Having recently returned from a weekend camping trip with Delilah's school to Potrero regional park (which was a great success), I come to appreciate once again how nice it is to have an RV. In retrospect, most of this blog is about events that transpired in or around the RV - The Big Trip, many vacations, Burning Man, even the time between the houses was spent living in the RV.
It has had folks renting it out, others finding refuge from the storm of life. It has been a haven for kids to play in, a calm place to reconnect, a great place for sleep, a statement of sorts, a framework to attach the bling to... So many things that it has been, and so, this entry is an homage to the RV, and some of the useful things, tips, and realities I've found along the way.
First - a question of "Class"...
There are several "Classes" of RVs. This "class" definition has to do with what the RV looks like, how it works.
"Class A RV" is one that looks like the classic Winnebago, sort of like a bus, with a large window up front that typically goes to the roof. The are mostly front engine, with a few rear engine models. These are usually the largest and roomiest RVs, some of them 40+ feet long. These often have multiple discrete rooms, walls, and partitions, to make something that is very much a house on wheels. Typically have all the amenities of home - shower, toilet, refrigerator, microwave, multiple beds, sofa, TV, etc. Many of "slides" which are sections of the vehicle that slide out like a drawer to expand the floor space in the vehicle once parked. Mileage is often around 6MPG, due to the large size, but there are also some diesel versions that do a bit better.
"Class B RV" is the "Camper Van" or "Van Conversion". In stark contrast to the class A, most of these are well under 20 feet, with no interior hard walls. Many don't even have a toilet (or perhaps a porta poty). The most minimalistic ones offer little more than a fold out bed, and a small sink and perhaps gas stove. Mileage is typically in the teens to lower twenty MPG.
"Class C RV" actually falls somewhere in between the A and B. Their definitive mark is that they will have a bed above the "cab" (the drivers seat). Usually, there is at least one other sleeping area, and almost all have basic kitchen, shower, toilet and dining area. They are usually in the 20-30 foot range. They offer many of the comforts of a Class A (including some have slides), while being more easily driven and parked, and typically 10 or so MPG.
"Pop Up" is a small trailer, which has a tent like canvass structure that creates the walls for the top portion, allowing it to telescope up. This makes for an easier trailer to tow, since when down, the driver can see over the trailer through the rear mirror. They are light, and relatively inexpensive, and offer all the basics including in most cases toilet and shower. One down side is the canvass doesn't provide much insulation - either thermal or sound. Thus, they are very much like camping in a tent. Towed with a traditional tow hitch, it can be hauled behind many cars.
"Trailer" such as the "Wind-stream", "Teardrop" or others are a mid sized option. Typically larger than a pop up, and with amenities to match. Range from about 10 to over 30 feet in length. Some few have slides.
"Fifth Wheel" is a larger trailer, typically with lots of amenities, but it is physically so large that it requires a special mounting on a truck to haul it, called a fifth wheel. This is the same basic mounting that is used by Semi-Truck and trailers to hitch their trailer. These trailers can be quite luxurious in accommodations, slides are standard on more recent ones, and some configurations are made to haul "toys" - off road vehicles for "Desert Rat" type folks.
We chose a used Class C RV, which I feel has the best combination of features - easy to drive, park, reasonable mileage, nice amenities, and don't have to tow anything. I've been very happy with our choice which was a Ford F-350 based 25 foot Fleetwood Jamboree, with the Triton V-10 6.8L engine. With over 100k miles, no oil drips from the power train, and she still runs like a champ. 2000 model year was just before slides started coming out in the Class Cs, so it has a little less floor space than some of the newer models, and at 25', she was one of the shortest available, but that makes her easy to park - which has been a real blessing, since she is parked in our back yard here in Hillcrest most of the year!
Stuff that we found particularly useful -
An awning is such a nice thing to have - providing shade from the sun, and shelter from the rain. The thing to watch out for is that these things are fragile - and not to be left unattended unless very well secured. An unexpected wind can bend the thin aluminum struts into mangled masses in no time, making them inoperable or worse, making it impossible to drive the vehicle until they are cut off. At Burning Man we have either lashed our awning to someone elses, so that they support eachother, or covered the whole awning with either sides to prevent wind from getting under, or a parachute around it for the same reason.
An electric water heater element. The water heaters in RVs are typically pretty small - ours is 6 gallons, which is enough for two very short showers. Typically they use propane to heat the water, which takes about 15 minutes. If you are plugged in to shore power at a park though, it is nice to be able to heat the water with park electric, which both saves you LP (and $$), as well as being much quieter (albeit also much slower). You can buy the electric water heater elements to install in gas water heaters, by pulling out one of the drain plugs, and then mounting a thermostat to the tank to control the temperature. After initial fiddling to set it up, ours has worked great for years. The only down side to this is that you need to either unplug or install a switch for it if you are parking RV powered, but unattended for extended periods.
Storage bins. You quickly realize that no mater how large your RV is, that you only have so much space. Finding bins that closely fit to the space you have allows you to easily move the bins around to try to find the illusive thingy, or reorganize on the fly. Some of these bins are available in a stacking configuration which makes easier layering of stuff.
Stove top cutting board. This has a padded bottom, and is designed to go on the stove top. It has serves many purposes - first, it keeps the stove grates from rattling while driving. It also works as both a cutting board, a trivet for hot pans, a small table, a serving tray, even a back seat for the Burning Man Trike Conversion. With limited space, finding things that can do lots of different things is a blessing - this is one of them.
Another such thing is the humble "Salad Spinner". This is basically a large plastic bowl, with a smaller colander that fits inside, and a lid with one of several means to spin wet lettuce placed within it to dry. Finding one that will fit in an RV provides a nice sealed way of storing washed salad. But more than that, the large bowl comes in handy for many things, and the colanders plastic is sturdy enough to withstand boiling water to drain noodles and boiled vegies (potatoes, etc), so again, multi-taskers are great things.
Portable Jump Starter/Air Compressor - though we've never had to actually jump start the engine, the self powered compressor, and the portable DC outlet has come in handy many times. Ours also had a lantern function with CFL lamps so a nice source of light.
Fubar - this is a "Functional Utility Bar", designed for demolition, for tearing out 2x4s. But in RV space, it is also a heavy hammer to drive in spikes to secure the awning or ground covers, a high leverage pry bar to pull them back out again, working in conjunction with a hatchet, you have a great wood splitter, tearing pallets apart for bon fires, etc.
Hydration pack with snacks, flashlights, sunscreen, Swiss Army Knife, Water, band-aids, assorted pills, bandanna (also multi-functional), compass, note pad and pen, and calling cards.
And finally, an old school, printed on paper travel atlas. This is still the most sure fire way to get at least the large scheme of where you are going, and how to get there, and to visualize what's along the way, or find alternate routes. Reinforcing the spine with Duct Tape not only makes it last longer, but gives it that certain RV j' ne cest qua...
Ok, I guess that's it for this episode. RV Power Activate!
