tbutler

Good advice above. We stop along the road at rest areas, sometimes for overnight but a good place to get out and walk for a few minutes, look over the rig, check the toad and its attachments, etc. Picnic areas will serve the same purpose in some cases. As rbarkleyii mentions, scope them out carefully before entering to make sure there is an outlet without a turn-around needed. Scenic stops are another temporary or in some cases overnight stop. In many cases my GPS has enough detail that I can see the entry and exit roads for picnic and scenic areas and other small parking lots along the highway. In towns, the above mentioned stores are excellent, sometimes an out-of-business property will work if it isn't posted. In some cases we've stayed on grocery store lots with permission. We always ask if there is someone available to ask. Temporary stops can be done on wide streets, parking like cars at the curb in a vacant section. This works even in very small towns in some areas. I've done this in a few larger towns, once near a hospital so I could get Louise in for an emergency check. We've stayed overnight in shopping center, parked next to a Bed, Bath and Beyond. The manager came out to ask us to move as we were in his preferred employee parking area. We had the nicest conversation and he gave us some great advice about local traffic and we parted best of friends. That like a number of other times was well after dark when we arrived and we had no where else to go. Another time in California we pulled into a small town. There was one shop in a small strip mall just closing, I asked the owner if we could park and she agreed, just asked us to be gone by a certain time in the morning. Every state has its own quirks. In Montana they have historical stops with pull-outs. These make great lunch stops or rest stops to get out and walk. I've never stayed overnight in one but I guess you could. We prefer if possible to get off the roadway as far as possible. we have stayed in parking areas adjacent to highways if they are wide enough so we can get away from the roadway. There are truck parking areas in Wyoming that are large gravel lots. We overnight in them when we are traveling through. Kansas has rest areas with an RV loop that make for great overnight stays if you can pull to the side far enough to allow other traffic to pass. We generally avoid truck stops but have used them a few times when it is late and we are needing a place to pull up for the night. They tend to be noisy and sometimes quite dirty. Trucks can back up and it may not be possible to find a pull through spot. There is an excellent app for iPhone, All-Stays Camp and RV which has Walmart/Sams, campgrounds and dump stations. The Walmart stores are coded as no parking (in red) and ask to park (in blue). There is a little brother, All-Stays ONP Walmart which has the same information as the other for Walmart but doesn't have the campground information. I like the campground listing, has many more than in the large phone book guide books. Many are not suitable for a large motor home but there are some that are quite nice and just not in any guide book. You have to pay for this app but it is way cheaper than the big book! One tip, when hunting for that perfect stopping spot it pays to slow down. You need time to assess an area and then make a decision and still have time to stop to take advantage of the place. This can be difficult when you are in heavy traffic. I've passed more than a few spots that would have been suitable but turning around and going back can sometimes be quite difficult. After 14 years on the road, we have many spots that are favorites along the routes we travel every year.

I just ran this through my GPS program and as I see it there are two choices. The easy route is about 170 miles and the direct route is 88 miles. Bentonville to Joplin to Springfield to Branson is the easy route, US 79/I-49 North to Joplin, I-44 East to Springfield, US 65 South to Branson. The direct route will likely take you as long and will wear you out but save fuel and money. US 62 to Gateway, US 37 to near Cassville, US 76 to Branson. Being a life-long resident of Missouri, I've made many a trip to and through the Ozarks. Not fun in a car, I've never done it in a motor home. I'm not afraid of driving small roads and may well take the shorter route. I haven't checked for low clearances, I would definitely take a look at the clearances on the direct route.

On our way through New Brunswick we encountered a toll road. I pulled up to the toll booth and asked what the toll would be for us. The man in the booth said it would be $5.25. I asked if he could take US money and he said yes. I handed him a $5.00 bill. He punched that into his register and laughed, "It looks like I owe you 75 Canadian pesos." I laughed as I took the change and replied, "Gracias." He laughed. Yes my friends, the US dollar is riding high against the Canadian "peso." The exchange rate as I write is $1.00 US to 1.30 Canadian. A car wash for $10 Canadian shows up on the credit card bill as $7.71 US. Four nights in a campground billed at $124.00 show up on the credit card bill as $96.06 US. I am afraid that if that rate of exchange continues many of our Canadian friends may not show up at Sandpipers this winter. From their viewpoint this is a powerful stimulus to stay home or find another country for their winter resort. Our weather has been constantly rainy and cool. Today we had light rain most of the day and temperatures haven't made it out of the 50's all day. The Canadians in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and here in Newfoundland are referring to this as the year without a summer. We come north to escape the hot Texas weather but this is exceeding our expectations. Speaking of cool, we've seen just a few small patches of snow on shaded spots on some of the higher elevations. There was a wasp in the cockpit as I was driving on Monday. We were headed north and west from the town of Deer Lake toward Gander in the north central part of Newfoundland. Now I'm not afraid of a wasp, not panicky afraid, so I asked Louise to go get the fly swatter. It was in my side window and there was no good way for Louise to get to it. I'm not going to start swatting until I'm certain of killing it. So, as we approached the small town of Springdale, we saw a sign for a Tourist Information Center at the intersection of the Trans Canada Highway and Highway 390. We pulled in, I dispatched the wasp and we decided to go into the visitors center to gather some information. There were three young ladies at the desk and we asked them about several items, including where to see icebergs. They perked up with the mention of icebergs. They informed us that we could see an iceberg at King's Point just 15 miles from the visitors center. They said no one had seen any icebergs lately, the season was over. I wondered if this was the chamber of commerce line to get people to come to King's Point. Louise was really excited about the possibility of seeing an iceberg, so we decided to go see for ourselves. We were told we could leave the motorhome parked at the visitors center and take the car. It didn't take long and the car was free and we were on our way. I had no idea what to expect. King's Point is located at the end of a long narrow fjord, a channel scoured out by ancient glaciers. How in the world would an iceberg make its way all the way down this long (10 miles) and narrow (1 mile) channel? As we came into King's Point the speed limit dropped and our expectations soared. Coming over a small rise in the road we could see the water of the fjord. There along the far shore was a small but distinct chunk of ice. I thought this surely was a small bit of ice someone had lassoed and towed into the fjord just to hook unsuspecting tourists. A moment later the real iceberg came into view. Towering over the buildings of the town it sat just off the near shore having run aground. Now this is not the iceberg that sank the Titanic, this one is a small but still impressive piece of ice. Keeping in mind that most of the ice is below the water level, it is really impressive. In fact, I just looked it up to confirm my memory and indeed, about 1/10 of the ice is above water level. We drove to a point where we could get a good look at the iceberg and I began taking pictures. We walked from pier to pier getting closer and getting more pictures. What an amazing sight this was. The ice glistened in the sunlight. There were deep blue lines of clear ice through the iceberg enhancing its appearance. As we were leaving the last pier a man mentioned to us that if we followed the road up the hill we would find a gravel parking area where we could get a good view of the iceberg. We hustled back to the car and drove up the road to that parking area. There was one car there and we backed in next to them. We were now closer to and above the iceberg. Seeing from this angle one part of the iceberg looked like the tail of a whale. Examining the iceberg through binoculars we could see cracks and lines that weren't visible to the naked eye from this distance. I studied it from top to bottom and took dozens of pictures with my telephoto lens. After about 50 people had come and gone we decided to go get some food. As we drove down the hill to the restaurant Louise said that she saw a boat that had been out by the iceberg. We had asked another boater if we could get a ride out to the iceberg. He said he would be glad to do it but his motor was broken. Indeed the cover was off the motor so that wasn't going to work. As we neared the restaurant Louise saw the boat coming into the dock behind the restaurant. I stopped the car and she got out to see if they would be willing to take us out to get a close look at the huge hunk of ice. When she returned with a beaming smile I knew the answer. They were stopping to get lunch themselves so we ordered food also. As soon as we finished eating we joined them in the boat. They were Tracy and Troy. Tracy was a native of King's Point now working in northern Alberta. Troy works in the public works department at King's Point. They took us to the iceberg and slowly circled the beast at a distance of about 30 feet away. We could see water pouring off the iceberg as it melted away. As impressive as it was from a distance, it was even more amazing up close. We circled the iceberg three times slowly before heading across the fjord to the smaller piece of ice we had initially seen when we came into town. It was a small piece that had broken off the main iceberg the day before we arrived. When it broke off the iceberg rotated, This happens when the top or one side becomes lighter and then the ice will float with a different portion above the water. It is not uncommon and is one of the dangers that an iceberg can pose. The small piece was impressive in its own way. After we had a good look at it, Tracy showed us the ice they had captured on their first trip out. They decided to bring in more ice so we could have some. There were several dozen small chunks of ice in the water so we drew up beside a piece about six feet long and two feet wide at the widest point. With a gaff Tracy pulled the ice toward the boat while Troy maneuvered the boat. Now pulling on a piece of bobbing wet ice is no easy task. It constantly slips away and the least missed attempt to bring it in can instead push it away. Once it is captured, Troy chipped away, breaking small chunks off as Tracy scooped them up with a net. Once the hold was topped off with ice, we were on our way back to the dock. We gathered up our ice prize, thanked Tracy and Troy for the experience and exchanged contact information so we could exchange pictures. We extended an invitation to come visit us in Texas when the snow up north became too much to bear. Now what do you do with ice from an iceberg? Well, the only decent thing to do is chill a nice cocktail. When we got back to the motor home we broke into the liquor cabinet and chipped up some of the ice. One of the first things we noticed about the ice is that you could see hundreds of air bubbles in even the smallest piece. Louise and I knew that these bubbles contain air which was trapped in the ice many thousands, perhaps even millions of years ago. Scientists have captured this air and analyzed it to give us long-term baselines for the carbon dioxide content of the air on earth long before people were able to impact the makeup of the air. These samples establish a history of changes in the CO2 levels in the atmosphere as well as concentrations of other gasses. What I hadn't considered is that the air trapped in the ice is compressed. Just as the fluffy snow that fell was packed into dense ice, the air was squeezed into a smaller space. So now as the ice melts, the air pops out of its frozen container. You can feel it if you put a piece of ice on your tongue. So we had snap crackle pop drinks. There is a supply in the freezer that may last us all summer if we can keep it from evaporating away in the freezer, ice does that you know. And it all started with a wasp in the cockpit! We had to stop at just the right time. I guess I should have thanked the wasp instead of killing it.

I've just invested in a new Garmin GPS, standard car model, nuvi 2757, seven inch diagonal screen, $110 at Wal-Mart. We used a smaller model in the car and moved it to the motor home for years before I saw this one in Wal-Mart. I figured for $110, what could I loose? It works somewhat differently than the other model we had but similar enough that I'm figuring it out. It is a matter of different menu structure that involves a bit of learning curve. None are perfect but if you get familiar enough with any model you learn its quirks. Louise keeps the truckers atlas handy and always checks routes as we go. Once in a while I miss a turn because I don't know if it's this road or the next! Over time I've learned to rely on it for most travel. I love the GPS speed indication and rely on it almost totally. It is really nice in Canada where we are now, one setting and we're on KPH for distance and speed. I can match the signs for speed and distance without doing all the math in my head. I looked at the Truckers and RV models and really don't have much use for either. Reviews indicate that the special features don't work as well as most people expect. I have set the nuvi 2757 for "bus" so it is figuring on a large vehicle. It can be set to avoid tunnels, unpaved roads, toll roads, etc. If I don't like a route I simply follow directions from Louise. The GPS adjusts and routes us from that point on a route that usually matches what Louise wants. I'll frequently program the trip in stages. From here to the next town or the next city or where we plan to spend the night. That way I have a miles to go indication for our destination for the night or our next stopping spot. I've added the POI files for low clearances and have it on the computer as well as both GPS models, lifetime subscription from Route 1. That allows me to check for low clearances as I plan a route for our travel. I haven't had an alert come up on the GPS yet but have only been using it for a month or so. If I'm planning properly I shouldn't ever get an alert but then an alert is better than the alternative. Both models have lifetime maps. I recently updated the older model and it took a long time. After it was done it occurred to me that I have it set to send Garmin feedback on use. That would include the times when I'm driving on a new route that the GPS doesn't have and it shows me driving through fields and lakes, etc. They will then research the anomalies and add those routes as people submit their data. That means I am uploading data to them which is often much slower than downloading. The map update on the new unit zipped through very quickly. So far, neither model requires additional memory but that is a minor cost these days. I used the older unit on a trip to New Zealand and Australia, I think the micro SD chip cost me $139.00 and covered both countries. It was clearly the best money I ever spent. I zipped through several hundred roundabouts as if I were a native. If there was a problem it was my mistake, not the GPS. I have some issues with Garmin support and their interface with computers but the GPS itself works great in my opinion. I use a Garmin GPS when flying, hiking and when playing golf. And I still enjoy using paper maps but their ability to zoom in on specific locations is very limited!

I believe that sets an alarm to alert you to the fact that the cat is unrolling the tissue! ;-)

We full timed for 10 years before putting in a mobile in our park in Edinburg, TX. Each summer we set out to see part of the country (US and Canada) that we hadn't seen before. We find friends wherever we go but community, only when we are visiting our children which has become a bigger part of our lives as the grandchildren age. We have a cruise scheduled for the spring of 2017. I pointed out to Louise that it would be our last free spring for years to come. Our first grandson will graduate HS in 2018! After that we have a constant parade of grand grads, HS and hopefully lots of college as well. We're in Newfoundland right now, our last piece of Canada we haven't seen - excluding Nunavut. On Monday we made friends with Troy and Tracy, a couple of Newfoundlanders (Newfies) who gave us a boat ride to get a close-up look at an iceberg! They have our card and an invitation to visit us in Texas when the snow wears its welcome thin. Last year we hosted a couple from Melbourne, Australia that we met in New Zealand in February 2014. They came to visit us for five days while on a trip to visit with their son and his family on the east coast. Community is where you find it. In our case, we tend to make our own when we aren't with family. During the winter we have community like nowhere else we've ever lived. What a party! We have made a practice of finding cool places (mountains, far north, seacoast) for the heart of the summer. We visit children/grandchildren in the late spring and early fall. Those places too hot for summer visits become our en-route visits on the way to or from our other travels. Works for us. There are summer RV communities all over the US for those who full time if you prefer to stay in one place and make close friends. Higher elevations in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico come to mind. We love the Maine coast but our chldren are midwest to far west so it is impractical for a regular stop. There are also membership parks (Thousand Trails, etc.) that can be a choice for a summer location. These have never interested us but everyone has their own preferences.

The source of the odor you are experiencing most likely is the grey water tank. You are correct, the toilet seal should prevent any odor from the black tank entering the coach through the toilet. Grey water has a sewer smell when it has been stored for a while. It is true you would expect the vents on the roof to have a slight vacuum on them when you are driving down the road. The problem is that there is an even stronger vacuum on the rear of the coach. Generally when you are driving down the road the pressure inside the coach is lower than outside. That said, the waste tanks will draw air inside through the roof vents and into the coach. If this is something that you experience on rough roads it likely means that on a rough road a sink or shower drain is sloshing enough water out of the trap to allow air to move through the trap. Replacing the water in the trap should restore the seal but if this is a constant problem and the trap isn't holding the water, then using the weather-vane type vent covers on the roof should solve your problem. I would install one on each vent. If you want to save money, installing one on the grey water may be enough, either sink or shower assuming they share a common storage tank. If that isn't enough, install on the other grey water vent. The toilet vent should be the least likely to be the problem. We have had this problem with a washer/dryer drain in the past. If the washer hadn't been run recently and the drain went dry, we would get strong odors inside the coach. I installed a long neck funnel (transmission fill funnel) in the closet above to feed water into that drain pipe. That way I can conveniently pour a glass or two of water into that drain to stop or prevent problems.

After our successful visit to the Harrisburg Cummins Coach Care Facilities, we traveled north into New York. We made a stop at Cooperstown to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame. For two baseball fans, this was a fun stop. So many great stories. The memories come flooding back. From there we drove through southern Vermont and New Hampshire to the Atlantic Coast. The road was slow and we encountered some rain and low clouds but the scenery was still beautiful. There were numerous places where a spot to pull off the road would have been useful but the locals simply see the road as a way to get from one place to another. The weekend of July 17-18-19 we were parked in Hampton, NH while attending the Blaisdell Family Association Reunion. Louise is a descendent of Ralph Blaisdell who immigrated in 1635. We visited the original landing site at Pemaquid Point in Maine one day and enjoyed several days of family history and stories. Following the reunion we drove north to Houlton, ME and spent Monday night at Wal-Mart in preparation for crossing the border the next day. The crossing into New Brunswick was easy, just a few questions and we were on our way. Having been to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia several times we buzzed right through both provinces, arriving at North Sydney in the early afternoon on Wednesday, July 23. We had reservations on the ferry to Port aux Basques the next morning. I hooked up the utilities and we charged batteries overnight and emptied and filled the tanks so we were ready for travel the next morning. We arrived for the ferry and lined up. Unlike many travelers, we had all the comforts of home while waiting for the ferry to load. We were one of the last vehicles loaded but ended up third in line in front of the door to exit the ferry at our destination. We had a very calm crossing, weather was clear until we reached Newfoundland. The crossing to Port aux Basques takes about 5 1/2 hours and we left and arrived right on time. Arriving at 6:00 p.m. and being first off the ferry meant that everyone wanted to pass us so we pulled off at the visitors center just outside town for a short stop and then resumed the trip. We found a large paved lot about 15 kilometers north of the ferry landing and spent the night. To our east were the Table Mountains, shrouded in clouds. Between the mountains and our spot was a beautiful lake. To our west across Trans-Canada Highway 1 we could see the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It was a beautiful spot to spend the night. There was a hiking trail and we explored the trail which led toward the coast. The next morning we continued north to the town of Stephenville. We spent two nights there enjoying some hiking and learning some of the local history. There is a strong French presence in this area and a WWII US airbase. We enjoyed an evening hike along the bay looking at hoodoos, weathered rock that looks like snowmen, one round rock on top of another. The next day we drove around the Port au Port Peninsula that lies to the west of Stephenville. There was a bread baking demonstration in a community park near the point at the end of the peninsula. We spent a good part of the afternoon exploring that park, watching birds and discovering new flowers and plants. I added Gannets and White-winged Scoters to my bird list. After a dinner stop at the Sisters Dream School in Mainland (on the peninsula) we returned to the Zinzville RV Park. Leaving there we continued north and east toward Corner Brook. This is a large town with few RV parks. The only one with facilities had none available so we continued on down the road hoping to find a place to boondock for the night. We had hoped to spend several days in that area and do some hiking. There were no good boondocking spots and not a single place to turn around. The road ended at Cox's Cove where we finally found a place to turn around. We decided to stop for lunch on the parking lot where we turned around. Louise wanted to walk around town and went to talk to a woman who was painting her fence next to the parking lot. We were parked in front of the community center and wanted to make sure we wouldn't be in the way for an afternoon event. The lady assured us it would be OK. We walked from one end of town to the other in about ten minutes. I enjoyed taking pictures of the homes. Many were delightfully decorated and kept in top condition. We stopped to get ice cream in a convenience store and had a nice conversation with the owner. At the far end of town trucks were loading containers of fish. The trucks explained the horrible condition of the road on the way into town. Returning to the motor home we thanked the lady who was still painting her fence. We talked for while and in discussion, she asked if we liked haddock. With a yes, she was off to the freezer to get us a meal of frozen Haddock! With no good pull outs for an overnight stay we returned to the highway and drove north to the town of Deer Lake. Here we found a spot to stop near the highway and spent the night. There was a grocery nearby and we stocked up on needed supplies before continuing on to the east toward St. John's.

I've only been in the business of hunting water one time and it surprised me how difficult it could be. We usually try to stay in an RV park occasionally when boondocking and that takes care of the water and sewer situation as well as giving the batteries a good overnight charge. If you don't stay in an RV park, you could use one as a dump station and ask to fill your water tank there also. I've seen many RV parks that operate their dump station commercially and they might be willing to let you hook up to a spigot in the campground for a water fill if it isn't available at the dump station. RV Dealers might also be a source. I don't know about Camping World but many independent dealers might be willing to let you fill up for a fee. Another option that could be explored would be to see if a community has a water truck delivery. I know that there are many communities that have someone with a truck that hauls potable water to remote locations. You could have it delivered or meet them when you are traveling from one place to the next. It would be a small quantity in their terms and likely be costly. The cost might make the campground stay a lot more inviting.

We have had a fiberglass roof on both coaches we have owned. There are several factors that I haven't seen mentioned. A white fiberglass roof is comfortable to walk on in full sun in the summer. I doubt that is true of a rubber roof. That should make a vehicle with a fiberglass roof much easier to keep cool in the summer. I have not had a single crack in either of our roofs. As with any roof, the holes for the vents, air conditioners, TV accessories, etc. will require constant attention. Keeping the caulk fresh on a fiberglass roof is easy. Old caulk can be cleared away with a putty knife and cleans up nicely. A good self leveling caulk will seal things nicely and lasts for many years. While construction of a roof varies considerably from one manufacturer to another, our roof is very firm and walks comfortably without breaking or cracking. I wash ours with clear water using either a wash brush or when washing is restricted, a bucket and sponge does a nice job though it does take longer. Streaking on the sides of the coach are the result of dirt on the roof. If it is kept clean there is little or no streaking.

I'll start by celebrating the return to life by the FMCA Computer System. Today is the first day I've been able to log on in the last two or three weeks! That doesn't explain my long absence from blogging. When we returned last fall I fell right into some intense volunteer work as Education Chair for the Rio Grande Valley Chapter Texas Master Naturalist. We had a class of 22 trainees who will become new members once they complete their volunteer commitment. With classes and field trips to plan and conduct, my winter was pretty busy. It is also hard to write the blog when I'm not in the motor home traveling. Now that we're back on the road I should be contributing regularly again. We left our winter home in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas two months ago, May 9. In the week before we left we had 5 inches of rain from a single storm. That was followed by several other storms. Portions of our park including the road in front of our mobile home were flooded. Since we left, there have been other storms resulting in at least two subsequent flood events. We keep watching the weather reports and are pleased that the last two weeks have brought a return to drier conditions. The drought conditions in Texas have been resolved but the fact that it occurred within two months was responsible for a great deal of damage and loss of life. Our flooding was very minor compared to what happened in other areas of Texas. From Texas we made our way to Golden, Colorado for a week stay with Louise's family. The trip was made more interesting as we traveled through flooded lands near Lubbock and into cold rainy weather in the Denver area. In fact the weather was a positive factor in our decision to leave a day early just to give us more time to travel to our next destination. A family wedding in Cincinnati was a fun event with many of my cousins attending. Our family is scattered over the country and keeping in touch has been difficult. Our motor home has facilitated many visits that would have been impractical under normal circumstances. As much as possible we try to get our visits in as we take planned trips to other destinations. While in Cincinnati we stayed at the FMCA Campground on Round Bottom Road. It is a nice place to stay, a well maintained campground. I was surprised to see that the building at that location is now empty. No doubt FMCA is facing a number of challenges. From Cincinnati we backtracked to Missouri to stay with my son, daughter and our amazing grandchildren. They span a wide spectrum, from a year and a half old to the fifteen year old who just got his learners permit to drive. We enjoyed attending softball games, graduation celebrations, Eagle Scout leadership training graduation, dinners, several birthday parties and a St. Louis Cardinals ballgame. While in Missouri we endured numerous rain events. We were parked in a high location so water levels never threatened us though flooding was occurring regularly throughout the area. Leaving Missouri we traveled to eastern Kentucky to visit my brother. While there we endured another series of rains that delivered over 5 inches of rain in 48 hours. At this point I figure we could travel to California and solve their drought conditions in short order! We will go to California in October so we'll get to test this theory. Our motor home is showing its age. When we got ready to depart this spring the electrical system in the coach shut down completely. After trying everything else, I went to check the batteries which were good and then checked the battery cut-off switch. Bingo! The switch wouldn't turn. It had melted down. It is a small plastic switch which connects the total load of the batteries to the coach itself. The cables were clamped to a plastic surface which held the post in place. After years of use, the heat had melted the plastic enough that the post came loose. I didn't have a replacement switch so simply bolted the two cables together. Viola! Problem solved. Without DC current, the systems that control the current in the coach also stop working so everything is dead. Now it isn't convenient to pull apart wires to cut off the electrical supply from the batteries so I've replaced the switch. I found a much better switch, rated for twice the current of the previous switch. I also replaced the old switch for the chassis battery at the same time. It was identical to the other switch except there was a nut between the plastic and the cable attachment. With metal on both sides of the cable lug, that switch was in fine condition. The house battery switch had been replaced before and I'm guessing that the tech who did that either discarded the extra nut or it wasn't there and they didn't think to install it. I have a spare now in case you are parked next to me and need a replacement for your melted switch! Today we're at Cummins in Harrisburg, PA. This is our second Cummins stop this spring. In Colorado we had the alternator checked but they could find no problems even though we traveled for 100 miles with the alternator alarm sounding before it mysteriously quit and the voltage came up. This has occurred again after parking a month at our daughters home but was resolved before we left their driveway. I guess we'll have to wait for complete failure before they can diagnose the problem. I may have it rebuilt next winter if it lasts that long. While in Colorado they did find a leaking fuel boost pump and replaced that. I now know what the spot on the driveway was when we pulled out this spring. They also noticed that the exhaust gasket on the number 3 cylinder was leaking. We had just had all the exhaust gaskets replaced last fall and had traveled less than 1500 miles so either it was a bad install or we have a more serious problem. That is the reason for our stop in Harrisburg. We didn't have time to deal with the problem in Colorado and it hasn't resolved itself so now we'll take a day or two to get it fixed. Meanwhile we've had intermittent generator problems with it failing to run smoothly and then dying when the load is connected. They have diagnosed that as a failing inverter in our 7.5 KW Onan Generator. This is a DC generator which has a built in inverter to provide AC current. We're not getting out of town without leaving a few bucks behind. Fortunately fuel costs are down this year.

Our first coach, a 1994 Monaco Dynasty had no slides. We purchased our present coach with two slides and have been delighted with the additional space they provide. In a coach with no slides movement within the coach involves compromise. As with anything, there are compromises. Our pantry is behind the large slide when the slide is in. Louise is good a planning our needs and getting things out of the pantry for meals on the road. We were full time for seven years in this coach and the slides have been in and out many times. There have also been periods each winter and a few longer stays where the slides were out for extended periods of time. We have had very few problems over the years. We had an leak in the smaller bedroom slide which was fixed under warranty. A later adjustment of the positioning of that slide was done at a repair shop and that was the last problem we have had with that slide. The larger living area slide has performed flawlessly. It has never leaked and has never failed to move when commanded except as described below. Our slides are driven by electric motors which are geared and interface with toothed channels on each slide. There are physical means to bring in the slides but they are not easy or convenient. It would be a last resort to mechanically retract the slides but it could be done. This spring I had electrical problems with the coach as we were ready to depart on our summer travels. The slides were out and with no electric (neither 12V nor 120V) we weren't able to travel to a repair shop to fix the electric. Fortunately, I was able to identify the problem as a failure (meltdown) of the main house battery cutoff switch. I bypassed the switch and we had the electric that we needed. Had I not been able to resolve the electrical problem we would have delayed our departure until a mobile repair service could identify and solve the electrical problem for us. I would have tackled the physical retraction if absolutely necessary. Regarding the additional weight, we have had no problem. It may be a problem with some coaches, depending on many other factors including the type of chassis that supports the coach. We traveled for years full-time and were well within the GVWR for our coach. Given our experience with slides, I would purchase another Monaco coach with slides. If I were looking at a different manufacturer I would have to be satisfied with the operation of the system. If the sales representative can't answer your questions, ask for the manual and read the section on the operation of the slides. Sales representatives can only know so much about each coach. If you sell a variety of models and/or from different manufacturers and systems change each year, it becomes very difficult to be completely knowledgeable on all aspects of these very complex vehicles.

What model refrigerator is this? There are dozens of domestic refrigerators or do you mean Dometic? A check of references on the internet indicates normal freezer temperature should be 0 or slightly below. Is the temperature set at the lowest possible setting?

Maybe she could find a vehicle with 15 seats and pull a trailer with the gear. As to the law, more than 15 people is a lot of valuable cargo, one mistake in judgement could result in a lot of loss of life. I guess she is lucky the law isn't set at more than 11.

I had to revisit this posting to answer a question and thought I would update the information with my latest observations. Now, four years after the installation, we have the same refrigerator and it continues to perform flawlessly for us. We still have the standard 4x6V battery set-up that was installed in our coach. The last set was replaced in 2014 which was a little early but I wanted to replace them with AGM sealed batteries to protect our driveway and winter parking spot from the staining that lead acid batteries can produce. We had the driveway sealed and coated with an decorative epoxy design. I had wanted the AGM batteries before but never been able to get them on an immediate basis, always had to be shipped to where I was when the batteries failed. All that said, the AGM's are performing as well or better for us with the refrigerator. Last winter we left the refrigerator on during the winter. Louise wanted the extra freezer space and it made a nice place to keep a quantity of beer cold as well. Being far south, we don't have freezing temperatures often and I keep the furnace set at 50 degrees to keep the humidity low in the interior of the coach. In a cool coach much of the time, the operating cost for the refrigerator would be low. The refrigerator is low on my list of things that I worry about now.

We drive from Valley Springs, CA through Hwy 88 to Nevada one or both ways each year. As ObedB says, it is a safe route but as Brett says, it is a test of your mountain driving skills. You will have two ascents and two descents of considerable length to get through the mountains. There are a few passing lanes and some slow vehicle pull-outs along the way to let traffic pass. On weekends or holidays traffic can be pretty steady. There are several viewpoints and parking lots along the way for rest stops. There are steep grades in both directions, up and down, and many limited speed curves. You will have to watch your speed carefully on descents in order to slow for sharp curves. Use the recommended speed for each curve and be at or below that speed before entering the curve. If you or your passengers are uncomfortable with the dramatic vistas of mountain roads you will not want to take this road. While not the most dramatic over-the-edge views I've seen, these are unsettling to some travelers. There is always some kind of shoulder but not necessarily a guard rail in all places. If you are uncomfortable with the above, US 50 is an alternate. US 50 is divided highway to South Lake Tahoe and the grades are not as steep, curves not as tight. Traffic however is much heavier on US 50 and there are a few stop lights on the way.

If you are near Elkhart, Indiana, that might be a good choice. While it may be a distance to travel, Elkhart is a manufacturing center for RV's and there are many technical people there with factory experience. You haven't given a manufacturer or model for your vehicle. There are factory repair centers in the area as well. If you can get to a factory repair center for your coach you will get the best possible service in most cases.

So I'll start things off at the beginning. Start attending RV Shows so you can look at lots of different kinds of motorhomes. Discuss the pros and cons with your spouse. Look at prices and decide what your limits are. You will develop a sense of widely varying quality from the least expensive coaches to those that are out of the range of all but the wealthiest purchasers. What is the quality of construction and materials that you will make you comfortable with your purchase. Look at facilities, kitchen, bath, bedroom, cockpit, storage in the coach and below the floor. Consider floor plans, engine types and power. Make a list of the things that you absolutely have in a coach and those things that you would like to have. Now the trick is to reach agreement on the list and the amount to spend. You can use size or quality to help reach an acceptable price range. Now I haven't told you what you or anyone needs. If you read the postings on this site you will find that people have differing ideas on what is necessary in a motorhome. People also have different needs, some are using their motorhome for a few vacation trips a year, others live in theirs full time. How you use your motorhome and how often it is used affects the answers to many of your questions. All these differences is why there is such a wide range of motorhomes available. Each model on sale will meet the needs of a fraction of all people buying motorhomes or the model/company would be out of business. As a first time buyer I would strongly recommend that you purchase a used coach. This has the advantage of limiting your investment while giving you a chance to learn what you really need/want in a motorhome. You will find things you wish you had and others that you really don't need or don't use. With miles of driving and months or years of living in your used unit you will now have a much better idea of what you want and need. As a motorhome owner, attend FMCA rallies and the national convention where you can continue to look at a wide variety of coaches on display. Drive any you are interested in at the rally. You will be able to assess them with an experienced eye and your choice now will be much better informed. Your experience with a used coach may lead you to consider another used coach or new coach. You can enlist a discussion of each of dozens of factors but in the end, each person or couple must make their own personal decisions. Those are best made from careful consideration following some use and experience before deciding on the purchase of a new coach. Even when you find the perfect coach for you, your needs may change and you may find yourself purchasing a different coach.

I'm curious. We've had lots of suggestions but we still don't have a definite manufacturer or model information. Power awnings operate in a variety of ways. We're trying to diagnose a problem in very general ways. Can you give us the specific information for your awning? It should be in the owners manual or product files for your coach. As the awning is under warranty, I would take it in and get it fixed. It could be that you have a defective part and any temporary improvement might result in delay addressing the real problem. If the awning finally fails after the warranty expires, you will have to pay to repair or replace the awning. The fact that the coach is a new coach and the awning is not retracting properly (multiple tries to eventually bring the awning in fully is clearly below performance expectations) indicates that the awning is not performing normally. At the very least, call your dealer and discuss the awnings performance with them. If their answer is unsatisfactory, call the manufacturer of the awning and discuss the problem with them. Taking these steps will put your concern on the record which could support an eventual warranty claim. When we are faced with a repair item, I try to incorporate a visit to the dealer or repair shop in a planned trip. An appointment on our way to/from a destination can result in a quick fix or at least an assessment of the situation and ordering needed parts. Then when it is time to install the parts you will know how long it will take and can plan another trip to the shop into another outing. Killing two birds with one stone makes the trip to the shop a little less painful. This strategy is easier for those of us who are retired but if you schedule the work on a Friday, you could take a vacation day for the appointment and still have the weekend for the rest of your outing.

Thanks Rich, We're looking forward to the trip. According to our friends, the road from Labrador back to Quebec proper is now paved all the way. I'll report back after our trip. Anyway, the route looks pretty lonely but we've done and enjoyed that before. After my post above I realized that Brian's information was now going on two years old. I've checked on the ferry and it can accommodate loads over 70' and also wide loads so I don't anticipate any problems. We'll make reservations as soon as we get a good idea of our schedule. The links in the posts above are still active and a good resource for trip planning.

We're headed to Newfoundland, taking the ferry to Port Aux Basques on the 23rd of July. We planned to take the ferry to Labrador but saw the caution above (Brian). What is the challenge there? Heavily booked or not suitable for big rigs? We have friends who have been giving us advice for this trip and they didn't indicate any problem, in fact they were encouraging us to visit Labrador with our coach and then make the drive on to Quebec from there. We've been in Alaska and all over Canada and driven many smaller roads and have been on small ferries (Top of the World Hwy, Grand Manan small ferry, etc.). Do we need to change plans or is the advice to avoid that ferry for the feint of heart, i.e. is it difficult or impossible?

Our electric awning (Carefree Mirage) goes out faster because it is spring loaded to extend it. The motor simply unwinds the fabric and the springs drive it out. On the way in the springs are being compressed so it makes the motor work much harder than when the springs are expanding and helping the motor extend the awning.

Not familiar with the area but if the campground operators indicate this as a possible problem, I would expect that to be correct. I would call them to discuss exactly how steep and how long, is it a sudden change on a short grade that causes problems dragging or is it a long steep grade that can overtax the engine and transmission? Then you can make an informed decision for yourself. You may want to change your plans and go somewhere else.

Mike and Jennnifer, What a horrible event. This is not the first time I have heard of people stopping at a restaurant along a highway and being burglarized. I guess thieves can assume if you go into the restaurant you are planning to be there for a while. Traveling with a fully equipped RV, we are particularly vulnerable because of the many prizes that we have inside. Your story should be a caution for us all. Thanks for posting and best of luck with the insurance company.

What is this thing we call a motor home? Is it a car or a truck? The answer is of course neither. So if the signs say truck, that doesn't apply to us. If the signs refer to vehicle weight (bridge weight limits) then our weight is in question, not classification as a truck. Similarly, if signage specifies vehicles with trailers, e.g. California, it would apply to us if we have a toad or a trailer. Unfortunately, there are times when the signs leave us totally in mystery. Several years ago we were traveling through Sault Ste. Marie from the US to Canada. As we approached the Canadian Customs entrance there were a series of exits but no way to see what each entry point looked like. There was a sign for trucks. I passed that sign. Then there was a sign for cars. I hesitated, trying to get through a car size entrance can be impossible with our height and width. Should I have used the truck entrance? With a toad I wasn't going to be backing up, so I continued on expecting that there would be another choice. The next choice and the only one remaining was buses so that is where I ended up. The agent who came to check us wasn't pleased but I explained that there was nothing to tell me where they wanted RV's to go. There are frequently times when I will follow rules and directions for trucks. Sometimes signs direct trucks to drive in a certain lane, especially in work zones. In those cases I'll line up with the trucks and leave the other lane for the smaller more nimble vehicles. It may have to do with the strongest part of the road that will support heavier loads or it may have to do with vehicle clearances, either way, it is to my advantage to be in that lane. When it is specified that there should be no trucks in the left lane, the purpose is to allow cars a way to pass the truck traffic. As a large vehicle I will follow the no trucks directive. This is voluntary on my part, not required by the signage. Following the truck directive in this case is being considerate of other drivers who are trying to pass larger and frequently slower vehicles. I understand that we are a very small percentage of the vehicles that travel on our roads and highways. Clearly some people don't even think of us when they are planning signage. One of the challenges of road travel is the fractured nature of the administration of our roadways. There are 50 different states with different ways of engineering roads, building roads and putting us signage. There are 50 different legislatures and traffic safety departments determining the rules of the road and enforcing those rules. Add in a myriad of local governments administering local roads and traffic laws and you have a constantly changing set of road and traffic patterns, speed limits, restrictions and enforcement. For the average citizen that drives only in their local area, this is of no concern. For those of us lucky enough to be mobile and moving throughout the country, this presents a constant puzzle to be solved.