Russ and Tiña De Maris Archives - Page 30 of 40

Beware of RV gas pains!

April 9, 2016 RV Staff

By Russ and Tiña De Maris When RVers think of gas pains, they may think about the price they have to pay for a fill-up in California. Ah, but there’s more to gas than gasoline. RVers are rightly concerned about having enough battery power. But with batteries come dangers — some not easily recognized. Charging batteries produce hydrogen gas, a... Read More

Use the GOAL method to back up your RV

April 9, 2016 RV Staff

By Russ and Tiña De Maris For many new RVers, the greatest challenge of the new lifestyle is that of backing up the rig. Even experienced RVers can tell you that backing into the campsite is perhaps the most stressful part of the entire trip. With the GOAL method, things can be a bit easier. What’s your goal? To... Read More

Use a “memory flag” to remind yourself of dangerous conditions

April 9, 2016April 14, 2016 RV Staff

By Russ and Tiña De Maris For RVers, there’s nothing like the heart-stopping feeling you get when you’re happily motoring down the road and another rig pulls up beside you. It’s when they lean out of the passenger window and start gesturing wildly —pointing at something on your rig — and the wind blows their words away. Oh, the adrenaline,... Read More

Planning ahead to stay out of trouble

April 9, 2016April 9, 2016 RV Staff

By Russ and Tiña De Maris When you first start RVing, you have new challenges to face. Not the least of them is that you’re probably now dealing with something on wheels that’s far larger than you’ve ever dealt with. Yep, get behind the wheel of a motorhome, or put a trailer behind you, and the whole picture of... Read More

Do-it-yourself back-up camera install?

April 9, 2016 RV Staff

By Ted Choat with Russ and Tiña De Maris Ted, who claims to be 148 years old, writes, “Anything labeled ‘easier’ gets my vote.” So he set out to install a rearview (back-up) camera on his travel trailer. By the time you’re 148, you’ll be happy to have the experiences of others to guide you to avoid making boo-boos. Ted... Read More

New RVer asks: What do camp site length restrictions mean?

April 9, 2016 RV Staff

By Russ and Tiña De Maris “We are transitioning from tent camping to towing a travel trailer this year. We will be towing a 19.5′ travel trailer with a 19′ pickup truck. The overall length being approximately 38.5′. Does the RV length limit listed for a campground (especially national parks) include the tow vehicle and the travel trailer?” Here’s a... Read More

Go your awning carpet one better

April 9, 2016April 14, 2016 RV Staff

By Russ and Tiña De Maris No matter where we travel, for some reason as RVers we want to somewhat “civilize” the world. At night we like to sit by the campfire (or out West, you sit by the fire pit without a fire!) and we’ll often bring along a camp lantern to provide a little more light than the... Read More

Braving the RV shower

April 8, 2016April 9, 2016 RV Staff

By Russ and Tina De Maris Accustomed to “endless” water supplies at home, some new RVers are a bit taken aback when taking showers on the road. The typical RV water heater has a six gallon capacity – far, far less than a sticks-and-bricks home version. What’s to be done? The luxury of long showers may be a thing of... Read More

How to troubleshoot electronically controlled RV appliances

April 8, 2016 RV Staff

By Russ and Tiña De Maris Perhaps some of the most mysterious of RV technical issues surrounds electronically controlled appliances. ‘Back in the old days,’ as some of us recall, we didn’t have fancy control boards on refrigerators, furnaces, and water heaters. Of course, ‘back in the old days,’ a lot of us had to go outside in the cold... Read More

Traveling burger grilling done safely

April 8, 2016April 14, 2016 RV Staff

By Russ and Tiña De Maris It was J. Wellington Wimpy, Popeye’s sidekick, who oft pled: “I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.” Hard-luck Wimpy was rarely rewarded with such a request and so, to get the lunch he so desired, may have turned to the grill. Wimpy isn’t alone. Face it — who among us mortal men... Read More

Dry rot fix in a bottle may be just what you need

April 8, 2016 RV Staff

By Russ and Tiña De Maris Many RVs, particularly older ones, have a fair amount of wood in their structure. And wood, sad to say, is subject to the rigors of life in a moisture-filled environment. If not thoroughly protected, dry rot can be the result. Some time back we acquired a truck camper “project” that must have led a... Read More

Best ways to choose a campground

April 7, 2016April 8, 2016 RV Staff

By Russ and Tiña De Maris Not all campsites are created equal. Some differences are obvious — the view from the site in one can be much better than the one next door. But picking out a suitable place to set up your RV is more than just the view. Not all campgrounds allow you to choose your own site;... Read More