Category: Technology & Camping
Patti’s Saga of a Former RV Rookie :Give a Mother’s Day gift she’ll really like: an iPad docking station.
May 2, 2012 by Patti F. · 4 Comments
You know those moments: “Oh…how nice,” her glazed eyes shifting from side to side because she loves you and loves your gift efforts, but still…really…what were you thinking? If some of your gifts haven’t been hits and your wife/mom/mom-in-law has an iPhone, iPod, or iPad (known from here on as “iGadgets”), the iHome Docking Station iD9 may redeem you for any past busts. My sweetheart, Renato, completely surprised me with an iHome Docking Station iD9 for my birthday this past April, and it’s changed my life. OK, it’s probably more accurate just to say I love it …and I do. If the women in your life (or you) have any iGadgets, a docking station will change the way they use them, especially the iPads with their stinky volume. The only complaint I have about my iPad2 is the never-quite-high-enough-to-hear-the-actors-on-the-movies weak volume. However, the iHome rechargeable speaker system has more than taken care of that. Now, I can watch a movie or listen to a podcast... [Read more...]
J2807 IS HERE
April 27, 2012 by Professor95 · 1 Comment
Twelve of us were sitting around a campfire. All guys – the girls were at another camper doing whatever girls do when they get together. Now, guys on the other hand KNOW what they are going to talk about when they get together around a campfire – it is either football or trucks. Yea, TRUCKS – the ones we use to pull our campers up and down the highways, especially the oil burners that often grow an extra set of wheels and hips on the side of the truck bed. We are all friends – at least I think we still are. Things are said that can sort of tick one or more of the guys off, but nobody gets really mad and upset enough to get nasty or go away mad. Ribbing another guy about his truck can get someone really riled up, but not as much as making fun of his dog. Doug looks over at Mike who recently bought a Dodge diesel and says, “Why did you spend all that money on a puny RAM that won’t pull a greased string out of a mud puddle?” Mike looks back at Doug with a smile on his... [Read more...]
Woodall’s Campground Data Now On Board Rand McNally RV GPS Devices!
April 10, 2012 by Guest Blogger · 2 Comments
Just in time for the spring RVing season, Rand McNally has added the Woodall’s campground directory into its top-selling TripMaker® RVND™ GPS devices. Woodall’s, part of the Good Sam family of RV clubs, community and publications, is North America’s leading source of campground information for RVers and campers. With the addition of thousands of Woodall’s reviewed campgrounds and amenities, the TripMaker® RVND™ devices now feature more than 250,000 RV-focused locations, such as campgrounds and RV service centers, as well as millions of additional general points of interest. “A year ago, Rand McNally introduced the first GPS device developed specifically for RVers and campers, and the response has been exceptionally strong,” said Dave Muscatel, CEO of Rand McNally. “The addition of the Woodall’s information provides RVers with a leading source of vetted campground data that no one else provides in a GPS device.” Two weeks ago at The Rally in Phoenix, Rand McNally... [Read more...]
Postcards From The Road – The Black and Decker Powermate 400
March 31, 2012 by Traveler8343 · Leave a Comment
The Black and Decker Powermate 400 AC/DC Portable Power Station/Jump-Starter/Compressor - Purchasing this multi-use device was a brilliant decision on my part, if I do say so myself. Just having it sitting in my storage area, fully charged and ready to go, gives me a peace of mind that a set of jumper cables can’t match. It can start my car if my battery is weak or dead and doesn’t require a good samaritan or AAA tow truck. Its multi-stage internal charger keeps it fully charged by leaving it plugged into an AC outlet overnight. But that’s not all its good for: It’s like a multi-function swiss army knife. During our recent RV trip, it allowed me to: 1- Check the air pressure in my tow vehicle and trailer tires and top them off as needed. 2- Via one of its 2 12-volt receptacles, it ran my 12-volt air pump to firm up our Coleman air mattress. 3- And our 12-volt portable fan inside and outside of the trailer. 4- It has a built in system to check on the health... [Read more...]
IS YOUR HEAD IN THE CLOUDS?
March 24, 2012 by Professor95 · 3 Comments
I slept in this morning. The past two days had been rough on my aging body while fixing a problem with an ABS brake sensor on the Volvo HDT and replacing the blown A/C compressor on the GMC pickup. I was successful with both projects but they left me with sore muscles, painful hands and stiff joints that needed time to recover. Anyway, as I was sitting in the kitchen eating my Pop Tarts and drinking my morning coffee, the fourth hour of NBC’s Today show was on the TV. It really caught my attention when I noticed that Kellie Pickler was the cohost with Hoda. Now, if you don’t know who Kellie Pickler is you might as well quit reading. But, just in case you are interested, Kellie is a popular Country Music singer and former “American Idol” contestant. She is an extremely talented young woman that is apparently pretty doggone smart as well. OK – I’m getting a little off track so let me get back to my rant. Hoda and Kellie were introducing a segment on what may... [Read more...]
WINEGARD Carryout Automatic Satellite Review
March 12, 2012 by Guest Blogger · 3 Comments
In case you didn’t already know, Winegard Satellites is making big moves this year. What kind of moves you ask? Well…big ones! I mean it seems like I can’t go anywhere this year without seeing a noticeable difference in the amount of Winegard Satellite promotions being displayed throughout RV-related stores. And considering Winegard may just be the (arguably) best option for a RV owner when it comes to finding a mobile TV solution, this is good news for us die-hard travelers. This increase in promotions can mean only one thing…some of the engineering gurus with the company have been busy conjuring up new ideas to and ways to make the lives of all of us RVers easier, at least when it comes to RV satellite options. Winegard prides itself on delivering high quality, user-friendly products which make tailgating, camping, or recreational TV entertainment fast and easy. They feature top of the line antennas like the Winegard Trav’ler series (the ONLY antennas capable viewing all... [Read more...]
Earn Money #5–An Update and Wrap Up
March 4, 2012 by Diane Berry · Leave a Comment
This post is a follow up on my theme of creative ideas for earning money from your RV, whether you are a full-timer looking for a little extra income or just someone who loves to travel and needs to have a job you can do while engaging in your passion. We have already discussed the replacement of the 21 copies of Romancing the Web with the defective cover that arrived in two days in perfect condition. Since that time, I have sold two copies on the Amazon website and see this project as pretty much completed, other than my continued efforts at marketing. I submitted the book to parapublishing’s “reviews wanted” column and two persons volunteered to review the book. As of this writing, one of the reviews has posted on www.amazon.com and the other is in the works. I see this as a win-win project: individuals volunteer to review books on subjects that interest them (both persons were interested and participating in online dating, one is in her 50’s and one in her 60’s, so the book... [Read more...]
Tailgater–RV TV made Easy
February 21, 2012 by Guest Blogger · 1 Comment
So I like to go RV-ing. Don’t we all? Even more, when I’m trying to get cozy after a long day out on the open road in my RV, one of my favorite things to do is watch a good movie with the family. There is nothing quite better than kicking your feet up, turning on the TV in your RV’s living area and enjoying a great flick before hitting the hay. Perhaps the greatest drawback to enjoying such an experience–it’s not exactly inexpensive to set up a quality entertainment center in your RV. And if you’re like me, one of the things which driven me nuts when it comes to the RV lifestyle is how expensive RV satellites are. With that said, if you’re like me then you like to do everything you can to save a buck or two. Even more, I would have never guessed I would actually be able to cut costs when it comes to RV satellites. I recently had the opportunity to attend the National RV Show in Louisville. As I was walking through the vendors’ area, I happened to stumble upon a booth... [Read more...]
BIG WHEELS KEEP ON ROLLING -Friends, Family and Funerals
February 18, 2012 by Professor95 · 2 Comments
After a long and difficult illness, Nancy’s Mom died peacefully Sunday night. While it is always sad to lose a loved one, especially a parent, it is also a relief to know her human suffering was over. Born in 1920, she would have been 92 next week. We had been planning on joining a group of our friends in Florida on the Gulf Coast beginning March 1st for a couple of weeks – then suddenly, plans changed. The funeral was to take place in Bryant, Arkansas, some 1,200 miles away, on Saturday. We could fly, drive a four-wheeler or take the RV. We decided to take the RV to Arkansas and then to slowly work our way down to Florida after the Funeral. We found ourselves in a real frenzy preparing for a memorial service in our hometown on Wednesday and de-winterizing the RV for the trip. Somehow, we got it all together and pulled out Thursday morning a little before 5 a.m. It was raining. As most of you know, it is no fun driving in the rain – especially with a big RV. It rained... [Read more...]
Earn Money From Your RV–Teach College!
February 15, 2012 by Diane Berry · 1 Comment
There have been a number of articles posted in recent months on various ways to earn money by working from your RV. My esteemed colleague, Patti, has written several posts on this topic and shared specific details about tutoring students right from her RV. I submitted a post later last year about writing books from your RV and publishing them via Amazon.com’s Create Space division. I want to share another money-making tip today—teaching online college classes right from the comfort of your trailer or camper. There are a number of colleges and universities that offer online classes. If you have any type of connection with a brick and mortar school, you may be able to teach an online class or two for them, giving you the opportunity to travel year round. If you do not currently have such a connection, I would encourage you to explore the numerous schools offering primarily online courses. A few of the most popular include: Capella, Phoenix, Kaplan and Keller, but there are a number of... [Read more...]
