Category: Technology & Camping
Beam Me Up…Anyone!
October 23, 2012 by Vickie Medley · Leave a Comment
I recently wrote about Man Camps, the changing landscape of the RV world. RVers now share RV parks with the crews of oil well drilling, natural gas drilling and construction of new buildings. These crews consist mainly of men. Hence, the name Man Camps. We also share our parks with people in transition and a younger generation who now work from their RVs while traveling. I heard back from a reader who said that she hoped the RV parks that were now at 100% capacity would use that extra profit to improve their parks. That got me to thinking of a wish list. One particular area we’d like to see improved is the ability to stay connected to the outside world. We have experienced our share of faulty Wi-Fi connections. Some parks are fine and some just don’t have any connections at all. And, heaven forbid that someone in the park is downloading movies. Then, most times, you’re dead in the water. It’s imperative to us to be connected to the Internet since we run a business... [Read more...]
Bits and Pieces – On the Road Again
October 15, 2012 by Professor95 · 2 Comments
While I love to write, our recent adventures have left little time for sitting down at the computer and keying up a blog. I have more ideas than hair on my head (BTW – I am not bald) but by the time the opportunity to write gets here I am too doggone tired from all of the day’s exciting activities and end up going to bed! Just to give readers an idea of what is going on, we left the zip code address in Virginia right after Labor Day. Since then we have traversed across North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and into Kansas. Our plans are to leave our current spot in Hutchinson and head south to Branson, MO, for a few days taking in many of the shows, exhibits, tours and having some just plain old fun. From there we may swing north again to Elkhart, IN, to see Amish Country and the birthplace of our RV. Since we are expected in North Myrtle Beach, SC, by November 1st for a two week stay with friends in our Cedar Creek RV Owners... [Read more...]
GECKO LIZARDS INVADE VIRGINIA’S REST STOPS
September 25, 2012 by Professor95 · Leave a Comment
See how well you do on this quick quiz: Which iconic company character is the most recognizable by our US population? a. The Geico Gecko Lizard b. Progressive’s white-suit clad “Flo” c. The Aflac Insurance Duck If you guessed the Geico Gecko Lizard, you are correct! The little green walking, talking, Australian accent speaking Lizard is the most recognizable icon used in television advertising today. The result is, as expected, an advertising boon to the parent insurance company that is often copied by other companies wanting to get your business. Well, in Virginia, the Geico Gecko is about to get a lot more recognizable as his image appears on signs erected along the highway by the Virginia Department of Transportation as Geico forks over some badly needed infrastructure dollars to pay for what will be known as “Safe Phone Zones” at Virginia’s Welcome Center Interstate rest stops. This first ever (for Virginia) venture using a large company like Geico to help offset the cost... [Read more...]
Newmar Makes Motorhome Driving Easier with Comfort Drive
September 16, 2012 by Rex Vogel · 2 Comments
Five years ago, Nappanee, Indiana-based Newmar Corp created the ultimate combination of advanced technology and intelligent design. The Newmar Comfort Drive Steering System is one of the most significant innovations in motorcoach drivability ever… and it’s another innovative feature that defines the Newmar difference. Comfort Drive Steering is an intelligent steering system that decreases driver fatigue often associated with operating a typical diesel pusher over long distances. It also aids a driver to maintain a straight path by compensating for cross-winds and crowns in the road. Comfort Drive creates a positive on-center feel which reduces parking efforts and improves reversibility when backing up a motorhome. Newmar first introduced the Comfort Drive Steering System on its 2007 Luxury products. With Comfort Drive, you’ll exert less effort turning the wheel when you drive, back up, and turn. This advanced technology responds to your steering—then makes your driving... [Read more...]
CAMPING WITH A CPAP
August 19, 2012 by Professor95 · 6 Comments
CPAP is an acronym for “Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. It is a mode of respiratory ventilation commonly used in the treatment of sleep apnea. Ten years ago, very few individuals owned or used CPAP machines at home. Now, the numbers of people using CPAP have risen quickly as sleep study technicians and doctors are prescribing them to their patients. It all started for me last winter. I would awaken in the morning feeling as if I had never been to bed. I was tired and took frequent daytime naps. My wife, and bed partner, noticed one night that I appeared to stop breathing (she was still awake – reading a book). It really scared her because she thought I had a heart attack and was dead. Fortunately, I was not dead – I apparently had an episode of sleep apnea. I made an appointment with my primary care physician to see about my chronic fatigue. After he did the customary exam, he told me that he would set up an appointment for a sleep study. How can anyone sleep... [Read more...]
Are You a Mobile Reader?
August 19, 2012 by Melissa A. Trainer · 1 Comment
Consider the convenience of mobile readers when camping! I know. I know. On a site geared to camping, I should be talking about hiking to the highest peak or racing down a river in a kayak. However, truth be told, there are many days when I simply like to read on the beach or around the campfire! I love to read and when we are camping, I like to steal a few minutes to just catch up on books and magazines. In fact, I have a cubby in my travel trailer where I keep a collection of magazines and books that come in quite handy for this type of reading. I do some of my best thinking on camping trips! However, now that I have an iPad, I can read many things in many places. Of course, if we don’t have internet access, my reading can be impacted. However, I often download magazines and books onto my iPad before I leave home. Hence, if I want to read one of my favorite magazines, such as Donna Hay or BBC GoodFood, it’s at the ready for me regardless of where I happen to be. When... [Read more...]
Hitting the Road With Microsoft Streets & Trips
July 13, 2012 by Guest Blogger · 1 Comment
A summer road trip is about a lot more than “just getting there.” You can get the most out of your travels by using Microsoft Streets & Trips. One of the things I like best about Streets & Trips is it helps you plan just about every aspect of your trip—directions, multiple stops, fuel costs, start and stop times and more. It’s easy to use and easy to customize, so if your plans change you can update your itinerary at the drop of a hat—no Internet connection needed. Use Streets & Trips to generate maps and directions throughout North America and find interesting stops along the way. Plan your travel by start and stop times, driving speeds or road types to avoid highways or choose a more scenic route. Personalize your maps with notes about planned stops, reservation details, phone numbers and more. Plus, you can share your travel plans with your Garmin device or use Streets & Trips with GPS Locator for on-the-go spoken directions and automatic rerouting. Streest... [Read more...]
WHATS A TOAD? – A RV Newbie’s Vocablulary List
July 8, 2012 by Professor95 · 3 Comments
I couldn’t help but laugh at Dalin Brinkman’s July 5th blog sharing his dismay over the vocabulary folks new to RVs encounter. Later in the day, I began to think more seriously about Dalin’s dilemma. The part of me that is still a teacher kicked into high gear. I remember all too well how overwhelmed my beginning students were when they were exposed to an entirely new vocabulary during my first few lectures. I decided to try and do something that just might give those still wet behind the ears with RV lingo a leg up on understanding – so I did what I would do with my students and whipped up a vocabulary list with simplified definitions intended to help them get started. Please, for those readers that are veteran RVers and accomplished linguist in the field, keep in mind that this is my seat-of-the-pants first time attempt to provide such a listing on this blog site. If you have an obscure term or RV related abbreviation you want to add, please feel free to use the comments section. ... [Read more...]
More Campers Stay Connected
July 3, 2012 by Rex Vogel · 1 Comment
Tablets, smartphones, and other devices are becoming popular at campgrounds across the U.S. Scanning smartphones, tablets, and laptops is as much a part of vacations as slathering on sunscreen, according to a Michigan State University study. The results, which will appear in the forthcoming issue of Annals of Tourism Research, show that easy online access and ubiquitous personal devices have made the digital divide disappear, even for folks on holiday, according to a news release. “Not that long ago, travelers would need to find a payphone or send postcards to brag about their vacations. Now they just log on and send photos and text,” said Christine Vogt, MSU professor of community agriculture, recreation and resource studies, who co-authored the study with Kelly MacKay of Ryerson University (Canada). “Our results show clearly how the changing nature of IT behavior in everyday life is spilling over into our vacations.” The study showed that people using smart phones have tripled. The... [Read more...]
Hey Dad…You Gotta See These RVs
June 14, 2012 by Rex Vogel · Leave a Comment
There’s never been a better time to take up the RV life. Whether you’re a weekend warrior, a snowbird, or an RV full-timer, there’s an RV to suit any travel budget and taste. The Wothahellizat, a go-anywhere luxury 6X6 motorhome. (Source: gizmag.com) The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) recently reported that nearly 8 million American households have an RV—Class A motorhome, Class C motorhome, diesel pusher, travel trailer, fifth wheel trailer, toy hauler, teardrop trailer, pop-up trailer, tent trailer, vintage trailer, truck camper, camper van, or bus conversion—and that there are as many as 30 million RV enthusiasts in the U.S. For assistance in your search for that perfect recreational vehicle for your family, here are five off-the-wall RVs to whet your appetite. Wothahellizat This off-road, knows-no-bounds, go anywhere, 6X6 luxury turbo diesel AWD motorhome with bite! The Wothahellizat is a vehicle that’s part condo and part off-roader with no compromises. Built... [Read more...]
