Vagabond Chef

A water pressure valve help to regulate the amount of pressure of the water coming our to the shoreline outlet to the RV through the potable water system.  This is important because water pressure varies from are to area.  Too much pressure can cause damage to the RV’s water system by blowing holes through the water pipes of the RV.  Too little pressure can make a shower almost impossible.

This is a fairly inexpensive piece of equipment.  It attaches to the potable water hose and the faucet to the shoreline water supply.  All it does is screw on to both, the shoreline faucet and the potable water hose, just remember to disconnect it from the shoreline faucet before you leave for new area.

An RV is an ideal way to travel with a pet. It won’t be lonely being locked up in a strange kennel or with a friend and you’ll have your loving companion with you as your not missing your pet.

1. Try to stick to your pets regular feeding routing. Take their favorite food with you; you might be able to find it where you are going.

2. Use caution when leaving your pet unattended in a vehicle. The temperature inside a closed vehicle can climb rapidly and endanger or kill your pet. Lock all doors and open the windows slightly to provide adequate ventilation and provide your pet with plenty of cold water.

3. Have your dog wear a cllar with a securely attached identification tag at all times. The tag should list the telephone number of a friend, you home and cell phone number and your pets name.

4. Ask you vet what paperwork you need crossing state lines or over the borders into Canada and Mexico.

5. To help calm your pet, bring his favorite treats, toys and bed and food dishes or litter box.

6. When traveling with a dog, plan on making extra stops every hour or tow. Rest areas usually have areas for leashed pets.

1. Make sure you know where the main gas shut off valve is located.2. When you park your RV, watch out for old tire remains. They sometimes contain wire that will damage your tires if you run over them.

3. Always lock your RVs doors when you leave for the day. Don’t assume a traveling companion will do it.

4. Always station someone behind the RV when backing up so you don’t run over something.

5. Tune into the local radio station once in a while as you travel. They’ll know about bad weather coming or other potential emergencies.

6. Read all operation manuals, especially the safety information in them.

7. Drive with your headlights on all the time. It makes you easier to be seen by other vehicles.

8. Wash the windshield daily.

9. While traveling in cold weather, consider using the heat pump rather than the furnace. The furnace uses propane gas and the wind can blow it out, causing noxious fumes. The heat pump uses electricity, which it furnish by the genset.

10. Don’t let time pressure you into taking risks in passing other traffic or speeding. Remember its better to get there late than not at all.

More than a place to go to go. You also use it to bathe and cleanse yourself. So do yourself a favor, test it. Try to take a fake shower, take you shoes off , step into the shower and pretend to take a shower. Sit on the toilet to see if you have room for your legs and knees. See if the toilet paper is accessible. Make sure you’re comfortable with the door shut. Lots of showers come with skylights, they give you a little more height which is helpful. So the shower skylight is an option.

Bathtubs are nice, but most of them are kind of small so if you really want one, see if it works for you.

Make sure the bathroom has an exhaust fan not just to remove odors, but also to help remove humidity and sometimes it will help to circulate the air.

Check the bathroom door some only close off the living area, but not the bedroom. Others close off the bathroom completely by itself. Just make sure you’re comfortable with your decisions.

1. Making them awkward to access. So, if you need to use the items in these s areas often, it could be a hassle to get them.

2. Some storage areas are not heated so be sure what you put in them won’t get hurt from extreme weather changes.

3. Most are lighted, but if they’re not you can mount battery operated lights in them.

4. If your buying a used RV check for weather stripping or make sure the storage units seal so you won’t get water damage

5. For the best ride, be careful of weight distribution.

Weather not only affects your safety, but also the enjoyment of RVing

Here are some helpful tips:

1. Get yourself some type of weather radio.

2. If on the road, get off safely.

3. Tune into the local radio stations to learn about storm warnings, road conditions or other possible problems.

4. Listen to conversations at truck stops to hear about flooded area or other hazards

5. Have and use a C. B. radio. Truckers know a lot of what‘s going on.

6. Be alert to signs along the road; such as “Gusty Winds“ or Ice on Bridges may be slippery.

7. Keep headlights clean and on during storms.

8. Keep toys, movies and snacks in the RV for children. Remember occupied children are not panicked children..

9. Carry a cell phone.

10. Choose a level or mounded site, rather than one with a dip in it. If it rains you don’t want to find your steps in a pool of water.

11. If weather is bad before you leave, don’t leave.

Here are some useful websites:a) www.weather.com

b) www.nova.com

c) www.wunderground.com

d) www.accuweather.com

1. Be sure you tow car is safely attached. While parked on a level place, measure to make sure the center of the ball on the motor home hitch is about 1 1/2 inches higher than the pivotal point on the tow bar attached to the car. This keeps the car from pole baulting into the motor home during a sudden stop.

2. Take a test drive of your motor home with the tow car attached before your trip.

3. Towing a care will actually save your gas, since you won’t be using the motor home for shorter trips.

4. When towing a car follow the manufacturers instructions.

5. Believe it or not, you’ll forget you’re towing a car except when passing, parking, stopping quickly or turning sharply. When passing, make sure both the motor home and car are past before going back into the lane. When pulling into a rest area or parking lot, allow for the added length of the tow car.

6. When towing a car allow 100 more feet of stopping space.****posted 1/24/2009**

1. If you camp in national parks, take advantage of the many free ranger-led activities offered by the National Park Service.

2. Keeping a rug or old piece of carpet outside the door helps reduce the amount of dirt coming in from everyone’s feet.

3. Bring along a few birthday napkins and candles if someone in the family including adults will be celebrating a birthday while on the road.

4. Involve the entire family on meetings on planning the trip so everyone has a say on what they’ll be doing.

5. Keep a small whisk broom handy near the entry so your family can brush dirt and sand off their shoes and clothes before they enter the RV,

6. Bring plenty of items that will help keep the children active after a long day on the road.

7. Use a sleeping bag for children at bedtime. It eliminates making up a bed with sheets

and blankets.

8. Take food along everyone eats. Get the kids to help cook, even over the campfire with supervision.

A tire that is under inflated will build up heat that may goThe most important factor in getting the most life of you tires is maintaining proper inflation above the limits of the rubber and radial cords. An under inflated tire will cause poor handling of the RV and irregular tire wear and also decrease your mileage.

Over inflation will reduce the contact with the road, thus reducing traction, braking capacity, and handling of the vehicle. Over inflated tires will give a harsher ride and uneven tire wear.

Federal Law requires that the tires maximum load rating be molded into the sidewall of the tire. The amount of air pressure you need to use is dependent on the weight of your fully loaded RV. It is important to note that the cold inflation pressure for the tire must never exceed the maximum inflation rating stamped on the wheel.

You should check the air pressure every 2 weeks or at least monthly and before any major trip. Check tires when they are cold and have not been driven on for more than a mile. Use a quality truck tire air gauge which has an angled head. Make sure you use valve stem caps to reduce the change of leakage through the valve stems. Valve stem extensions are recommended but be sure they are quality stainless steel braid reinforced and are securely anchored to the outer wheel.

With proper care you tires should last 5 to 7 years.

When grocery shopping, pick up frozen items last. That would make the items stay colder so that when you get to the RV the freezer temperature will not change much.

2. When transporting fruits or vegetables in an RV package them so they don‘t roll around and get bruised.

3. Keep all sandwich making items in a plastic container in the refrigerator to cut down on opening and shutting the door. Group other supplies the same way.

4. Take along canned carbonated beverages instead of bottles. Pressure builds up while the vehicle is in motion and the tops can blow off the bottles.

5. Space in a RV kitchen is quite small, it‘ll be easier to manage if the counters are clean and there are no dirty dishes in the sink before you begin to cook.

6. Meat keeps better if frozen at home first.

7. If you like smores, pack a lot of the supplies before you leave home because they‘re really expensive at campground stores. .