Tito's RV Blog

What to bring on your next RV road trip

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Wed, 30 May 2012 05:44:00 +0000

If you've planned an extended RV road trip, you know it can be a real challenge. There are so many decisions to make such as:

Where will we go?

How long will we be gone?

Will it be as awesome as the last one?

How much will it cost?

Will there be fun stuff to do?

Will the kids be bored?

...and...

Should we tow the boat or the Jeep?

I saw this guy on the road in California with this custom toy hauler.
I would love to have watched him load this up.

Have fun planning your Summer adventure?
Are you traveling this Summer?
Where are you going?

Travel Channel's America's Craziest RVs Is Looking For You

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Sat, 19 May 2012 00:42:00 +0000

You've seen me write about my favorite amazing, cool and crazy RVs over the years like Vin Diesel's monster RV and some other favorites. Well now you too can have the opportunity to share your crazy RV creation with America.

High Noon Entertainment, the producers of Cake Boss, Heat Seekers, Bang for Your Buck and Food Network Challenge is producing a no holds barred special for Travel Channel that takes an inside peek at America’s most tricked out, pimped out and over-the-top RVs. From the converted school bus to the Boatorhome and everything in between, America’s Craziest RVS is looking for the most outrageous vehicles and the people who own and design them.

They've asked me to help spread the word, so here is your chance. Do you want to share your recreational vehicular creation with the rest of America? If you can drive it and sleep in it, they want to see it! All interested vans, buses, campers, trailers and their owners are welcome to apply.

Contact High Noon Entertainment at rvshow@highnoontv.com to submit your RV for consideration.

Even if you don't have an RV to submit, you can still visit TravelChannel.com and vote for your favorites. I'll be participating. How about you?

~Tito

Tour Vin Diesel's Massive Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Like the rest of us who enjoy our RVs, many movie stars and touring musicians also appreciate the comfort of a motor home while filming on location or touring the country.

Vin Diesel's custom built $1.1 million motor home is just over the top. If you think you've got slides on your RV, well check out Vin's.

Of course, Vin Diesel is not alone. Country artists Kelly Pickler and Zac Brown also enjoy hanging out in their motor homes.

Kelly Pickler never checks into hotels when on tour. Everything she needs is in her motor home. Ladies, check out her shoe rack.

Zac Brown's cool motor home doubles as a recording studio where he writes and records new music.

Multi-Million Dollar RV Elevator

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 03:46:00 +0000

If you think this RV elevator is over the top. Just wait until you see what is underground.

Software magnate Tom Gonzales' upstairs garage holds his collection of Harley-Davidson special edition motorcycles, most of which have never been started, much less driven. This aircraft carrier quality lift costs $25-per-button push cost in electricity, but that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Just ride the lift down underground and see where he parks his 45 foot RV and other vehicles. Watch this video for the full tour. It is pretty darn amazing.

The RV Nest Is Getting Empty

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 01:28:00 +0000

Driving across the Hood Canal Bridge

A couple of weeks ago, we packed up the family (plus one) for a weekend RV getaway to nearby Port Townsend, WA. Our daughter was home from college for spring break and our almost 16 year old son decided to join in as long as he could bring a friend. "No problem" I said. So, on Friday afternoon we all piled into the RV and drove off for the weekend.

Making Fire

We were really looking forward to this weekend, because having the entire family together in the RV had become a very rare occurrence. Ever since our kids took their first steps, we would always travel and vacation together as a family. Now, as they grow up and move out, we fear that those days are over. This weekend, however, would be just like old times.

After a beautiful drive across the Hood Canal, we arrived at Fort Worden State Park. The boys immediately went out to build a fire. It's one of those laws of the universe: "Given the opportunity to hang out and talk or build a fire, boys will always build a fire." Having a little forethought, we pre-loaded the back of our tow vehicle with wood and a hatchet. Our daughter stayed inside in the warmth of the RV to get us caught up on the day-to-day social and academic issues facing a second year college student. Our weekend was off and running.

From our campsite at Fort Worden (at dusk)

Who's Shoes Are These?

"Time to go to bed kids" .... "Yeah right Dad"

Later that night, it became apparent to me that this was really not like old times. Climbing out of the RV door got difficult because of all the shoes piled up in the doorway. As I looked at all of the shoes, I realized that my shoes were the smallest ones in the pile. These "boys" have huge feet. At that point I knew that we were not camping with kids anymore. Instead of two grown-ups and three kids in an RV, it was more like five adults packed into our Class-C. "I can't sleep in that spot" one would say, "it's too small." On top of that, every electrical outlet was either charging a cell phone or powering a MacBook. Well...maybe that's not new.

St Patty's Day - Ole'

Despite some crappy weather, we found something to do and had a great time. Forgetting it was St. Patty's Day the following day, we went out in search of a nice dinner. When we hit the town at 6:30PM, nothing was open except for maybe a few bars. We finally found a little Mexican restaurant down the road, got excited for Mexican food, and went in. Our meal was outstanding. If it wasn't for the Mexican bartender saying "Happy St. Patty's Day Amigo", I probably would have forgotten about our favorite Irish holiday all together.

Back Home and Tired

On Sunday, we arrived back home and went about our normal return-from-RV-trip routine. I cleaned up and buttoned up the rig, while my wife unloaded the food and dirty clothes. After a quick wash and rinse, I put the RV cover back on. Within an hour, it started snowing. Weird.

Start of a new Chapter

We realize that we are moving into a new chapter in our lives and that this kind of family getaway is going to be a rarity. This saddens us, but we are accepting it. Even when the kids are around, it is likely that their jobs, friends, or other activities will take priority over spending time with "the folks" in the RV. This has already started to happen. In the last six months, my wife and I have taken a few solo weekend road trips. "Not the same" we say, but we are slowly adjusting to it.

On a lighter note, we have realized that there are benefits to traveling with fewer people: (1) we have plenty of room; (2) it takes longer for the tanks to fill up; (3) the RV stays much cleaner; (4) there are fewer dirty shoes and no piles of clothes around; (5) power cords don't hang all over the front of the coach; and (6) we can actually sit at the dinette in the morning when we get up.

Nevertheless, as we adjust to the benefits of traveling alone, the drawbacks sink in and we start to miss the company of our RV seasoned kids who we realize are kids no longer.

When we purchased the RV, we always knew that we were in it for the long haul and that traveling with kids would be temporary. Has anyone gone through this, and did it change the frequency and type of trips you would take? How did you adapt to it?

Cool Aussie Off Road Trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 06:41:00 +0000

Nobody does rugged like the Aussies do. If you own an RV (I'm sorry Caravan) in Australia, odds are it's smaller and a lot tougher than what we are accustomed to here in the U.S.

This relatively small UEV 490 Trailer from Conqueror Australia is like the Swiss Army Knife of Trailers. Why do I like this kind of stuff? Hell, if you've ever been into forts, tree houses, erector sets, survival you're gonna love this too. Check it out.

The Solitary RV Man

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 06:19:00 +0000

There are times when a man just needs a cooler full of beer and a place to get away and think about stuff.

Here's to you solitary RV man

Roadmaster Towing - Made In America

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 05:53:00 +0000

My Towing Setup

Do you tow a vehicle behind your RV? If so, then you are certainly familiar with Roadmaster Towing products. I have a Roadmaster Sterling tow bar and Roadmaster Even Brake assisted braking system. I have to say that the quality of both components is very high.

In this video, go behind the scenes at Roadmaster Towing in Vancouver, Washington and see their state-of-the-art manufacturing process. It was impressive.

I didn't know that Roadmaster Towing is based here in Washington State. I also got a warm feeling knowing that I'm relying on quality products that are made right here in the U.S.A.

Here's how I hookup and tow my car behind my RV.

Happy RVing!

RiverSide 32LOFTRB Tri-Level Trailer with Basement

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 06:09:00 +0000

Back in 2008 I wrote about the Outback Loft, the travel trailer with an upstairs loft. We stumbled upon it at the 2008 Seattle RV show where we also checked out the Country Coach Veranda. It was pretty cool sitting upstairs in the Outback Loft watching TV while peering out over the other RVs. I haven't seen anything like it since, until now.

Introducing the 2012 RiverSide Tri-Level travel trailer from Riverside. Instead of the just the loft concept, this trailer comes with three levels. You enter into the living area, and can go upstairs to the bedroom or downstairs to the cool mini-basement.

When you were a kid, did you ever want a fort or a secret hiding place? YES...me too. Check out the RiverSide 32LOFTRB. One thing is for sure, you're kids are going to love this and you may end up fighting over this cozy little space. The guy in the video's sweater actually matches the interior of the trailer. Coincidence? Don't think so.

If the cozy little downstairs doesn't sell you, this tri-level trailer also sports a spacious living area and upstairs bedroom. So just like at home, you can send the kids downstairs to watch RV or play video games while the "grown ups" hang out upstairs in the living room. You may feel right at home in this trailer.

Flirting with Disaster on our Weekend Trip to the Birch Bay Half Marathon

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 05:15:00 +0000

Twas a dark and stormy night and the heavy wind was blowing the rain onto the windshield of my RV. Then, just as we were merging into heavy traffic, my driver's side windshield wiper broke. What was I to do? With my wiper blade flapping around and useless, I quietly thought "AAAAAH!"

I could sense my wife's tension sitting next to me in the cab as she exclaimed "You need to get off the highway!" But where was I to go? I could barely see, there was no shoulder to pull off on, cars were zipping all around us, and I needed to merge my 50+ feet of RV and tow vehicle into heavy traffic. To make matters worse, my lane was ending.

After a few moments of holding steady in my diminishing lane, my visibility was almost gone and my wife and I thought to ourselves "Oh God, we're about to crash!"

While this may sound like the start to a gripping story of disaster, it was actually the true tale of how we began our latest RV outing.

The plan was to take the RV up to Birch Bay, Washington for the weekend. Birch Bay lies just shy of the Canadian border and bustles with activity during the summer months. During the winter months the water park shuts down and Birch Bay is a cool, comfy and quiet place. For one weekend in February though, Birch Bay is the setting of the annual Birch Bay Half Marathon. Over six hundred runners head into town at this time to run along the beautiful shoreline for 13.1 miles (half marathon) or for 26.2 miles (full marathon). This was our reason for being there.

Sunset over Birch Bay

We had signed up for the Birch Bay Half Marathon a month ago and were not surprised to find out that all of the hotels in the area were completely booked for the weekend. Of course, I didn't worry about it much because we had plan B parked next to the house. I'll just take the RV up and find somewhere to stay. It would be fun.

By Thursday night, the RV was loaded and ready to roll. All we had to do Friday night was to head out of town. I had planned to drive to the Swinomish Northern Lights Casino in Anacortes on the first night. Without traffic, it would be just under a 3 hour drive. In order to get there, however, we had to drive through both Tacoma and Seattle. We would leave at night after the evening traffic had cleared. That usually works out well. But not this time.

When my windshield wiper failed, I was right in the middle of a busy merge onto I-5 in Tacoma. "Why so much traffic at 8PM?" I didn't know.

Did we crash?

So you're wondering what happened next in the story....did we crash? Thankfully, the answer is no. We survived. At the last minute, I made a split second decision to pull the RV over just short of this guard rail. I brought the RV to a screeching halt just before a tiny bit of shoulder came to an end. With cars zipping by at 60 miles an hour just inches from the driver's side, I decided to go out the side door to try and fix my wiper blade. My worse fear was that someone would rear-end my car and RV with me standing in front of it. End of blog...that would be a crappy ending to this story. At one point, while fuddling with the wiper blade for what seemed like forever in the rain, a giant semi truck went hauling by at 60mph just about a foot from me. This got my attention big time and I ~~peed my pants a little~~ wrapped up my repair, and jumped back into the RV. The wiper was semi operational so the challenge now would be to try and get back in traffic.

I had no lane or shoulder to pick up speed and merge because a guard rail was blocking me in front. So I pointed my wheels into traffic, spotted a gap ~~closed my eyes~~ and floored it. Of course, flooring it in an RV while towing is not the same as doing so in BMW. We made it out OK though and were on our way with a heavy ~~holy shit that was a close call~~ sigh of relief.

I turned to my wife at that point and said "So...what were we talking about?"

Anacortes
We spent that night at the Swinomish Casino in their RV park in the rear of the complex. With players card discount, the night cost me a whopping $22.50. We were tired and it was raining sideways outside so we opted to stay inside. I needed a cocktail to take the edge off of the drive up. After a couple hours of stimulating conversation we head to bed. The next morning we slept in then hit up the casino restaurant for a nice breakfast. We love to spend time in Anacortes, but we couldn't stay. At noon, we checked out, fueled up and continued on to Birch Bay.

Birch Bay by way of the Outlet Mall
We made our way North towards Birch Bay, but not before visiting the Nike factory outlet we spotted on the way in. Any money we would have lost at the Casino, was spent on a new running jacket. Win win. While my wife continued shopping at other stores, I ventured back to the RV to make a couple phone calls. I must say that it is really nice having your RV parked at the shopping mall while your wife shops...really nice. Had we been there any longer, I may have cracked open a beer and popped in a movie.

Parked at the Outlet Mall in Burlington, WA

After shopping, we checked into the Cedars RV Resort in Ferndale, WA. Less than ten miles from Birch Bay, this would be our home for the night. We got settled in our pull through spot, unhooked the car and drove into Birch Bay to get our race stuff and check out the course.

Race Day
We really lucked out on weather. Having been hit with heavy rain and wind for two days prior to Sunday, the wind died down and the rain stopped. Perfect! A light wind lingered along the water and it was around 40 degrees. This was perfect weather for a half marathon.

Wife and I after finishing the Birch Bay Half Marathon. Birch bay in the background.

With over 600 other runners, we ran along the shore of Birch Bay and Drayton Harbor. It was one of the most scenic runs we've done. The sun actually peeked through the clouds at one point. We both finished strong with new personal best times. This had not been the plan, but it happened so my wife and I did a high five and chest bump....Heeeyah! (Runner's do that you know)

One more day...just one more day
One more day would have been ideal. After heading back to the RV, showering, and eating, I was ready for a nap. So I tried to lay down for about 20 minutes before starting the four hour drive back home. The ride home was perfectly uneventful. We arrived home in good time and hungry. We parked the RV and went out to dinner.

Despite the excitement of the broken windshield wiper scare, it was an awesome weekend getaway. I can't wait to do it again.

Photo Friday - The RV Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 05:05:00 +0000

Owning an RV is like having your cake and eating it too. Wouldn't you say?

Check out more Nadia Cakes on Flickr.

This cake was designed for a man who worked in the RV business. His wife ordered this cake as a surprise. It was the exact replica of the RV sitting in their driveway! What you can't see is the couple's car being towed behind the RV. The landscape in the backround is hand painted and the entire cake was 100% edible.

The Tale of the Busted Slide

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 05:26:00 +0000

What do you do when your RV slide goes out and won't go back in? If that happened to me, I'm sure I would first utter an expletive, make sure I wasn't the cause of the malfunction, then break the news to the wife assuring her that I wasn't the cause of the malfunction. How then do you get the slide back in?

We'll that depends on your RV I guess. My Class C has a screw drive mechanism controlling the slide. If the electric motor goes bad, the slide can be cranked in. The slide on my father in-law's Class A however, is powered by hydraulic's which poses the question. What happens when the hydraulics fail? As we found out tonight, you can not just crank it back in. It will go in though, but it takes some HE MAN strength..and that's where I come in.

1-2-3 PUUUSH!!!

Tonight my son and I were summoned to lend some man power to get the rear slide pushed in on my father in-law's crippled Winnebago. The plan was simple...push the slide back in. So the three of us gave it a "1-2-3 PUSH!!" and the slide hardly budged. Hmmmm. At first it was like pushing on a brick wall expecting it to move. Uh...not gonna happen.

With each push, however, it moved a tiny bit. So we kept pushing then taking a break. After a few pushes, it occurred to me "Why am I not taking a picture of this for the blog?" So on the next push I stepped away and snapped this pic of my father in-law and my son pushing without me. If you think that looks hard, try taking this picture without laughing. Finally, after about 10 minutes of pushing, we got it pushed all the way in. "WHEW!!"

So how did this happen?

Well this is one of those moments when you say to your wife "I'm so glad this happened at home and not on the road." While loading up the RV before a trip, my father in-law opened up the slide in the back bedroom and heard an awful noise. A hydraulic line had just busted under the bed spewing hydraulic fluid on the floor and under the slide. After realizing what had happened, it was time to break the unfortunate news to the wife. "Trip cancelled honey."

Then the call went out to an RV repair guy. The guy showed up, surveyed the damage and said "I don't want to take this one on. Sorry." Alright now what. So a call was made to an RV shop who said they could fix it if he would bring it in to the shop. Driving it down the road with the slide out was definitely not an option, so he had to figure out how to get the slide pushed back in. SUCCESS!

Final thoughts
If there is a moral to this story I think it is this: Unless you want a real RV adventure, make sure all of the equipment on your RV is in proper working order prior to hitting the road. The 20 minutes spent checking everything out will give you valuable peace of mind. There are negative aspects to owning an RV, but let's try to avoid those if we can. Don't you agree?

Cool VW and Jeep RV Conversions

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:39:00 +0000

I ran across a couple of not new RV conversions that caught my eye. I couldn't help myself, I had to look.

Not your Dad's Old VW
I'll start with the VW Camper conversion. I thought this was pretty cool because I used to own a 1970 VW Camper myself. In fact it was my first pseudo RV back in the day. Now these things have come along way from the old "VeeDub" Bus of the 60s and 70s. The latest cool innovation can be seen in the new VW DoubleBack.

At first I thought this was just a concept conversion, but I guess you can actually buy these. Too cool if you ask me, but the classic VW bus will always have a special place in my heart. There's nothing like enjoying a nice weekend in the wilderness only to realize that when it's over you can't get your bus started. Good times.

My old 1970s VW Camper - Oh the memories

Jeep All-Terrain RV
Here's another cool new camper built on top of the popular Jeep Wrangler frame. Like the VW camper, it's got a pop-up roof and built in living space. The Jeep Action Camper is not just a jeep. It's a go-anywhere RV.

So there you have it. If the large land yacht RV is not your thing, then maybe consider one of these cool new entries into the RV market.

I love my land yacht, but have always eyed those rugged little RVs. That's not cheating is it?

Winegard's RoadStar 3000, a powerful new compact omnidirectional antenna

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Can I finally retire my Winegard batwing antenna? Except for holding up my WiFi extender antenna, I don't use it much. Once the switch to digital TV came, I stopped watching regular TV in my RV. So perhaps the time has come to take down the old antenna and replace it with Winegard's new RoadStar 3000 compact omnidirectional TV antenna.

According to the press release:

The antenna is designed to continuously find and pull in all available VHF, UHF and FM broadcast signals within a 35-mile radius of a parked RV. The RoadStar 3000 delivers free local standard and HDTV programming from ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX plus many additional sub-channels that carry 24-hour news, weather, music, kids programming and movies.

The 3000 series eliminates the need to manually aim and lock onto digital signals. Also included are a 12-volt DC power supply and receptacle, and a two-way splitter for a second TV and optional cable input. At only 7.56 inches high by 14.88 inches in diameter, the low-profile RoadStar 3000 offers superior wind resistance while occupying minimal roof space.

Well...It's powerful, has HD and looks nice. I'm sold. How much is it? Don't know yet. Stay tuned (pun intended).

Want to read more? Visit the Winegard RoadStar website.

Women RVers Hit The Road Solo

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:06:00 +0000

82 year old Billy behind the wheel of her RV

When we head out on a trip, my wife and I tend to take on similar roles on the road that we do at home. I do the driving and take care of things on the outside. She takes care of things on the inside. When we pull into the RV park, I give her the "thumbs up" outside the window when everything is leveled and hooked up. Then she puts the slides out, sets the clock on the microwave and get's the house ready for living.

Does it have to be that way. Of course not. For us, it just works out better that way.

Here's a story from CBS News that takes a look at Women and their RVs. These women prefer to fly solo without a man. 82 year old Billy Russ says "The only man in my life is Tom" referring to her TomTom GPS. (Sorry about the Ad at the beginning of the video)

What do you think? Leave a comment.

RVs from far and wide journey to Super Bowl XLVI

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 19:13:00 +0000

Photo of John and his crew
taken by John Munson/The Star-Ledger

Bronx resident and life-long Giants fan John Gavejian (pictured on the right) piled his three sons and a few friends in a rented RV and headed to Indianapolis for Super Bowl XLVI. It was his dream to see his beloved Giants play in the big game. The only problem is that John and his crew don't have tickets to the game. To John this was not a problem though. John says:

"It’s all about the journey, the chance to share in the thrill of a Giants run with his family and like-minded fans"

John and his family are not alone. Many have flocked to the outskirts of Indianapolis in their RVs for the weekend -- some with tickets and some without -- hoping to partake in the excitement of game day. All RV parks are full to capacity as you would imagine. Some fans will have to watch the game on TV like everyone else...perhaps in their RV. Others will join the massive tailgate parties near the stadium hoping to score some tickets.

This Patriot fan (pictured above) drove all night from New Hampshire with his daughter. But he has two tickets that he purchased for $6000.

Tailgating ain't cheap either. The RV park John is staying in is about 8 miles from the stadium, but guests of the RV park can pay $150 on game day to park at a church that’s just one mile away from Lucas Oil Stadium.

Like John, renting an RV and living on the road for a week with his family and friends was not just the cheaper option, but the more appealing and rewarding one. If you're reading this blog then you know why that is. It is, in fact, about the journey. Isn't it?

Even if John and his sons fail to score tickets to the game, I'm sure it will still be an unforgettable life long memory.

I hope you enjoy Super Bowl Sunday with your family and friends!

To read the full article and watch John's video, click here.

Signs of Spring and RVing with a Purpose

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:01:00 +0000

What a BEAUTIFUL day!

Here's a postcard for this awesome Northwest morning

I took this picture this morning after a cool morning run

Climbing out of my warm comfy bed on Saturday morning is always a challenge for me. Especially when I'm heading out into the cold for a morning run. This is especially difficult when I peer out of the window to a windy, rainy, or snowy Northwest morning.

"Ok. I'll get up"

This morning showed promise of an awesome day. First off, we woke up to a gorgeous sunrise. After seeing that out of my bedroom window, I crawled out of bed got dressed and headed out. By the time my wife and I met up with our weekend running buddies, the temperature had risen to the mid 30s. But the sun was on the horizon, the sky was blue and the wind was nowhere to be seen.

Enjoying the sun and a Gatorade after a run

During my run, I couldn't help but get excited about Spring and spending more time out in the RV. Where will we go, what will we do? Last year was a pretty light RV year for us due to work and other things that consumed our lives. The highlight of last year was boondocking at the beach with friends for the 4th of July. This year it's time for a change. I don't make New Years resolutions. I think you should just try and do the right thing all year round. But...if I did make one, my resolution would be to get out in the RV more. All I needed was a little incentive.

What's Your Thing?
I've found that when our busy lives take over, it helps to have a purpose that creates a need to get out of town. It could be a hobby, a sport, an activity, or even a traveling job. Maybe your purpose is to find the best fishing holes, to photograph the coolest truck stops, or to find Sasquatch. Whatever the reason, it's great to be able to do those things in your RV. Our "thing" has been to sign up for races and running them.

Let's Take the RV!
Signing up for local races around Western Washington and Oregon has helped us stay active and healthy. It also gives us a great reason to take the RV out and enjoy an occasional weekend out of town. As an added bonus, we don't have to stay in expensive hotels. RV parks are plentiful and cheap. Of course, I don't have to tell you this.

In a couple of weeks, we are running a Half Marathon in Birch Bay, WA. Are we taking the RV? Absolutely! And here's the kicker...all of the local hotels are booked for the weekend, but it's not a problem for us. I found a nice RV park within a few miles that is glad to accommodate us. We've got a pull through and full hookups for around $30.

I can't wait to pack up our house on wheels and hit the road, even if it's just for a weekend.

Do you have a hobby or activity that you can combine with RVing? Leave a comment and tell us.

I gotcha covered!

Don't forget about the RV Cover Giveaway

Keep those entries for my RV cover giveaway rolling in. I haven't decided when I'll randomly pick a winner. But it could be any day now, so don't wait. You could win a new RV Cover from EmpireCovers.com. Enter now!

Giveaway - Win a FREE RV Cover

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

The time has come for another awesome giveaway.

Starting today, you can enter to win a FREE RV Cover for your motorhome, fifth wheel, or travel trailer. The kind folks at EmpireCovers.com have offered to sponsor this awesome giveaway.

If you win you'll receive a high-quality RV cover valued at over $200. I have one of these covers and love it! Check out my product review.

Entering the giveaway is easy
All you have to do is to click this link and like RVWithTito.com on Facebook. I'll pick a winner at random from my list of fans.

Do you want to double your chances?
Leave a comment on the Facebook post telling everyone what kind of RV you have and why you need an RV cover. For each person that leaves a comment I'll enter your name into the drawing twice, therefore doubling your chances to win. You can comment more than once but only the first one will count towards the drawing.

For more details, go to my Contests and Giveaways page.

Good luck!!

Life’s a Little Better with an RV

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:39:00 +0000

A guest post by Angela Ballard

Some of my best childhood memories lie in the countless trips I took with my family towing our Weekend Warrior, full of dirt bikes and board games and food and sunscreen, into what seemed at the time, the most magical places on earth.

I remember when we made the switch from tent camping to the toy hauler, and I thought camping was going to lose its charm; I was quite wrong. We could now take these beloved family trips for three more months of the year, thanks to having a heater. We could stay for longer, thanks to having a shower. And I could still play in the dirt, swim in creeks and lakes, and have swinging competitions with my little brother on the rope swing overlooking a creek near one of our favorite campsites: all of the things I loved about leaving suburban civilization.

Gerle Creek Reservoir, CA

We could go anywhere our Warrior would fit, which to me was the ultimate form of freedom. Many of my summers were spent exploring the Rubicon and swimming in the reservoir in Gerle Creek, CA. We would ride our motorcycles on the endless trails in the Mendocino National Forest. Having a home on wheels made camping so much easier and more accessible, and as I came to realize later, a lot more convenient for my parents.

Looking back on these amazing years of my life, the Warrior made camping so much more fun for me and my brother. I liked going on trips when I knew I wasn’t going to be freezing at night, and as I hit my teenage years, knowing I could shower was a definite plus. I would recommend looking into the best RVs for anyone with a family looking to spend more time out in the outdoors. Take the time to find the best campgrounds for your family, and let the fun begin. The days I spent with my family and our Weekend Warrior will always be some of my favorite memories.

Angela Ballard is a Business Development Associate at FindTheBest where you can compare credit cards and tire ratings and anything in between.

Tell me why you switched from tent camping to RVing. I remember when we made the switch. After spending the night in our own comfy bed while the rain came down outside, there was no turning back. Share your story with us. ~Tito

70s Winnebago Sesame Street Video

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:06:00 +0000

I love this vintage 70s film from Sesame Street. Is this guy flying around in his Winnebago...or did they speed the film up? I love how the kids pop out of nowhere when they pull in to the ~~parking lot~~ campground...kind a freaky!

"I live in a motorhome"

Anybody grow up with one of these? Leave a comment.

Towing a car behind your RV

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 06:30:00 +0000

Traveling around in your RV is a wonderful liberating experience. Also liberating is having the freedom and convenience of a car to get you around town or to nearby attractions once you've reached your destination. Plus there are places that your RV just can't go. That's why you will seldom see us without a car in tow.

Our RV and CRV Toad at Yellowstone

I get asked a lot by friends or beginning RVers how this whole "towing your car" thing works. We'll I use the four wheels on road method which requires a tow bar setup. Here's a video to show you how I connect and disconnect my tow vehicle.

RV Speak
Now this is important. If you don't want to sound like an RV newby, you'll have to learn to use the correct RV towing lingo.

Be sure to refer to your tow vehicle as your "Toad" or "Dinghy"
A "Dolly" is not something you play with. It's like a trailer that lifts the front two tires off the ground and leaves the rear tires on the ground

Can your car be towed?
Certain makes and models of cars are designed to be towed and some are not. If your's is in the "not" category, then you need additional equipment installed first. Your car's owner's manual should have a section about towing if it is designed to be towed. There is also a list of vehicles in the 2011 Dinghy Towing Guide (PDF). Finally, check your RV's towing capacity. My RV can tow up to 5000 lbs.

What Equipment Do I Have?
My tow vehicle is a 2004 Honda CRV and the equipment I use is:

Is it expensive?
Configurations vary, but plan on spending around $2000 to $3000 to get a quality towing setup (car not included...of course).

Does towing affect my gas mileage?
Yes. I drop about a mile or two in MPG when towing versus not towing.

Good luck! Once you're setup to tow your car, you won't want to leave home without it. Enjoy.

Where Have I Been?

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 20:16:00 +0000

Some of you may have been wondering "Where's Tito?"

Yes, I've been a bit complacent with my blog updates. I'd love to say that I've been on a whirlwind tour of the country in my RV, but that would just be wishful thinking. The truth is that I've been super consumed by my paying job lately. As so many are unemployed these days, I can feel fortunate that my industry (the software industry) has survived. When I add the holiday shuffle to the mix, I have even less personal time to share helpful RV tips and insights.

Some of you retired folks are probably saying "been there...done that". Unfortunately, I'm not retired and have not even considered thought of being retired. Someday perhaps. Until then I'll continue to fit RV travel into my working life when I can.

For now enjoy this chart. Where do you see yourself?

I think the guy in the RV is a little old to represent me personally...but he sure looks happy!

Wherever you may be spending your holiday this year, I hope it's an awesome one!

Photo Friday - Balloon Rally

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Story
For many years we've taken the RV to Richland, WA in September for a weekend of wine tasting with friends. One year, we decided to wake up early and drive an hour to nearby Prosser, WA where they have the annual Prosser Balloon Rally. None of us had ever been to a balloon rally before so we were all excited. Then the organizer in our group said "we've got to get up at 5AM in order get there before sunrise." Uuhh what?

Getting up at 5AM on Saturday morning, was the hardest part. We all rallied though, got some coffee, and made it to a small airport in Prosser by 6AM. It was still dark...and cold. We parked, and followed the rest of the folks to this open field. Pretty soon, trucks and trailers started showing up to unload their balloons.

It was really cool to talk to the pilots as they set up their balloons. They were very willing to chit chat with you as they got setup. As the sun started to rise, we found ourselves surrounded by all the vibrant balloon colors. Then one-by-one, they started rising up into the air and floated away.

It was worth the early wake up. The balloon rally was a pretty cool experience and costs nothing. You just show up. There are balloon rallies all over the country. Take your RV out and check one out.

See more balloon rally pictures from this memorable morning.

Happy RVing!

Daylight saving and RV neglect

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 05:13:00 +0000

Happy day light saving!! Well actually I think daylight savings is stupid. What's the point? But at least today the sun was shining and we got to enjoy an extra hour of it. Now...what to do?

Took the RV out

As I lay in bed this morning feeling guilty for leaving my RV all bundled up for weeks and weeks, it occurred to me "I should take the RV out today." It was still in the upper 30s this morning, but the sun was shining. Who knows when that will happen again.

I removed the cover, unplugged it's 50amp umbilical chord and climbed in to start it up. I turned the key and all I got was a slow "raar...raar...raar." As it turns out...my chassis battery had written me off. So I flicked on the emergency start switch to jump it from the house batteries and "vrooom!" she started right up. Mental note....put the battery charger on it later.

Where would I go?

Well, where do all RVs go? You guessed it...I went to the closest Walmart for supplies, but not before topping off my gas tank and my propane.

I think my RV felt at home there in the parking lot waiting for me to return. I wandered around the store and picked up a new mat for my automatic step. My existing mat has been in need of replacement for about say....two years now.

Settle in for winter

When I got home, I covered her back up and got her prepared for some cold weather. Freezing temps will, no doubt, be here before long. So out came the space heaters to keep things above freezing.

It felt great to get the tires and brakes warmed up again. I never like to let the RV sit for very long. It's not great for your RV, and secondly....Id rather go RVing instead of work work work! Unfortunately, we've been pretty busy in the last few months and it's been difficult to get out. And now winter is quickly approaching.

Now that I got this post done, I'm going to get in my jammies, grab a beer and watch Braveheart. For some reason, I've been wanting to watch that movie all day. "FRRREEEDOM!!"

I hope you enjoyed your extra hour today!

Photo Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Tito) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Every photo has a story. So I thought that I would share a trip photo (past or present) with you each Friday and, of course, include the back story.

Landscape Arch - Arches National Park

Story
A couple of years ago, we visited Arches National Park in Moab, Utah. We had spent the entire day looking at arches of all shapes and sizes and were having a pretty good time. Normally in mid July, it was super hot. However we got lucky with a little cloud cover so it was only in the mid 90s that day.

Arches Tip: Bring lots of water and food because there's nowhere to buy stuff once in the park.

If we could visit one arch, for me it would be Landscape Arch. For one thing, it was really cool and really big. But, of all the arches, it was also the one most likely to fall down at any time. Big chunks of this arch have been falling off over the years leaving one section at only 6ft thick. So who's to say how long it would be around for us to admire.

After hiking in about a mile, there it was. So here I am posing in front of the Landscape Arch doing my part to keep it from falling down. I know I look like I'm either about to pass a kidney stone or explode. But don't be fooled, the arch is actually gigantic and super far away. I hope to visit it again soon and, hopefully, it's still standing.