Quick Tip

 

Well here is a quick tip for you, if you are winterizing your rig already then I am sorry that you can not make it out for at least one more weekend. I am going to try to next weekend. The nice thing about this time of year is the campgrounds are not empty; many of them have changed over for the off season rates and you can spend some quality time with who ever you choose.

But if you are going to winterize your rig I would make a suggestion that maybe not a lot of people have heard. One of the last things that I do when I am putting my rig away for the winter is to cover the floor with 100 sheets of dryer sheets. I would recommend that you use the kind that have a good strong smell to them. Cover the floor, cover the insides of your basements and make sure where you have your electrical has 10 or 20 in there. Why might you ask… well it keeps the rodents out. I use this tip last year and I store my Rig out east where are the little creepy boogers live. There are a number of other tips and tricks that I have for you but for those of you who winterize early this is going to give you a hand.

Second tip just in case you are locking up shop for the winter, I would make sure that you stop by about once every 4 to 6 weeks and give that motor a turn. Many people will putt the batteries out, but I found last year that as long as I was starting her on a regular basis I never had a problem. I did also start the generator.

If you have any tips that you would like to share I would love to see them posted.

The Winter is on its way

Sorry for the short note today. I have been flying back and forth to Tucson and enjoying the wonderful weather down there. Well completely unknown to me the Gazette looks like the printed my blog on my Barbecue sauce. I was really excited to hear that it got picked up, I wish I knew what date it was printed so I could have a copy for my scrap book.

Well as I sign off I am curious as to who is starting to winterize their motor homes. I know a good camping friend of mine that will soon be moving away did something really cool last year. What he did rather than winterize his rig was to take it up to Tiger Run in Breckenridge. He would rent the site by the month and just backed right in. He then spent some time making sure that he had the bottom of his rig surrounded by some insulation foam and if I remember correctly he also turned on a heater to keep the rig and below area at 60 degrees so the pipes would not freeze up on him.

I think he cleared the roof off a couple of times through the winter and then just kept up with the maintenance, but never really moved the rig. When he pulled out Easter weekend, he mentioned the snow was many feet deep but really didn’t have any problems.

After was all said and done he ended up with a great place to stay when he went skiing, celebrate the new year and just to get away for the weekend. I do travel a lot to Tucson so I have debated taking my rig down to Tucson just to park it for the winter and I would have a place to stay when I was down there. Do you have ideas like this? I would love to hear what your winter plans are for your rig. Soon I will post what I do to winterize my rig. But I hope to get out at least one more time before the snow comes.

Buying a Motor Home

Well here I am. I am back at Mountain Dale Campground this weekend. It is so nice to get out of town; it’s not even an hour drive. I gave a quick call ahead and the awesome staff told me what site I was in. Heck I didn’t stop from the time I left the house. I just pulled in, hooked up and I am starting to relax. The feeling that you get when you walk up to the check in area and all you see is smiles and a warm hello Chris, we thought you said you were going to be late. It’s nice that people know me and I know them and Paco. Make sure if you come down here that you say hi to Paco.

Well on the drive down I was thinking about what I went though went I bought my motor home. We were hard core tent campers; both the wife and I loved it. There was nothing like getting out of town and sleeping under the stars. Then I started to feel that age thing coming on. I did not like to be cold, and the ground was just getting harder every time we went camping. We started camping less and less and my wife and I were both missing it. One day we talked about going camping again and all those thinks came back to my mind about what it was like at 3:00 AM. It was at that time that we started talking about other means of camping.

First we thought about a pop up. We even looked at a few. The ones that we were looking at that were brand new were really nice. They have A frames, fold outs, even ones that you can pull behind a motor cycle. Here is the problem that we ran into, the used ones that we saw were well over priced and to be honest were just a little junky. I am sure if we kept looking we would have found better ones. When I looked at the new ones I about rolled over dead when I saw that they were 15k. I can tell you the ones that I saw that I liked the most were Coleman. Now remember I have never spent the night in one.

From there we started to think about a 5^th wheel. Someone in the family just bought one and it was 15k so I figured if I am going to spend 15k I can get something bigger, and it will retain heat a little better. Well there are some good 5^th wheels out there, but before we started looking we ran into this whole issue of then we would have to buy a truck, next thing you know we are looking at 50k to get into one. So we decided to take a look at motor homes.

We walked on the lot and were attacked by a few sales guys, after I got out my sales guy repellant, and went crazy on them they finally left me alone. By the way in case you were wondering what I did, well lets just say that I kept asking where the gun storage was.

Now I have lots of tips on how to get your first motor home. But before we get to that point I have to tell you that one of the things that you have to know is what it is you want and what you don’t want. Let me give you an example. If you walk into a lot and just start looking many motor homes and pop-up’s have a million floor plans. Know what it is that you like our dislike about a floor plan. Ok maybe not the best example. Let’s say that you know for sure that you are not going to get your wife to spend one night outside unless there is a shower. Now you know what to work with. That is the basic stuff.

What I recommend is that you get yourself a rental. That is what we did and we found out real fast that my wife does not want to sleep in the cab over beds. This means that I have one of a couple choices: Give the big bed to the boy, or don’t get the big bed in the cab over. We also learned that we really like the Microwave in the motor home and as much as you want to say I am not a real camper, remember I am in a campsite doing what I like to do. I am spending time outside by a campfire, visiting with people and taking hikes during the day.

The rental is going to save you from doing what one of the sales guys mentioned to me. He (I think his name was Runs with Bear) was the coolest sales guy I ever met, either way he mentioned that within 18 months of people buying their first rig they buy another. Think about the depreciation on that one.

Camping Barbecue

Kitchen Confidence (KC) was kind enough to share with us a recipe that I will be trying out this weekend when I go camping. From the looks of it I am going to have some good weather, but if it gets cool after sunset that tuna may be the thing to warm me up. I mentioned to KC that I would be happy to share one of my favorites with her, but I wanted to make sure that as campers you knew that you could make this so easy at home and take it with you in an old mason jar and use it on those steaks that you grill up. Now I will be honest with you. This recipe started from a book, but as every cook knows and will tell you that you have to adjust it to make it all yours. I have made some adjustments to this one myself. If you would like to see the first version of this then I would recommend the best Barbecue book I know. To be honest I think this is the best cook book any man could ever buy. It starts a frenzy in my house when I yell, hey I am going to toss some steaks on the Barbie. The book is called Barbecue Bible by Steven Raichlen. There is a great chapter at the beginning that I would recommend any beginner and seasoned cook read. It covers everything from how to keep your meat juicy to picking the best ingredients.

Well with that all put aside. Here is my version of the Coke Barbecue Sauce:

• 1 Cup of Cherry Coke or Pepsi (I use the cherry for flavor you can replace with whatever you wish)
• 1 Cup of ketchup
• ¼ Cup Worcestershire
• 3 teaspoons of Liquid Smoke (If you are not cooking your steak over a camp fire)
• 1 Cup of A-1 Steak Sauce
• ½ Cup Molasses
• 1 Tablespoon of onion flakes
• And a sprinkle of chilli pepper if you want it to have a kick.

Now put all this in a pan and simmer it for about 5 minutes. Don’t let it get to a boil, really what I look for here is to get it hot and well blended with the flavors. The most important thing with a barbecue sauce that I find most people make the mistake on is that you should not put this on the steak when it’s on the grill. Rather heat it back up and use it as a dipping sauce after the steak is cooked. If you put this on the steak when it’s on the grill you will end up burning it. Well at least that is what I did, and I was taught by my Dad how to do the barbecue.

I choose to put this over a good cut of Rib eye steak. If you live in Colorado Springs the best place that I have found where I get the best cuts of steak is at Andy’s Meat Market. The prices are good and the meat is fresh. Well I hope you enjoy. I know I will mine.

 

 

 

 

My Swimming Pool (Awning Tip)

When I first got the motor home and I went camping with a dear friend of mine he told me to always make sure that when I have my awning out that I take it and lower one side a couple of notches. Well that was a tip that I had, used but did not use well enough. Last weekend when we were out camping in the rain I had my awning out. I did take it down a notch on the rear side of the camper so that the water would run off and I would not end up with my awning in pieces because it could not handle the weight.

So after the rain finished up I spent my time looking talking to some really neat people that we met from Sweden. In the middle of us talking I took one look up and saw that my awning had turned in to a Kidde pool and I was looking at if from the underside. I think the only reason that I was not looking at a broken awing is because the same friend recommend I get some of those awning grips, and I had done so. Those things were strong enough to hold the water in. But there was just one more problem. How do I get the water out?

Well after trying to lower the already lowered side a couple more notches I realized that the extra weight put to much pressure on the frame so I was left with trying another way. So I grabbed my ladder and stood under the big pool of water and started to push as hard as I could. I could not get it up high enough to make it over the roller bar. End result was I had to push and start a wave. I kept up the rhythm until I was able to get the water to star pouring over the sides. Now my guess is that there was 50 gallons of water in my little pool, seeing how each gallon weights about 8 pounds that was a total of over 400 pounds. I am pretty impressed with the awing grips. Oh, they are normally used to keep your awing fabric from flapping in the wind. I don’t think the intended use was to create my own private swimming pool.

 

“Bear” With Me

With droughts and wildlife food supply shortages all over the country, more and more bear sightings and attacks have been in the news. Although you may have taken every precaution to deter bears while camping, here are some tips on what to do if you still happen to encounter a bear:

Try to Remain Calm! I know if I see a large creature with very large teeth and claws in my near vicinity, calmness is not likely to be the first reaction I have, however, try to remain calm if possible. If the bear has NOT seen you and is more than 400 feet away from you, DO NOT make yourself known to the bear. (Don’t ask the bear if he’s seen you yet…lol). Seriously, you want to make your way SLOWLY from the bear. Walk quietly and calmly and always give the bear plenty of distance and room. I would choose to walk quietly and calmly until I wasn’t even in the same county as the bear (maybe a little dramatic, I know), but if you feel you must go on or must be in the area, stay calm and quiet with plenty of distance between you and the bear until the bear leaves. Try to stay DOWNWIND from the bear as their sense of smell is extremely acute and try to keep your presence unknown. THIS SITUATION IS ONLY FOR THE BEAR NOT HAVING SEEN YOU!!

If the Bear Sees You…Speak as calmly as possible to the bear. This will let the bear know that you are a person and not another animal. The less threatened and intimidated the bear feels, the likelier chance you have of not being attacked. Back away slowly from the bear while continuing to speak calmly. Create as much distance as you can between you and the bear. Again, try to remain calm and downwind as much as you can!

If the Bear Sees You and Gets Aggressive…Did you know bears sometimes fake an attack before they actually attack? If the bear acts like it’s going to charge at you but doesn’t, it is giving you a chance to back away. Slowly back away and give the bear plenty of room. DO NOT RUN!!! You will be attacked if you run. Bears are quick and you can not outrun a bear. Back away slowly and calmly until you reach a safe distance.

If You are Attacked…Fight the bear with anything available. Pommel the bear with sticks, rocks, dirt in its eyes…absolutely anything you can get your hands on. Use your entire body to fight back including kicking, yelling, punching and hitting. Black bears are prominent in Colorado and will sometimes back down from an attack if you fight back. If the bear backs down, REMAIN WHERE YOU ARE FOR A MOMENT. Allow the bear time to escape. This may prevent a second attack. If the bear leaves the area, seek medical assistance. If the bear will not leave the area, stand up slowly and calmly and back away in the same manner. Give the bear as much room as possible but REMAIN CALM!! Seek medical attention immediately.

Colorado is beautiful and all the outdoor activities can be enjoyed immensely, but always keep in mind that Colorado is bear country. Be as careful as possible when hiking or camping. Always be aware of your surroundings and keep your eyes open for any encounters with wildlife. Make noise as you hike to further deter any bear encounters. Have a safe and fun adventure so you can grin but you won’t have to “bear” it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The “Bear” Necessities of Camping

Wildlife is wonderful to watch and observe while camping.  Bears are some of the most beautiful creatures God has created.  Their power and strength is awe inspiring while their faces and playful nature are adorable.  But unless your name is Christopher Robin and you live in the 100 Acre Woods, chances are an up-close and personal encounter with a bear while camping is not what you want to have happen.  Bears are, in my opinion, wonderful animals, but no matter how cute and wonderful they may be bears can be very dangerous.  Here are some tips and facts about bears that should be kept in mind during your next camping excursion:

Never, ever, never, ever, NEVER feed a bear!!  If you feed a bear, the bear will become comfortable with obtaining food from humans.  The more comfortable a bear becomes with being fed, the more aggressive the bear will become in the future in obtaining food from humans.  This is not only a danger to you and other campers, it is a danger to the bear.  When a bear becomes aggressive and dangerous to humans, it is usually killed by authorities.

DO NOT throw unused food onto a fire or into a fire pit!  Bears have a keen sense of smell and the smell of food attracts them.  Never throw uneaten or unused food into a campfire and/or fire pit.  You may think that the fire will burn up any remnants of food but the scent of the food will still attract bears.  Always keep food in your vehicle with the vehicle doors closed and windows up.  Throw any uneaten or unused food in a bear-proof trash receptacle.  Most campgrounds have these bear-proof trash bins.  Be sure to replace any pins or latches on the trash bin after you have thrown anything away.

Never leave pets outside unattended!  This is true in all camping situations, but especially with camping in bear country (which includes almost all of North America).  Always have your pet on a leash and keep them in your view.  Never leave pet food outside as the scent will attract bears.

DO NOT use bear spray!  Many studies have shown that bear spray actually attracts bears instead of deterring them.

If you see bear tracks, bear scat or garbage strewn about, tell your campground host immediately!  Tomorrow, we will talk about what to do if you encounter a bear while camping.  Here’s hoping your next camping trip is completely “un-bear-able”!

Something to Do on Your Trip

Don’t forget on your next trip to the mountains to bring a humming bird feeder. I have seen these birds my whole like since I grew up in black forest. They are just amazing to watch. I have found myself as I get older to really appreciate the birds that differ themselves from the crows that we normally see around here. The humming bird is one of those that I just can’t take my eye off of.

You can pick up feeders for a low cost, I don’t think we even paid $20.00 for ours. I went all out and got some of the good to that you can mix with a little water and just poor it in. From what I remember as a kid we were able to make our own pretty easy with a whole lot of sugar, water and some food coloring. If I remember correctly the redder you make your food the more attractive the birds will find it. Once you hang it up so that it can bee seen pretty easy you are in for a show. There will be the bees as well but from what I hear there is some great bee crisis that we should be aware of. Either way the bee’s seam to like the feeder and they don’t bug the birds.

Keep the Dog Hydrated During your Hikes

We take our dog with us camping and hiking. One of the things that has challenged us for some time is how to keep our dog hydrated while we hike. Up to this point we keep a bowl, and take him a bottle of water. We make sure that we make stops along the way so that he can take a drink or two.

I recently found a backpack for $20, at the local K mart. This bag will allow us to keep our water and the dog’s water in the same container since it can hold two quarts of water. Then all I need to do is make sure that I carry a bowl for him so that he can drink at ease when we stop.

When its Hot and you need a Drink

When it’s hot, I want a cold drink and I want it now.  But as a newbie to this whole motor home thing, I just could not figure out why the refrigerator was not keeping my drinks as cold as I would like them.  That is when I figured out the tip of the day.

 

Keep a cooler around like what you had when you were tent camping.  This is a great place to keep your drinks cool, and the best part is that it’s separate from your food.  The less amount of time that your refrigerator door stays open the cooler it will be when you need it to keep those eggs cool for your morning breakfast.

 

I have even gone to the extent of putting a couple of sliced up limes in a Zip Lock bag so that I can make sure that I have them right next to the drinks if I want one. 

 

Another thing that I noticed was from a friend of mine, he has this mini Ice maker so all he has to do is plug it in add the water and bam it makes ice for him.  He can use it to refill his drink cooler, or use it for ice in a cup.  I found one here:

 

http://www.wineenthusiast.com//E/details.asp?Ep=An/0//A/20861&AfID=FROG

 

There is nothing like a Margarita on the rocks when you are sitting in the hot sun next to your rig for the weekend.