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RE: Extreme cold warning MT, MN, ND, WI
Is it cold up here? Yep , perfectly normal . A little cold weather is not something to fret about . As long as we have electric and our furance running . If I remember right ,Pawatt had a little cold snap last year and his park lost power for three days . It's a good time to catch up on the inside projects up here . Painted a room in the house today in perfectly 71 degrees windless temps. . It is like the old saying "Mind over matter, if you don't mind it doesn't matter". Life is Good.
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DaSu
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01/18/12 07:18pm |
Snowbirds
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RE: Yet Another Black Hills, SD Question
IMHO, There's a whole lot more for the kids to do at Bar Rafter J than there is to do at Custer. They have the buffalo roundup in September at Custer which is very interesting. Also, Rafter J is closer to all the other "stuff" there is to do in the area...1800s train ride, Bear Canyon, Mt. Rushmore etc....DennisTotally agree with this opinion. Life is Good.
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DaSu
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01/18/12 07:25am |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: Yet Another Black Hills, SD Question
My family and I are planning a trip this year to the Black Hills. I have gone through this forum and researched all I could regarding the various posts and questions about the area (and there were a lot of them). One question that I didn't see asked is whether there are any campgrounds that have a better chance for seeing wildlife. My wife and kids mentioned they think it would be neat if some bison could be seen from the campground. I don't know if that happens a lot or not but I thought I'd post something and see what everyone says. Thanks in advance!Okay , I can't help but say this . Stay at one of the CG's around Spearfish or Sturgis during the big motorcyle rally , you'll see all the "wildlife " you would ever want . Kidding aside , we had a wonderful trip out there a few years ago in our fiver and did not experience much wildlife at any parks . I think the idea of the Black Hills are the Monuments and tourist attraction. Custer Park ,as stated above, does give the best display of Buffalo if you hit it at the right time . Good Luck and enjoy . It is a nice trip . Life is Good.
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DaSu
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01/17/12 02:52pm |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: Where did it go
Everyone wants to be a hero . Some ,take others answers and repete the same thought using different words . ( I may have just done that!) . I look at this forum for information with a grain of salt . You are so right how things can get so far away from the OP question.I think it has always been like that in a open discussion forum of any type. I try to state my honest opinion and relate my version ,to what the OPosters topic was .Like a lot of things in life , take what you can use , and leave the rest behind . Life is Good.
When I have no clue about the topic of my question (like welding) I tend to look for the answers from multiple people that are the same. For example if six people say do X and one person says do Y, then I make the assumption that X may be the best way. Of course there is always the exception to the rule, but generally on here it works.That works for me also. Life is Good
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DaSu
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01/17/12 02:35pm |
Around the Campfire
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RE: Where did it go
Everyone wants to be a hero . Some ,take others answers and repete the same thought using different words . ( I may have just done that!) . I look at this forum for information with a grain of salt . You are so right how things can get so far away from the OP question.I think it has always been like that in a open discussion forum of any type. I try to state my honest opinion and relate my version ,to what the OPosters topic was .Like a lot of things in life , take what you can use , and leave the rest behind . Life is Good.
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DaSu
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01/17/12 06:13am |
Around the Campfire
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RE: Number of Winter Texans at Valley RV parks drops
restlesswind said :" We signed up for the season , so we are committed to stay until April 1st" Rings a bell for when we were in the RGV.
I really doubt there is a true legal commitment other then price/month. If they leave early they may have to pay the higher monthly rate prior to departure (i.e. 3 month rate vs 5 month)for the time they stayed there. That might cost them $300-$500 more overall.
Makes very little sense to me to spend money staying at a place a person doesn't enjoy just to get the cheapest rate. Nice thing about RV's is they have wheels and you can go and find the place that fits your needs better. Life is short, why sit around in a park/area that you don't enjoy. Better to bite the bullet and spend the money in search of a better fit if snowbirding is truely your desire.When you sign a contract one year ahead of time and pay for the entire duration of the contract , it is illegal to back out on a legal contract without losing your money. We decided to stay and kept trying to find all the rainbows and sunshine and gave it our best to see what all the hipe was about . I guess if your life is built around Happy Hours , Cheap meals,and neighbors 15 feet away, the RVG is a good place to start snowbirding . If that makes your retirement dollars make you feel like your in a better place in life , go for it . Sometimes, as we found, you do not need to live in a recreational vechicle for 6 months to know that your home is where your heart is. A lot of Baby Boomer retirees have different ideas of travel for snowbirding then the "traditional" way previous generations have done it . The Baby Boomers ( not all) have made them selves year round homes, here up north, that provide them everything they need for winter comfort . They can enjoy being close to Family ,Friends and community all winter , but still take more modern forms of travel to enjoy winter get aways if so desired. This may explain the lower numbers along with a sinking economy.
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DaSu
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01/16/12 08:06am |
Snowbirds
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RE: Number of Winter Texans at Valley RV parks drops
restlesswind said :" We signed up for the season , so we are committed to stay until April 1st" Rings a bell for when we were in the RGV.
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DaSu
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01/15/12 08:30pm |
Snowbirds
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RE: Come on down, lots of room.
Snowbird traffic has been dropping off for years, starting well before the economic downturn. This just continues the same trend. Given that RV sales did not dip at the same rate that snowbird activity has, it seems that the "younger" generation simply may not be that interested in the same activity that interested an "older" generation.
:)
Lynn"BINGO!!!!!!!"
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DaSu
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01/07/12 06:55pm |
Snowbirds
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RE: installing a second valve in the sewer hose
I like the permanent install vs twist on style.
With an extra valve installed in drain line close to end of pipe there are no 'surprises' when removing cap due to a drain valve leaking thru and filling drain line up. Even if the new valve should leak thru very little would accumulate at cap vs removing cap with a full line.
Plus you have to put twist on each time, take off, clean it up and store it.
Installing one permanently takes two flanges, cut line with hack saw, Install flanges on valve body with 4 bolts and then glue in place with ABS Glue. Install another brace on line using 'plumbers tape' if necessary. My valve has been on for over 4 yrs. No problems/issues.
I use it to prevent surprises when removing cap, tying the two grey tanks together and after dumping black tank I leave black tank valve open...close the extra valve then open grey tank valves to back flush into black tank. Or I can tie all three tanks....two tanks...together to increase holding capacity when needed.
I don't understand concerns over tying black/grey tanks together......both are 'waste' tanks and after draining both tanks can be flushed/rinsed.This is the best advice I learned in my early years of RVing . By having the extra valve closed and "back flushing" the black water tank using the grey water is just a incrediable way of removing sludge that was not flushed out from a normal draning procedure . I also open and close the outer valve while draining and this surges the grey water back into the black water tank to break loose more sludge . A bit of an over kill maybe in some eyes , but it works great for me . I also use just the twist on outer valve and use a small screw to hold it . Just in case I need to remove it . Another feature is to have a clear elbow connected to the end of your drain hose that connects to this outer valve . Not a pretty site , but I know excactly what is coming out of the tank . To make this process even more complete , I close my black water tank valve , and run a bit more water into the black water tank( through the toilet) while hooked up to CG water . Then I go out and drain the black water tank one more time . You would be surprised what still comes out of that tank . Like I said , overkill for some , but it works great for me and never had a problem since using this method. Life is Good.
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DaSu
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12/30/11 09:51pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: What's so special about Texas winds??
When the wind is from the east................they bite the least
When the wind is from the north...............STAY HOME
When the wind is from the south,..............they bite with their mouth
When the wind is from the west................they bite the best
Thank God for the wind.................and the fish,.And now let's mention how the recent cold fronts have effected your fishing!Are you wearing long johns yet?:B
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DaSu
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12/26/11 11:55am |
Snowbirds
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RE: Thetford black tank dump slide valve leaking. Update.
John , Have you tried "back flushing " the black water tank?
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DaSu
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12/22/11 08:13pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Are You Better Off?
I retired 5 years ago the end of this month. My wife worked another 14 months so that she would qualify for her pension. Thankfully we both worked for an employer with a pension. I think the key for us was that we intended to be retired with no mortgage, no vehicle payments, and no credit card debt. We were successful in respect to that. About 16 years before retiring I took it upon myself to educate myself about investing (mutual funds & stocks) as I wasn't about to let some "investor" handle my life's earnings. We love retirement.
1. Misconception 1: You will have less stress in retirement. Stress comes in a variety of ways. We are both exercise nuts (wife does aerobics/walks & I am a daily speed walker-about 45 minutes/day) and I believe it's the best way to deal with life's usual stresses.
2. Misconception 2: Travel and hobbies will fill your days. I don't think travel & hobbies make up a large percentage of our days. We definitely try to travel as much as we can and spent 52 nights in our camper this past year. Yard work is like a hobby to us, but keeping up our home (house work-cooking-shopping-etc.) probably makes up a majority of our time.
3. Misconception 3: You will take better care of yourself. We definitely take better care of ourselves in retirement. As mentioned, we exercise daily, but we don't over do it (I'm 62 and wife is 60). We eat better than when working as we don't eat on the run (fast food) anymore. In fact, we only eat breakfast and dinner, no more lunch. Knock on wood, we're both pretty healthy people and get physicals yearly.
4. Misconception 4: Your health will hold up. I certainly don't expect to live forever, but I plan to take care of myself. We DO NOT sit around all day watching TV. My father died at age 49, my sister at 43, and my mother at 70. I plan to outlive them, but "stuff" happens. You never know.
5. Misconcption 5: You can maintain your current standard of living. We didn't go into retirement expecting to maintain our former standard of living. We sold our home back in '07, moved closer to friends & relative and bought a smaller home. With no mortgage or vehicle payments we reduced our financial debt. We work hard at keeping it that way. I tracked our spending habits for a couple of years before retiring (monthly bills, etc.) and, based upon our expected pensions, felt we could live within our means. To be honest, we haven't saved like I expected and, as a result, things are a bit tighter than I would like.
6. Misconception 6: You'll improve your relationship with family members. We actually moved closer to our 2 kids. They aren't married yet so we don't have grandkids. We are closer to my wife's family, but they're still about 50-75 miles away. Our best friends are much closer than our previous residence. We're satisfied with our family relationships. Plus, my wife and I have adjusted well to being together most of the day. We allow each other space and separate hobbies. This is fun!
7. Retirement is a choice. We are very thankful that we were able to plan for our retirement without health, financial, or career issues. I worked for the same place for 33 years and my wife for 30 years. Job stability is extremely important for retirement planning in my opinion. Taking control of your own financial future is also extremely important. Read, study, and plan like your life depended upon it.
PS: I'm eligible to collect SS at the end of this month, but plan to wait 1-2 years so that my wife will have a few more monthly dollars if and when I pass. I may tap it next year at this time, but I'll decide that later in 2012.I haven't read all the post , but I sure can associate with yours . Except for controlling our investment on our own . We have about 1/3rd in investments and the rest in secure tools . We took our SS at age 62 and have never regretted it once. Yes , very much like you , everything was new and free and clear upon retirement at age 60 . Our lives shadow what you explained about yours ( except for me and the exercise) . It's a good life . We don't have the kind of money we had when we were working , but what we have otherwise than money is much more valuable . Life is Good.
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DaSu
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12/21/11 07:20am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Propane selector
These two last post cover it pretty darn good . The big problem I always have is remembering just what is going on here . Which one is empty , which did I refill , and where am I now in this whole process . Many times I have to physically lift a tank to figure out if it has gas or not . Now , if your camping for a long time or snowbirding one will catch on because you are using "the system" all the time. But for me , when I don't use "the system" that often I seem to forget just where I'm at in the process.So what I do , and this is just what works for me , I use only one tank "on " at a time , unless I'm cold camping and do not want to run out during the night while using the furnace. Life is Good.
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DaSu
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12/18/11 11:01am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Winter Texan
LOL I suspect life is good went to a chinese or japanese rest.:B
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DaSu
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12/18/11 05:51am |
Snowbirds
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RE: electrical cord storage
I agree with Mitch . I carry an extra 30amp. extension and it takes all the problem out of putting the rigs cord back into the storage area . It also comes in handy on some camp sites . Then again , it creates a new problem of storage for this extra cord which is still being worked on :).Life is Good
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DaSu
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12/17/11 09:26pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Propane selector
I would also agree that you most likely do . I would grab your owners manual and carefully read the instructions on how to operate this type of regulator . If you don't have the instructions , goggle for them . Life is Good .
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DaSu
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12/17/11 09:16pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Looking for good used 5th wheel
What ever you decide to buy , just make sure you check it over with a fine tooth comb . The market ,in my opinion, on used rigs is going to become flooded soon . Check everything over from top to bottom and be fussy . Don't know about a fiver being built better than a park model . I think that just depends upon brand . The one thing nice about a fiver ,in your situation ,is that if you decide to pullup stakes , it would be easier to move. Life is Good
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DaSu
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12/17/11 09:11pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Water heater fires up then stops within 5-7 seconds....
I had a similiar problem with a water heater on a small pup fiver HW heater . It turned out to be that somehow the temperature regulater switch got pushed down to almost a no heat position . Don't know of yours has one of these , but it's worth a check. Life is Good .
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DaSu
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12/17/11 08:57pm |
Tech Issues
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RE: Our movie collection getting repetitious!
If your snow birding close to the border by Progresso Mexico , go across the border and you can buy some pretty new movies ( some may even still be in the theaters ) for about $5 a piece . We had pretty good luck with that . Find one guy , buy one movie and see if it works for you . We had trouble with one movie we bought so we went back and found the same guy and he made it right for us.Just another possibility .Life is Good
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DaSu
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12/17/11 08:31am |
Snowbirds
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RE: Time for a new one; suggestions?
Just a suggestion , but I would include newer USED models in your search . In todays economy I cannot help but believe there are some pretty nice units out there that have been tenderly used , with the depreciation reflected in it's price.Just make sure , if you were to go this way to check the rig over with a fine tooth comb.When looking at rigs I suggest you sit in it and visually place yourself in every conceivable cooking task , socializing situation,and finally your enjoyment of living in the rig for 2 days or 6 months.No one can tell you what to get . Quality rigs have good reputations and the name brands can be brought up by others.
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DaSu
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12/14/11 08:43pm |
Fifth-Wheels
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