Christmas is just a few days away. Will you be traveling via RV to see family and friends.
The RV makes a great spare bedroom, making the holiday less stressful for your host when you show up with your own accommodations. Plus, it gives you somewhere to retreat when you have had enough of certain relatives, if you know what I mean! You can just excuse yourself to go check on the dog, check the heat, etc.
Now for the down side. RVing during the winter can present its share of challenges too.
My wife and I were caught RVing during a snow flurry we hadn’t expected. It was one of those situations where cold air rapidly moved in and changed the rain to snow. While the air temperature was below freezing the ground temperature was still warm enough to melt the falling snow. The problem was, the melted snow from the road was kicked up onto the travel trailer where it promptly froze in the frigid air forming sheets of ice over important exterior parts of the RV. Setting up camp for the evening and leveling the RV is a little interesting when your level and the exterior light you use for hooking up are a blob of ice. It even gets more interesting when you go to dump the tanks finding the termination outlet for the holding tanks is also a blob of ice. When dumping the holding tanks in freezing weather you will also want to be careful around the dump station. If the last RVer decided to hose down the area around the dump when they were finished, you may find a slippery surprise waiting for you. Oh, one more thing to remember. It is really hard to coil up and store your 25ft fresh water hose when it is stretched out to its full length and frozen solid! You can always strap it to the roof until it thaws! To avoid your own frozen adventure in RVing, think ahead and remember what normally is a simple task can become a real difficulty in freezing temperatures. Remember the boy scout motto, “Be Prepared”!
Be safe out there, have a very Merry Christmas and remember, Jesus is the reason for the season!
Are we level yet?
I can always dump the tanks in the spring!
Not much light gets through dirty ice!
Dave Helgeson’s many roles in the RV industry started before he even had a driver’s license. His grandparents and father owned an RV dealership before the term “RV” had been coined, and Dave played a pivotal role in nearly every position of an RV dealership. He and his wife Cheri launched their own RV dealership in the Pacific Northwest. The duo also spent 29 years overseeing regional RV shows. Dave has also served as President of a local chapter of the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), worked on the board of advisors for the RV Technician Program of a local technical college, and served as a board member of the Manufactured Home and RV Association. Dave’s reputation earned him the title of “The foremost expert on boondocking,” bestowed by RV industry icon, the late Gary Bunzer (The RV Doctor). When he’s not out boondocking, you’ll find Dave in the spotlight at RV shows across the country, giving seminars about all things RVing. He and Cheri currently roam in their fifth travel trailer, with Dave doing all the service, repair and modifications to his own unit.
Leave a Reply