Fulltime RVer

Financial Columnists Suggest RVing Alternative

2008-01-11T14:17:00.000-08:00

The financial column, Motley Fool, recently ran a piece entitled "The Cost of Working." In it, authors Billy and Akaisha Kaderli questioned the wisdom of working longer to build up the 401K retirement plan. After examining just how much more it costs to work, rather than to retire, the Kaderlis provided some suggestions on how to cut back on costs. One of them? Consider leaving the conventional stix and brix house behind.

"And why not try someplace new? There are many ways to downsize your housing expenses. You could rent or purchase a condo, with amenities that management takes care of," write the minding-your-money folks, "You could move to a sailing vessel or houseboat, or maybe an RV. We know many RV and boat "full-timers" who long ago gave up the conventional house. It's not because they cannot afford one -- they simply prefer the unhampered lifestyle."

The article also provides other insights on how to reduce the cost of working--and helps you get closer to retirement (and that fulltime RV lifestyle). Check it out here.

Photo: AndWat on flickr.com

Guide helps fulltimers decide on an RV homebase

2008-01-07T20:25:00.000-08:00

For anyone considering the fulltime RV lifestyle, a state to establish a home base can be vitally important. For these RVers, the new 2008 guide "Selecting An RV Home Base" from the editors of Trailer Life and Motorhome magazines is a "must-have" planning tool for selecting a state to call "home." Among the most important issues for RVers are taxes and RV fees. Which states have the best income tax advantages? Which states offer the best rates on RV registration? The fact is, picking the wrong state to establish an official residence could result in spending thousands of dollars a year that could be saved by establishing a home base elsewhere. And just how does a full-time RVer establish an official residency? Is it enough to simply rent a post office box? Probably not. In this annual guide you will learn: financial liability by state, Federal taxes for fulltime RVers, state retirement exemptions, tax advantages of each state, vehicle licensing registration specifics, voting rules and requirements. This is a little book but the information is valuable and almost impossible to find elsewhere without countless hours of research. The book can be ordered at RVbookstore.com.

Camp Hosting Doesn't Always Mean "No Money"

2008-01-03T13:10:00.000-08:00

A couple who camp host in a small town in Texas prove that a camping hosting position doesn't always mean an RVer who puts in time only for an RV site.

Rosie and Walt Bullock camp host in Grapevine, Texas. In addition to having a free hookup website, the couple also receives a stipend for their work. Do they work 7 days a week in a slave labor position? Not at all, in fact, the couple works 3 days, then has 7 days off. Not bad at all, and it's a contract job with the city, which owns the local campground.

Check out the full story in the Star Telegram. But take one thing with a grain of salt: The paper indicates the city pays stipends of $70 to $100 per day for working. If it's true, better hurry--that's a pretty rich allowance in addition to the hookups!

Photo: Star Telegram

RV Voter Rights Challenged in Tennessee

2007-12-28T15:24:00.000-08:00

While fulltime RV folks who call Oregon their registration "home" may not have trouble with upcoming elections, that apparently isn't the case with those from the Volunteer State. According to news from the Good Sam Club, 286 fulltimers who used a mail forwarding service in Cleveland got tossed off the Bradley County voter's rolls. Why so? Because they'd dared to use the mail forwarding facility's address as their permanent address.

The American Civil Liberties Union has stepped into the fray, filing a lawsuit on the part of the disenfranchised RVers, with the claim that these folks have had their constitutional rights abridged by the action of the local county government. The afore mentioned RV club says they'll file an amicus brief in support of the RVers. This "friend of the court" brief, coming from an outside party, is aimed at assisting the court in making a fair decision. It will be up to the court to determine whether it wishes to admit the brief or deny it.

Whether or not the court will hear--and decide--on the case in time for next fall's elections remains to be seen.

To listen to the story, check out this audio post on NPR radio.

Photo: CAVE CANEM on flickr.com

Keeping Timely: Fulltimer's Maintenance Checklist

2007-12-19T11:12:00.000-08:00

Life is pretty busy, even for fulltiming RVers. Actually, maybe it's "mow busy" for us fulltimers. It seems like if we have a spare moment, something comes up that eats at that spare moment, to the point we find ourselves coming and going.

But if we slip up and forget something important, we all know what happens. Any of those spare moments we were looking forward to spending on ourselves wind up being spent on something else--like changing out a hot water heater that went gunny bag because we failed to spend a few minutes when we should checking on its welfare.

Enter "Firedude," a fulltime RVer with a heart. Firedude has put together a nifty maintenance checklist in "Word" format. You can download the list, print it out, and hang it up with your calendar as a reminder (with a suggested timeline) that will help you remember to check on the anode rod in the water heater, the batteries, and those other important items that get swept to the backs of our minds by all those other pressing issues. Follow this link to your own copy. It might help you to keep from having a Homer Simpson day.

Photo: Grant Robertson on Flickr

Oregon Voter Rights for Fulltimers?

2007-12-12T13:01:00.000-08:00

With the election on everyone's mind (kind of hard to be away from your mind if you watch the news) the question of voter rights often is raised. How about fulltimers out on the road?

If you're an Oregon resident--and just what constitutes an Oregon resident is a subject taken up in the Albany Democrat Herald newspaper. Using the illustration of the Oregon resident who a decade ago sold their 'stix n brix' home, bought a motorhome, and ran off to sunny Mexico, the Democrat Herald writer points up that Oregon law still considers you an Oregon resident. What marks the point when your 'Beaver Tail' disappear? Apparently until you 'intend not to return.'

I'm not going out the limb and hand you the saw. Since the law on the Oregon books is considered a bit vague, then leave me out of it. Just read the story for yourself and draw your own conclusions.

Photo: BBC

Firemen Ask for Solo RVer's Help

2007-12-07T09:05:00.000-08:00

In a free seminar put on by the Quartzsite, Arizona fire department for RVers, an interesting--and somewhat 'stop and think about it'--topic was brought up. Almost every year, says the fire department representative, a body is found in the Quartzsite desert, usually of someone who wandered off, got disoriented, and never made it back to their rig. Since solo RVers have nobody "at home" to notice their absence, 'could we please make it easier on the fire department and medical services folks?'

The recommendation was that solo RVers put emergency contact information on their person and in their rigs? One possibility is the so-called "vial of life," something as simple as a jar inside your refrigerator with your personal information inside. At times government officials finally wind up going inside an apparently abandoned RV to try and get the bottom of a missing owner. Too often they're able to identify the owner from vehicle registration information, but just who to contact may not be clear. In one instance the police found a cell phone in an "abandoned" rig and kept it charged up and at the station until a concerned friend called find out why they hadn't heard from their loved one.

Sobering, yes. But loving kindness moves us to do what we can to avoid this problem.

Electricity or Gas--Whatcha Gonna Heat Your RV With?

2007-11-30T12:57:00.000-08:00

If you're sitting in an RV park or other place where you pay for your electricity, you may wonder if it's cheaper to heat with propane or with electricity. This is far from an academic question, since the price of propane is shooting up--probably trying to keep pace with gasoline and diesel for some perverse reason.

A sharp RVer did some calculations to help you "do the math" easily. He observes that electricity produces 3,800 btus per kilowatt, and that LP produces 92,000 btus per gallon. How do you compare these energy apples and oranges? It's a ratio of 24:1. Soooo, as long as a gallon of propane costs you less than 24 times the cost of a kilowatt of electricity, all things being equal, the gas is cheaper.

In our part of the country (southern Arizona) RVers report paying about 17 cents per kilowatt of power in the typical RV park. Our favorite LP supplier is charging $2.29 per gallon of the precious fuel. 17 cents times 24 equals $4.08--LP is still the fuel of choice. Provided everything else is equal. But is it?

First, if you're heating with your factory equipped LP furnace, a great deal of heat is "going up the chimney" or rather, out the vent on the side of your rig. Let's say it was 40% of the burned energy. By my calculations, once LP reaches $2.45 it might be time to think about running an electric space heater. But for those who use a non-vented heater efficiencies are MUCH higher--see our story on these hunky-dory heaters here, you'll still find LP a great saver.

Of course, other factors come into play: If you buy your LP 'in the park' or delivered, you'll probably pay a lot more money. But if your back disagrees with the idea of lifting and tossing a big, heavy LP container, electricity may be better for heating--and less needed for the heating pad.

Photo: hokkey on flickr.com

Keeping Track of the Details: RVer's Notebook

2007-11-28T12:38:00.000-08:00

As RVers--and particularly as fulltimers--keeping track of the details is both necessary, but time and space consuming. For years RVers have been carrying notebooks in the cab of the tow vehicle, writing down such necessary information as fuel costs, trip distances, expenses for maintenance and repairs. On the road it's nice to know how to project your living expenses, particularly when oil prices are volatile, we've all got to pinch here and there to maintain the lifestyle.

Enter "RVer's Notebook," a handy little Windows or Vista computer program that keeps track of all those little details, and adds a lot of other valuable RV features as well. Imagine weighing in your roving home and discovering you're a wee bit heavy on one side, and a little light elsewhere. Enter the wheel weights, capacities and locations of fluids, etc, and this nifty program will help you nail down how to move a few things around to keep a balanced and safe weight. It'll also suggest tire pressures based on your axle weights and the specific tires you use.

Trip logs? Campground details? Where you been? Where you wanna go? Digital photos stored and ready to use? All these and a lot of other 'RVer Stuff' can be kept at hand and orderly in one location. Lots of fulltimers talk about writing spreadsheets and complex routines for their computers, but hey, sorry, our lives are so busy now the thought of trying to sit down and just think of the fields for a spreadsheet are not on our agenda. For $40 and a 30-day money back guarantee, this may be program of choice for you.

Vacuum Cleaning the RV Doesn't Have to Suck

2007-11-21T09:48:00.000-08:00

Vacuuming the old RV carpets can be a real drag. As fulltimers know, it's often hard to find a place to store a "full size" vacuum cleaner. So we "go small" and deal with machines that often don't have enough muscle or fall apart after a few short months.

We got a news release from interVac, a vac' manufacturing company who claims they know how to help us. Their "H" model unit can be surface mounted where you want it (with four screws or velcro) or if you have a "dead space" in a cabinet area, a cutout can be made and the whole unit flush mounted. From there, the factory provided hose is said to get you around a thousand square feet of living space--"depending on configuration" reads the fine print.

Since most of us living in less than a thousand square feet, that old hose ought to reach out and touch whatever is needed. And, sez the company, their "H" unit provides "100 feet of water lift" which in vacuumspeak means you could probably suck up the cat if you aimed the hose incorrectly. No, this is NOT a "wet n dry vac" but that "water lift" is an industry measurement of how much suck power a unit provides. The big promo is that with the actual vacuum unit left in one place, the machine will last much longer--no banging around furniture and baseboards. Easier for you, easier for the machinery.

While this is "like" a central vac idea, there's no "plumbing" involved, which is certainly a plus. How much will you spend? A whole lot less than one of those fancy yellow machines you've seen touted on the tele: The SRP for the "H" unit is a mere (?) $250. But wait! There's more! After a closer look you'll find that the $250 pays for the vac unit. You'll probably want a hose, some nozzles, maybe a few bags? Well, run that price up to $329 with the goodies. That may be an attractive price over the long haul, after all, you probably won't be replacing an upright every six months.

By the way, the interVac operates on shore power; boondockers might not appreciate having to set aside the nearly 1500 watts it requires to run on. But if you're still interested, trot on over to the interVac web site and check out the full specs and an interesting video on installing one of these units.

To Have and To Hold? Or Sell That House and Go Fulltiming

2007-11-14T12:27:00.000-08:00

It's a question that a lot of fulltime wannabees have: Should we sell the house and go fulltiming, or fulltime and still "hold onto" the house. Well, maybe the answer lies in crunching numbers.

Rick and Orinda, who participate in the Escapees Club RV forum put together a clever spreadsheet that you can download an stick your own numbers into. By taking into account variables like the cost of insurance, maintenance, and all those other goodies that stix-n-brix owners have to deal with. But what about "appreciation"? Is there such a thing in today's bloated, foreclosure-infested real estate market? Rick's taken that into account as well.

Check out Rick and Orinda's thinking--and you can download the spreadsheet and crunch the numbers yourself. Click here.

Wannabees Wanna Know: Staying Warm In Winter

2007-11-08T11:10:00.000-08:00

An RV forum recently had the question posed: Can you live full time in your RV on $1,000 a month? We know some that do. While that question is too multifaceted to tackle in just one little blog, we thought it might be good to talk about one aspect: Heating your rig.

Being a fulltimer allows you the freedom to 'travel with the sun.' Sure enough, you'll find lots of fulltimers heading south as winter rolls in. Mexico for some--that's a lovely place; but for those who must (or want) to stay stateside, those sunbelt states are a good place to 'hole up' when the geese start flying.

But staying warm is important. Even in Quartzsite, you can wake up with below the freezing mark temps in the deep end of winter. Happily as Sol tracks across the sky, daytime temperatures rise up. But you've seen the news lately--those nasty fuel prices aren't going to hit just our tow vehicles--you can expect the price of ALL heating fuels will increase. What's to be done?

Many RVers have found that the efficiency of their factory provided RV furnaces is far from wallet friendly. If you fire up that RV furnace and stick your hand anywhere close to the outside breather port, you'll know an awful lot of your heating budget is flying outside. That's just the nature of the beast. So consider retiring your furnace and using a localized heat source in your rig--either a catalytic or 'blue flame' style heater.

"Cat" heaters use a specially treated catalytic "bed" or mat that allows heat to be produced from propane flamelessly. They're highly efficient, and most are equipped with a sensor that shuts them off if the oxygen levels in the RV become low enough to be of safety concern. They use no electricity--a real plus for boondockers. However, most cat heaters are adjustable only to the degree of "high, medium, and low," meaning you set them and they run continuously--they can be too hot or too cold.

"Blue flame" style heaters don't have a catalytic bed, but have a burner, the flames of which can usually be seen, kind of like a mini-fireplace. Some of these have a completely adjustable thermostat that will "turn off and on" to accommodate a steady room temperature. A close cousin, "brick" heaters don't have burners, per se, but have one or more ceramic blocks with tiny orifices. Some are completely adjustable, others like cat heaters are high, medium, low guys. You pay your money and take your choice.

In any event, all these fellows are "air breathers." Always follow the safety instructions that come with the product. That usually means cracking a window to provide plenty of ventilation. And since these are not 'outside vented' they will put humidity into your RV. If you're staying in high-humidity country, you'll have to take actions to contend with this. Down in the desert areas, the added humidity to some is a side benefit.

Photo courtesy US Catalytic

No problem with voting rights for New Hampshire full-time RVers

2007-11-08T08:53:00.000-08:00

New Hampshire residents and visitors to the state who live full time in RVs can vote there under most circumstances.

Nationally, the U.S. Census says more than 100,000 Americans live full time in RVs, and many of them are uncertain about where they can vote or have had their voting rights taken taken away. In some states, election officials have purged RV residents from their voting rolls if their only official address is a post office box.

But in New Hampshire, Deputy Secretary of State David Scanlan says that full-time RV residents who sell their New Hampshire homes and head off on the road full time can vote, as long as they haven't established a legal residence elsewhere.

RV owners who come to New Hampshire also can vote, says Scanla, as long as they establish a permanent residence by renting a space, buying a piece of land or setting up their RV on a family member's land, or doing something similar.

RV Insurance for Fulltimers?

2007-10-31T13:55:00.000-07:00

One of the big question that folks making the jump from "sticks and bricks" to a "life on the road" is a good, solid, important one: What about insurance on the RV?

Sticks and bricks insurance protects you from loss: The house burns, the burglars burgle, the unexpected (and probably) uninvited trips over your rake and breaks a leg. These losses can be real--and hugely expensive. Not just "any" insurance company will be able to handle your new circumstances on the road. Really, it's best to talk to companies that are completely literate and often specialize in RV insurance.

A few things to keep in mind: The first at the top of the list is simply--ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS. Never take anything for granted. Can you assume "RV replacement insurance" will completely replace your "totaled" RV? Yes? No? Maybe? The latter is probably the most likely answer. Replacement insurance should replace your rig, but there may be limitations like, "For the first five years after manufacture." Or possibly, "Yes, but not for 'add ons' like awnings, solar panels, etc.'

What about liability? While it's true you don't own "real estate," what happens around your rig when it's parked somewhere can run you up a big bill. Somebody walks around the corner of your rig while it's parked in an RV park and bonks their head on your slide out. Seems like they ought to be smart enough to keep their eyes open, but in this litiginous society, lots of dummies like to sue. Can you afford a lawsuit?

Contents? Ah, the glories of contents. Some insurance companies base how much they'll pay your for "loss of contents" based on a percentage of the value of the rig. If you're a big gadget geek, a percentage of how much your rig is worth may not even come close to replacing your fancy treasures.

Not all fulltimers have insurance. Some are "self-insured" because they figure they have enough in the bank to cover any contingency. Some are "self-insured" because they don't have enough money in the bank to cover the cost of the premiums. It's a gamble any way you look at it. Nevertheless, when shopping for coverage, always ask questions.

Dialysis on Road Could Be In Your Own RV

2007-10-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

For folks who face a regular regimen of kidney dialysis, trips to the dialysis center can really kill the dream of any sort of RV lifestyle. One woman has shown that the lifestyle may be more in reach of RVers than they'd dreamed.

Diane Rachey has been on regular, three-times-a-week dialysis treatments since the end of 2005. Needless to say, while both she and her husband are retired, getting to use an RV seemed out of reach. But not long ago, Diane and hubby hopped in their RV for a two-week trip--and never stepped in a dialysis center. What happened?

Diane is now working with a new portable dialysis system called NxStage that takes dialysis out of the clinic and into the home--even if that home is on wheels. Says Diane, “Once I started using NxStage, I felt great! I am 100% better both mentally and physically. Going to the center was extremely restrictive. My whole outlook on life now is much more positive, especially because I am able to spend more time enjoying life!”

As opposed to 3-a-week treatments, the NxStage system calls for 6-a-week at home treatments lasting around two and a half hours each. The firm that produces the system has equipment and supplies available throughout the US. Learn more about Diane's story here. Or for more information about the NxStage system, visit their website here.

Backpacker "Doesn't Get It"

2007-10-17T10:06:00.000-07:00

"If you drive a motor home, you’re insulated from the rain. Your hips will never lay down to rest on a rock that’s sharp enough to poke through your sleeping pad. You won’t wake up covered in condensation, you won’t drool on the down jacket that doubles as a pillow, and you won’t have to pump your stove 45 times."

Ah, the idylic life of the backpacker. These are the comments of Evelyn Spence, an editor with Backpacker Magazine. She and a friend took a road trip through the west and were amazed at the curious names RV manufacturers choose to adorn their rigs with.

Writes Spence,"As we bee-lined across the Bonneville Salt Flats the next morning, we had numerous wildlife sightings. Dolphin. Coyote. Mallard. The Eagle. Road Bear. We had cute, nonsensical re-spellings that would make Lynne Truss want to kill herself. Carri-Lite. Komfort. Magestic. We even had mythical heroes (Midas). Heroic descriptors, or slightly exploitative First Nations references (Brave, Chieftain). Classic rock stars (Santana). Possible cartoon superheroes (The Road Ranger). Some of the names I just didn’t get. Layton. (Was that someone’s dad?) Prowler (um, creepy). Concourse. (Aren’t you driving an RV to get away from airports?)"

After mentioning how tough the life of an RVer must be, after all, we'll never hear the howl of the coyotes, nor be able to drink in the fresh scents of the wilderness, readers are presented with an opportunity to make their own comments. Not surprisingly, one of the first ones came from a Washington state woman, Elaine W. Perhaps echoing the comments of many of us 'old duffers,' Elaine writes (in part), "After 24 years growing herbs for the wholesale business, bending, weeding, planting, and constantly working so hard that most people, including you, probably can't even imagine, I want to SEE this great country of ours and sleep in my own bed at night. We are taking the plunge to 'fulltimers"... So...get over yourself! And add this to your list... "Yipee-ti-yi-yae!"

For the full story, and your own opportunity to comment, visit the High Country News.

28-year old Pitches Fulltiming, Biodiesel at RV Show

2007-10-10T13:07:00.000-07:00

While dozens of RV dealers promote hundreds of RVs at Washington State's Tacoma Dome, a young man with a plan promotes not sales--but lifestyle changes. Ty Adams, a former employee of Monaco Motorcoach, decided to sell his home and instead of mortgage payment, took out an RV payment. Monaco gave Adams a huge discount on a new motorhome, and Ty took the offer and ran with it.

Adams believes in the RV lifestyle, but he thinks that it could be a lot more eco-friendly. To that end, Ty Adams promotes the use of biodiesel wherever he goes, and he walks the talk. The younger RV-buying set is listening: When Adams appeared at the Tacoma Dome show he had plenty of questions, and had plenty of answers to give. Handing out information on where to buy biodiesel, Adams talks about his experiences as a fulltimer motohoming around the country.

You can learn more about his story by reading an article in the Seattle Times or visit Adam's website.

Photo: The Seattle Times

Loonies Making Florida Resurgence

2007-10-08T14:24:00.000-07:00

Fulltimers and snowbirds of every stripe are beginning to make their way to their winter RV havens. The favorable Canada-US currency exchange rate is helping to bring Canadian "birds" to Florida already. It's all because the Loonie (the Canadian dollar coin with its memorable reproduction of the Loon) is so close to parity with Old George that plenty of Canadians are finding the winter trip a whole lot easier to take--financially--than in the past.

While we can't say we've seen a huge influx of Maple Leaf Flag Fliers cruising into Arizona just yet, according to Florida's Herald Tribune, the south-bound influx is already on. With the strength of the Loonie as good as it is, some Canucks are planning on buying big dollar items. Check out the whole story in the Tribune's piece, "Early Birds Get the Deal."

Photo courtesy bgilliard on Flickr

UPDATE on TV Makeover Show Needs RVers

2007-10-05T12:43:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week we posted an item about a TV makeover show that was looking for fulltimer RVers interested in having their rigs renovated. At the time we mentioned we'd try and get more information.

The staff of the show contacted us today--don't get out your hammer yet: The show has been scuttled, at least for the time being. We've killed the e-mail address in the original post but left the post in place as it was linked out to other sites. If the show is resurrected, we'll let you know.

TV "Makeover" Show Needs Fulltime RVers

2007-10-03T12:31:00.001-07:00

This post recently appeared on the Escapee's fulltimer forum:

"Hi,I work for a popular home makeover show on TLC. We would love to makeover an RV (the bigger the better)Candidates get their own designer, a carpenter and a $2,000 budget. If anyone is interested feel free to respond to this post or e-mail me directly at: xxxxxxxx and I will send you more info and answer any questions."

We're trying to find out how legitimate the issue is, but for now, here's a shot at it for you all.

EDITORS NOTE: We just received an update from the makeover show--apparently the show has been scuttled for the time being. If it rises from the ashes, we'll let you know. 10/5/07

Looking for Fall Color? How About Alberta?

2007-10-03T10:09:00.000-07:00

One of the blessings we as RV fulltimers often have is the ability to change plans. That flexibility allows us to change plans and do the unexpected.

Here's what might be an unexpected beauty to take in: This fall's color in the Canadian Rockies is spectacular. If you're in the neighborhood of Alberta, check out our fall color in the Canadian Rockies entry in our sister blog, RVing Canada.

Photo courtesy Travel Alberta

See Your National Lands--For Free

2007-09-26T12:11:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, September 29th, RVers (and others) can get free access into any area managed by the US Department of Interior. And with a little bit of your sweat, you can get a free pass for a day's visit later. See the full story on RVs in the News.

Walmart Camping Draws Mixed RV Park Owner Reaction

2007-09-24T11:30:00.000-07:00

It's certainly a subject of controversy: Staying overnight in your RV on a Walmart parking lot can raise the hackles of local RV park owners who feel, 'You're stealing my livelihood.'

The Coulee News out of West Salem, Wisconsin recently ran a feature piece on the practice, interviewing a couple of fulltimers--and taking comments from RV park owners. We found the responses of those park folks to be interesting, not necessarily filled with the vitriolic, rabid rhetoric so often put out by the commercial crowd. All in all, a nicely balanced piece that you might enjoy reading. Find it on the Coulee News site.

The comments of the fulltiming couple, Dan and Linda Rowland, regarding "parking lot etiquette" always bear repeating and enhancing: Don't litter, keep the lawn chairs and the barbecue left on the racks, and don't abuse the privilege. Lot's of us enjoy "Camp Walmart," and as we all mind our manners, it keeps the welcome mat in place.

Is it Safe Out There?

2007-09-21T08:15:00.000-07:00

Many of those new to the RV lifestyle are concerned about safety. They read about crimes and wonder--how subject to the criminal element are folks in RVs? If you sit around the campfire, sooner or later there's some sort of RV "crime story" bound to come up--but if you push your source for specifics, it often seems things seem to get vague. Yes, we have heard of actual incidents where travelers have run into trouble--but in reality, it's a very RARE situation.

RVs are pretty hard to break into, compared to the common home. After all, in the dark of night, a big old house presents a lot of places to sneak in. Your little old RV is so small if somebody breaks a window, it's sure to wake you up. Burglars don't want to let you know they're coming.

Too, robberies most often involve planning: The neighborhood mini-mart. The bank. The liquor store. Somebody's home known to have valuables or lots of dough. By our transient nature, as RVers, we're a whole lot harder work into a well planned robbery effort. That, and for some reason, a prevailing view of RVers is that we all carry sawed off shotguns around, begging for chance to "make my day."

We'll leave the thought of toting a weapon up to you, but there are a few tips that can make your RV experience more secure. First, use common sense. Don't open your door to anyone (particularly at night) who you don't know. Don't park your rig in neighborhoods infested with "tagging" graffiti. Keep your doors locked. Leave the hitchhiker for somebody else to pick up. If you do stay overnight in a "rest area," use your own bathroom at night, rather than presenting yourself as an easy mark as you wander up to the public one.

We all have a "sixth sense" about danger. We've had experiences on the road where we just felt that, "Something isn't right here..." and we heeded it: We picked up and moved on. After years of roving about in our RV, we can honestly say that's only happened less than a handful to times, and we've never had any real trouble out there.

Thinking About Fulltiming: In the Galley

2007-09-19T12:48:00.000-07:00

If you're considering the switch to fulltime RVing and already have RV experience, you know that the RV galley is a whole lot smaller than the one "back home." But for those jumping into the lifestyle without having experienced the "joys" of the micro-sized RV kitchen here's a tip:

Before you make the switch, determine what you "really" need to cook in your new lifestyle. Now, can you stuff all of it in a single kitchen cabinet in your land-based home? Physically try it! Now maybe your new RV will have more cupboard space than that single "home kitchen" cabinet, but then again, it's often a fair shake to size things up. Seems like a lot of RV manufacturers seem to think that folks who use RVs must "eat out" a lot--they galley cabinets on many new rigs are just plain minuscule.