has changed the way we travel. You may, however, want to take the machine’s advice with a grain of salt. They have been known to outright lie. We once ended up on a small winding dirt road towing our 5th wheel through the hills of Vermont because the GPS told us it was the way to go. I think these little map-in-a-box devices get some sort of thrill getting us to drive down roads that we would otherwise never go down on our own.

My wife and I usually map out our trip in advance using a software program like Microsoft Streets and Trips. This allows us to map out where we travel on each leg of our journey and how long we will be staying at each site. From this we can create a traveling timeline of places. The software also gives us an idea of the fuel costs, road construction and times of the day we may be traveling though large towns with heavy traffic.

As we are traveling we put the points we are heading to into our GPS unit. The GPS shows us turn by turn how to get to our destination. We can also find gas, food and rest stops along the way. With our unit we can also find campground information. This allows us to pull over for the night when we find an unscheduled area where we would like to stay.

Love ‘em or leave ‘em, GPS is here to stay. I could never go back to unfolding a street map again. I certainly don’t know anyone who can fold those maps back up the way they were when they were purchased anyway.

Article Courtesy of : www.BugSmacker.com : Copyright © 2010

More Power To Ya

Tim R. Enright

There will come a time when you want to plug something in and all your outlets in the RV are dead. It could be because of various reasons but, never the less, you are stuck eating cold left over pizza. The microwave just won’t run off the battery.

You may want to go camping at a rustic campsite. It can be less expensive than full-hookups and also tends to be more secluded. More like a true primitive camping experience. If you really want to get away from it all, then go park your RV out on State land somewhere away from everyone. Either way you’re not going to find any place to plug into.

On the other hand you may have just pulled over into a rest area on the interstate. You pop inside your RV, grab a doughnut and wish you could pour yourself a nice piping hot cup of joe. Yet the coffee maker just won’t perk without power.

Maybe the situation is that you just went out into the RV simply because the lights went out in the house and you were in the middle of the big ball game.

These are times when you will be glad you have a generator. I will admit that you won’t use a generator everyday but, it sure is nice to have one when you need it. They sure make life a whole lot easier.

Now that you have determined that you want a generator, you will get to the store only to discover that there is a huge assortment of makes, styles and prices. This is where I am going to need to explain that it is defiantly a case of “You will get what you pay for”. I will tell you up front that you need a generator designed for RVing. Sure you can find a unit that has a lot more power for a lot less money but, like I said “You will get what you pay for”.

What a RV style generator has to offer is ease of operation, low fuel consumption, clean power and above all reduced noise levels. You don’t want to hear people talking behind your back about how noisy your generator is but, then again you won’t be able to hear them above the racket anyway. Guess it would be like bringing a barking dog into a library. You just wouldn’t want to be the one to do it.

You need to determine how much wattage you will need to power the items you will be running in your unit. Keep in mind more power required, the larger the size of the generator. I highly recommend a top brand name manufacturer like Honda or Onan.

Don’t limit your camping possibilities because a place has no power to offer you. Just grab your generator and bring your own power plant.

Article Courtesy of : www.BugSmacker.com : Copyright © 2010

Bathroom Eyes

Tim R. Enright

Today modern campground bathrooms have eyes everywhere. They have them in the lights, in the faucet, in the soap dispenser, in the blow dryer, in the paper towel dispenser, in the room air freshener and even in the toilet. By now I am sure that you have guessed that what I am referring to is those little sensors on these things that turn them on and off.

I am sure that the intentions are good for the use of these things. Personally I like the fact that I don’t need to touch these things in a public bathroom. I have seen far too many people touch the toilet flush handle, the faucet handle, then the towel dispenser handle without ever bothering to touch the soap dispenser. Thus giving the germs on the toilet handle a ride to the bathroom door handle where others can give them a lift on the way out.

I would assume that the little eyes on these things could save energy as well. I know for a fact that people have a tendency to be able to turn things on much better than they can turn them back off. Every light switch in every room my kids have ever been in and out of is proof of this theory.

The problem that I seem to have is that every one of these eyes that I come into contact with seem to be half blind. I have encountered faucets that do not come on until you turn to walk away from them. And what is it with putting the soap dispenser next to the water faucet? Whenever you want soap you get water and whenever you want water you get soap. If there is more than one sink, the water faucet will not come on until you move to the next one. I always seem to leave with wet hands because the towel dispenser doesn’t like me and either won’t give me any towels or one that is only 1 inch long. All of that time, I am totally in the dark because the light went off 30 seconds after I entered the room.

The little eye that annoys me the most is the one on the toilet. It seems to have some kind of sense of humor. If the facility you happen to be in is nice enough to provide you with one of those paper toilet seat cover dispensers, you might as well forget it. After you carefully place the paper on the toilet seat and turn to use it, the eye will see you move and flush the cover down every time. One time it took me 5 attempts and I am sure I could hear the little eyeball laughing every time. I eventually got the best of it by using a small piece of toilet paper, getting it wet (preferably by not dipping it into the toilet) and sticking it right into his beady little eye!

Article Courtesy of : www.BugSmacker.com : Copyright © 2009

Campfire Cooking

Tim R. Enright

If you are even the least part hungry, you may want to turn away right now. I would like to take a moment to show you a couple of delicious menu items that can be whipped up over a simple campfire.

All you need is a campfire cooking grate, a cast iron frying pan and, of course, a campfire. Here is a sample of the great campfire food that we enjoyed during our last camp-out.

Sausage-Egg-Cheese Breakfast Sandwich-

Campfire Pot Roast Dinner-

Bacon and Eggs Breakfast-

And don’t forget the SMORES!

Article Courtesy of : www.BugSmacker.com : Copyright © 2009

All Tied Up

Tim R. Enright

I have been searching for a way to keep my RV hoses and cables bundled. I have been using large wire tie wraps. These work ok, but don’t last very long. I have spent quite some time looking in several stores for replacement tie wraps large enough to bundle my hoses. It seems to be a hard item to locate.

In my quest for replacement ties, I came across an item called the Cable Clamp. This item is just what I needed. It is a simple design. You just clamp it onto your hoses or cables. You then press the release button to unclamp it. They come in a variety of sizes to fit most needs. The Cable Clamp makes a storing your gear much easier. I couldn’t possibly think of going back to the bread wrapper styled tie-wraps.

Article Courtesy of : www.BugSmacker.com : Copyright © 2009

What’s the Big Stink About?

Tim R. Enright

Your RV’s black tank can be a stinky subject. Maintenance of this tank is one of the most misunderstood areas of your RV. The black tank is simply used to store your toilet waste. This tank takes a bit more effort to maintain than your grey or fresh water tanks. If maintenance is done properly this tanks will provide you with years of trouble free performance.

Solids in the black tank are what make maintenance of this tank the most difficult of all the tanks. The solids, which can accumulate in the black tank, tend to plug the drain valve and accumulate along the tank sidewalls quite easily. You should always use proper black tank chemicals to help aid in the decomposing of these solids. If left untreated the tank will build up with sludge. This build up restricts the proper drainage when flushing the tank. Once this sludge builds up on the inside of your tank the odor is extremely difficult to control and may not go away without replacing the tank.

There are several different types of black tank chemicals on the market. Some of them deodorize, some help decompose, while others do both. These additives come in liquid, dry powder and drop-in pouch type. They come in large containers or pre-measured amounts. Do not use common household chemicals. The use of these non-RV products can have adverse effects when used in combination with RV solutions. The Black Tank is definitely not an area of the RV we would like to see explode.

Many people recommend enzyme-based chemicals, which use live bacteria to breakdown and digest the odor causing waste. Other people like the more traditional formaldehyde type chemicals. There has been a lot of controversy on this subject. Formaldehyde has taken a lot of heat in recent years, but from what I have found there is quite a bit of hype with very little substance. Some people state that formaldehyde hinders with the performance of biological sewage treatment systems. I have researched this topic extensively and found that if used properly, formaldehyde will NOT adversely affect these systems. Between the two types, formaldehyde has proven to do a better job in controlling odors and does at least as good a job of breaking down solids.

A couple of times a year you will want to flush your tank. This can be done with a hose attached to a tank cleaning spray wand. You place the wand through the toilet into the tank while holding open the flush valve. The wand allows you to rinse down the tank and sidewalls when draining the tank. If you are lucky enough to have a flushing system built into the tank, then the entire procedure is much easier.

Black Tank additives should be included with a few gallons of water following the draining of your black tank. You want to make sure there is an inch or so of water covering the bottom of the tank prior to reusing it. This liquid layer will help prevent solids from building up on the bottom of the tank and aid in the breakdown process.

Black Tank chemicals need to be replenished every few days or so according to the label to stay effective. Outdoor temperature can also shorten the life span of these additives. This routine should be repeated throughout the entire camping season until you flush your tank and prepare your RV for winter storage.

With just a little extra work on your part, your black tank can do its job without raising a big stink about it.

Article Courtesy of : www.BugSmacker.com : Copyright © 2009

When Size Matters

Tim R. Enright

When it comes to RVs, most people will tell you that bigger is better. In most cases they are correct. A larger RV will provide you with more living area. Everything in a larger RV is designed to increase your level of comfort.

Larger RVs are more equipped to handle inclement weather and allow you more space when going outside is just not an option.  They retain heat and air-conditioning much better. The bathrooms, showers, beds and TVs are all much nicer.

You can get many more people into a larger RV. You can’t beat the ability to just pull off the road and walk back into the kitchen to make yourself a sandwich or nuke some soup in the microwave. You could even watch your favorite sports team on TV while you eat.

If this isn’t enough, in a larger RV you also have the ability to obtain a little privacy when you want it. If you need another room you can usually find one. If you would like a restroom with real walls instead of a curtain, that is available as well.

On the flip side, you can store a pop-up camper in your garage.  Spend a lot less cash to put it there. Hook it up to a car. Tow it to that special, secluded spot next to the lake in the woods down that tiny dirt trail that you like so much. And do all of that on much less gas than any of the so called large luxury RVs.

Article Courtesy of : www.BugSmacker.com : Copyright © 2009