Dear Dr. R.V. Shrink:
I was very interested in last week's column about the cold weather issue. We are new to the RV lifestyle. We left Wisconsin just before Christmas and headed for Arizona. I wanted to head straight south for Florida, but my husband convinced me that Florida was expected to experience below normal temps this winter with El Nino patterns.
We barely made it alive through Texas and Oklahoma. When we reached New Mexico we hit a white out. We are now in Arizona licking our wounds and trying to stay warm.
Our new trailer looks like a snow cone made with mud. My husband can't even unhook because the hitch is so caked with crud.
Is this what we can look forward to every year?
We are also having issues with trying to stay warm with no hookups. Our batteries keep giving out because we are running the furnace constantly.
Tell me things are going to improve.
I wish I was home in Wisconsin basking in the warmth of our fireplace.
--Disillusioned in Douglas
Dear Disillusioned:
It can only get better from here. It sounds like you started your adventure with a real white knuckle ride through some of the worse weather experienced along your route in decades.
Like the movie, "The Perfect Storm," you never know what you might have to encounter headed for warm temps during the winter season and even headed home in the spring.
I have covered this subject many times and there is no simple answer. Trying to schedule a departure date is never easy.
Not only does weather come into play but also emotions. People anticipate leaving, have everything packed and often decide to go for it and take their chances. I would prefer doing a lot of forecast models and giving myself the best odds I could hope for when planning a departure.
It sounds like you are about as far south as you can get without heading into Mexico. I think you will find the days warming, but the nights still a bit cool. The desert tends to give up its heat quickly when the sun drops.
That brings me to your next concern. Everyone goes through this experience when the temps drop and stay down for awhile. You have several choices. Find electrical hookups in a park so that you can run your furnace fan without killing your batteries. You could invest in a generator, but that will involve dealing with fuel costs and noise. Another option would be investing in solar if you have the room for panels and battery storage.
It really depends on what type of RVing you are interested in.
If you plan to spend your winter with full hookups, you probably have everything you need. If you want to spend time off the grid you will need to add a power source. Constantly draining your batteries will eventually ruin them.
If you read enough of my past columns you will discover I lean more toward the solar solution. I find it quiet, low maintenance, efficient, and cost effective.
Only time will tell if you picked the right destination this winter, but if you decide Florida looks warmer, choose your weather window wisely and head in that direction. The southern route across can be very interesting and enjoyable if Mother Nature cooperates.
Go to a truck wash bay and get all spruced up. You will feel much better when your new trailer is sparkling again.
If you are able to watch the news you should feel blessed to have come through as well as you have. Enjoy your winter and new lifestyle. You will begin meeting a lot of wonderful people on the same journey you are on. Most are more than happy to share their experience and knowledge with you.
--Keep Smilin', Dr. R.V. Shrink
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
RV Polar Express
Dear Dr. R.V. Shrink:
I think we are suffering from "RV fever." I am not talking about the strain that makes people want to go out and buy a new rig. I'm talking about the strain that more resembles "cabin fever."
We decided to spend more time in northern Arizona this winter. We tired of the desert cactus and wanted more pine. Now I am pining for cactus but my husband wants to stick it out here in the Siberian region of Arizona.
He spent a lot of time and money insulating our water and sewer lines, increasing our propane capacity and adding skirting insulation. That all works very efficiently, but now we spend more time inside our rig than out. We might just as well stay at home in Minnesota sitting on top of the wood stove.
How can I convince him this is a failed experiment and we must abort the mission.
--Polarized in Payson
Dear Polar:
With the recent crazy weather flip flops it is hard to plan a pleasant destination. In the West it is all about elevation. You can research historic temperature data but it will only give you averages.
It also depends on what you enjoy doing and what temperatures you feel comfortable spending time outdoors.
You can run, but you cannot hide. We just experienced a snowstorm while visiting the Biosphere 2 north of Tucson, Arizona. The eight people that spent 2 years in that controlled environment experienced the same thing you are going through now. According to the tour guide they ended up in two separate tribes that were not communicating with each other.
You two need to start communicating again. A better plan might be to roam a bit with the seasons. The nice thing about living on wheels is the opportunity to relocate when your best laid plans do not pan out.
Northern Arizona is a wonderful place to explore and spend time. I would suggest spending fall and spring in the north and finding a place you both can agree on when the temps drop. If you find the north country is experiencing above average winter temps, you could be there in a matter of days, even hours.
One of the wonderful things about the RV lifestyle is flexibility. Use it to your advantage. Don't get stuck in a frozen rut.
--Keep Smilin', Dr. R.V. Shrink
I think we are suffering from "RV fever." I am not talking about the strain that makes people want to go out and buy a new rig. I'm talking about the strain that more resembles "cabin fever."
We decided to spend more time in northern Arizona this winter. We tired of the desert cactus and wanted more pine. Now I am pining for cactus but my husband wants to stick it out here in the Siberian region of Arizona.
He spent a lot of time and money insulating our water and sewer lines, increasing our propane capacity and adding skirting insulation. That all works very efficiently, but now we spend more time inside our rig than out. We might just as well stay at home in Minnesota sitting on top of the wood stove.
How can I convince him this is a failed experiment and we must abort the mission.
--Polarized in Payson
Dear Polar:
With the recent crazy weather flip flops it is hard to plan a pleasant destination. In the West it is all about elevation. You can research historic temperature data but it will only give you averages.
It also depends on what you enjoy doing and what temperatures you feel comfortable spending time outdoors.
You can run, but you cannot hide. We just experienced a snowstorm while visiting the Biosphere 2 north of Tucson, Arizona. The eight people that spent 2 years in that controlled environment experienced the same thing you are going through now. According to the tour guide they ended up in two separate tribes that were not communicating with each other.
You two need to start communicating again. A better plan might be to roam a bit with the seasons. The nice thing about living on wheels is the opportunity to relocate when your best laid plans do not pan out.
Northern Arizona is a wonderful place to explore and spend time. I would suggest spending fall and spring in the north and finding a place you both can agree on when the temps drop. If you find the north country is experiencing above average winter temps, you could be there in a matter of days, even hours.
One of the wonderful things about the RV lifestyle is flexibility. Use it to your advantage. Don't get stuck in a frozen rut.
--Keep Smilin', Dr. R.V. Shrink
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
RV Home on the Range
Dear Dr. R.V. Shrink:
My husband wants to sell everything, buy a motorhome and drive all the way across the country to a big gathering he read about in a place called "Quartzsite." I think he has lost his marbles.
He's too old for a mid-life crisis, and too young for me to convince him he is delusional.
What can I do to dampen his wanderlust spirit enough to save our house from going on the block?
--Heading for Homeless in Hyannis
Dear Hyannis:
Selling the house before you actually give the RV lifestyle a try can sometimes work out and sometimes be a disaster.
You seem like you are not on the same page about this great adventure. That being the case, I would put off placing the house on the sales block and putting together this adventure on a trial basis.
Taking a block of time and testing whether the RV lifestyle is right for you will make things much easier in the long run no matter what your decision is.
I come from a long line of irrational exuberance. That's me with my family in the above picture when my dad decided we should take our 1957 Airstream and go all the way across the country to the Seattle World’s Fair in 1962.
I can tell you from a lifetime of experiences that this move can lead to a travel addiction. Whether you dive in or tiptoe, most people find there is a strong undertow that often will drag you in and you will find it hard to escape the pull of the experience.
--Keep Smilin', Dr. R.V. Shrink
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