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Computers, Cell
Phones, and Satellite Radio
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One of the greatest differences traveling today
versus 40 years ago in 1966 when Winnebago made
its first motor home is arguably the presence
of cellular phones and laptop computers on the
road. The impact of not traveling with
a cell phone can mean being stranded along the
road in the middle of the night. If your family
intends to spend a considerable amount of time
traveling, think about enrolling in a plan which
gives you a nationwide one rate of anytime/anywhere
minutes. Furthermore many providers have plans
enabling you to talk to relatives for free or
for a low monthly flat fee, if everyone is using
the same provider.
Having
a laptop computer and access to the internet
while driving was something we never appreciated
until we encountered very sudden and unexpected
thunderstorms on a trip through the Midwest.
Since these contained tornadoes, we pulled
over and watched the storms on radar
with our laptop, making sure we were not
in the path of a twister. Once the threat
of severe weather passed, we resumed driving.
Since this
initial experience 3 years ago, we have
probably monitored radar while driving
or checked our destination weather on
a dozen other
occasions. In order to access the internet
wireless from the interstate without having
to pull over, a computer must be connected
to a device
(an air card in our case) and subscribe
to a wireless internet service. If you
don’t need the internet while moving,
many campgrounds now
have high speed wireless internet connections.
One no longer has to go to the campground
office and plug in. You can check
your email, send digital pictures, pay
bills, or check your finances from the
luxury of your bedroom or dinette at anytime
of
the day or night. However, there are still
some RV parks without this service, but
when its offered most RV’ers find
it
extremely convenient. Finally, many national
chain truck and travel stops offer wirelessinternet
connections too.
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When satellite radio
first came out we were not interested. We had
our CD’s, DVD’s, books, coloring
books, and games to keep us occupied. But, having
experienced satellite radio (which came equipped
on our pickup) for the first time in 2005, we
are hooked. There is literally something for
everyone. With our satellite radio we have music
channels of all kinds from the 1940’s
tunes to today’s top 40, several pop and
country music stations, Christmas music, children’s
music, news, comedy, and sports of all kinds
from NASCAR to golf. I kid my husband because
I can’t watch golf on TV so I’m
perplexed on how anyone can listen to it on
the radio. With satellite we never have to search
for local stations as the signal stays with
us wherever we go. And with satellite we hardly
ever hear the same songs over and over again,
even when we keep the dial on just one station
for hours. Having a variety of choices, our
kids are being introduced to a wide range of
music from jazz to classical, from rock to country.
In fact, our 5 year old always insists on listening
to the 1940’s music channel for big band
sounds. During the Christmas season, our dial
stays on the Christmas stations. When you consider
values, satellite radio ranks high on the list,
especially when traveling with kids thousands
of miles each year. Back
to the top
Storage
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If I could relay one message to manufacturers,
it might be that an RV can never have enough
storage space. In our experience owning
RV’s, fifth wheels seem to win the storage
comparisons. As we began the process of moving
from a fifth wheel to a motor home, it took
us about one year to find a motor home with
adequate storage for our requirements. We never
had that issue when shopping for a fifth wheel.
Storage needs will depend on how the RV will
be used and how many people will be in it. A
family of 5 traveling across the country all
summer may need more storage than a family of
4 just going to the lake on weekends. Many fifth
wheels have large pass through basement areas
which are really wonderful. These longer compartments
are ideal for bulky items like snow skis, folding
tables, campground chairs, etc. The larger fifth
wheels are also known for their abundant interior
closet and cabinet compartments too. Most all
motor homes have outside storage compartments
with space usually dependant on the size of
the coach, with some exceptions. We found storing
our belongings in plastic see-thru crates helps
to maintain organization in these outside compartments.
If a family intends to be in an RV continuously
for several months, even with packing lightly
there may be a need to keep out of season clothes
or other items stored in crates below. Back
to the top
Issues
When Buying an RV for the Family
Would you like a booth or table? We
all have been to a restaurant and been asked
this question. When you get ready to purchase
an RV, this is a choice you will need to make
as well. A booth usually will sleep an additional
2 small children or 1 medium size adult while
a dinette will not. A dinette may be more comfortable
for others since the ‘chair to table’
distance is easier to adjust. But, a booth may
give you additional storage space under the
seat cushions, and it may also provide a larger
eating surface. We’ve had both, and for
our family of 4 the booth works best.
Floor plan and traffic flow:
Although it may seem all RV floor plans are
the same, there are some key design differences
which can affect a families overall enjoyment.
Some bathroom areas split up the commode from
the shower/tub facilities. Others put it all
in the same spot. Our past RV’s were fifth
wheels and those floor plans had the commode
area isolated away from the other bathroom appointments.
A child could be bathing while another could
be using the commode and neither disrupted each
other. When the slides are out, does the unit
feel roomy? Is there enough room to move around
in the master suite or do you feel like you’re
stepping over the bed to retrieve a jacket from
the rear closet? Some units have a hallway either
in the middle or on one side. How does this
affect the flow for your family needs? When
the hide-a-bed or jack-knife bed is out at night,
is there room to safely move around? Is the
TV mounted in a good location for all to see?
Not all sofas are the same size. When shopping
for an RV, don’t just sit on the sofa
but lay on it too. Some RV’s have recliners.
If you need the extra space and don’t
use both recliners, you may be able to remove
the one you don’t need. Does the unit
provide a play area for your kids in case there
are some rain days? Some of the newer RV’s
come with a built in desk area which can be
good or bad, depending on your needs. If it
has a desk, is it in a good location? If the
RV is for the family do you need an RV with
a desk? If your family is using the RV only
at the lake or a nearby state park, then your
needs will probably be different than a family
who intends on making long destination trips
where the RV will be home away from home. The
more time your family intends to spend in it,
floor plan and traffic flow issues will play
a greater role in your selection.
Slide-outs: If you plan
on buying a motor home, consider comfort while
driving as well as when parked. With the slides
in is it crowded? Is there enough room to move
around? Some of the newer models have living
room slides on both driver and passenger sides.
These models are very roomy when you’re
camped and all the slides are extended out.
However, test the motor home with the slides
inside since hundreds of hours will be spent
with both your family and your slides in at
the same time while driving. For our choice
we selected a coach with two slides –
a large sofa/dinning slide behind the driver
and a large bedroom/closet slide in the rear.
With only one slide in the front area, movement
is easy while our RV is in motion or parked
for lunch. In a fifth wheel or travel trailer,
slide-outs shouldn’t be a great factor
in driving so long as you have access to your
kitchen and dining area when stopped for lunch.
If access is a problem elsewhere (like in a
bedroom dresser drawer area), a slide may be
partially extended out at a quick stop or overnight.
Sofas: Most sofas will
sleep 2-3 kids or 2 adults. Some sofas have
a hide-a-bed which is a mattress and frame that
opens out like a traditional sleeper sofa in
a home. A benefit of the hide-a-bed is the seat
cushions are removed to open the bed preventing
excessive wear on the seats. Over time sleeping
on the cushions may wear out the fabric, cushion,
or pull apart the stitching, even with protective
covers and sheets. Having a hide-a-bed prevents
this additional wear and tear on the fabric.
Also, if your small child has an accident in
the middle of the night which gets past a mattress
cover, your sofa is not damaged. A possible
downside to the hide-a-bed is its larger size
when extended out. Open up the bed to see how
much floor space is consumed. A larger bed is
great for sleeping but it will consume more
floor space for walking around it. What about
it’s comfort? Does it have a thin mattress?
Another possible drawback to the hide-a-bed
may be that sleepers will feel the frame digging
into their back. To a small child weighing 30
pounds this may not be an issue, but to a 200
pound adult it could mean returning from a vacation
with a severe backache.
The other kind of sofa is one which folds down
for sleeping and jack-knifes up for sitting.
Some RV’s only feature this model. If
your shopping for an RV with this kind, sleepers
will be directly on the seat cushions. If this
is an occasional use or if the sofa will not
be slept on, then this may not be an issue.
Usually though these model sofas will take up
less floor space when folded down out at nighttime
but the sofa too may be shorter in length for
sitting space. We know RV’ers with both
types of sofas and everyone seems happy. The
decision between a hide-a-bed or jack-knife
style may come down to what’s important
for your family needs. Finally, in some cases
your decision may be made by the manufacturer
if you’re not given a choice between the
two styles.
Colors: Having been
around RV’s for a number of years now
and attending numerous RV shows, I can rightfully
question if the people who select colors and
designs for motor homes and trailers actually
own an RV themselves. Who designs these interiors
anyways? I know I wouldn’t decorate the
inside of my home this way (nor would any of
my friends) so why would the RV manufacturers?
Wouldn’t they sell more units if the colors
were like those found in a real home? Nevertheless,
if you want an RV it’s always about choosing
the best of what is offered rather than the
best, period. I would think about resell value
and how a certain color may lend itself for
a better price later. Certain colors like mauve
or forest green are trendy and may date themselves
while another color like beige is neutral and
which value may hold up better over time. If
you have kids, how will the carpet color hold
up against dirt?
Do you find the interior colors subtle or are
they screaming the moment you step into the
RV. The louder colors are not always the best.
One thing I always did was to replace the manufacturer’s
master suite comforter with a nicer comforter
I bought at my local retailer. I would store
the manufacturers bedding in the comforter bag
(of my new one) and keep it in our home. When
we sold or traded the RV, I would return the
original comforter (which is still new) back
to the RV. Our motor home has dark cabinets
and by replacing the comforter with a lighter
set, I was able to help brighten the bedroom
area. We weren’t sure if we would enjoy
the darker woods since all our prior RV’s
had lighter oaks. While the carpet is a neutral
beige color I was able to brighten the living
room and kitchen with inexpensive off-white
rugs and matching throw blankets. Rugs are also
a great way to protect the carpet in the traffic
and dining areas.
If ultimately an RV has every feature a family
wants but perhaps the colors aren’t the
first choice, consider re-doing the colors after
a few years. In the past I’ve sewn new
window treatments and changed out fabrics on
chairs, replacing ugly colors with brighter
and more attractive choices. Next year I’m
planning on re-upholstering all the fabric in
our RV as well as sewing new window treatments
and changing the blinds to brighten the areas
even more and give it a more traditional feel.
Doing all the work myself saves us a bundle
and makes it worthwhile.
Refrigerators: Do consider
whether you need a single refrigerator (top
freezer) or double door refrigerator. A single
refrigerator will probably take care of an average
size family’s needs whether the RV is
used locally at the lake or on vacation out
of state. We’ve had both kinds. The additional
space gained from a single may have been put
into more cabinet or countertop space, which
is a great upside. Our current RV has a double
door so a wonderful benefit is more food storage
which means fewer visits to the grocer for me.
Other than space for cabinetry or cold food
storage, those are the main considerations when
choosing between a single or double door refrigerator.
A final thought about refrigerators is location.
With the door(s) open, can occupants pass easily
from the front to the back of the RV? We have
seen some models placed in a central hallway
near both the kitchen and bathroom areas. I
could only imagine what the traffic flow is
like when the kids are getting bathed and dressed
while breakfast is being made in those floor
plans.
Garden Tub vs. Shower Stall:
If you travel with small kids and can choose
an RV with either a garden tub or shower stall,
we recommend the garden tub for baths. Both
styles have showers, but without the garden
tub base your kids will be taking showers too.
Leather vs. Cloth: While
soft and luxurious, leather and kids don’t
always mix well. Inevitably, a child finds a
stray pen or marker and in seconds the damage
is done. Ours came with a leather driver and
co-pilot seat which we promptly covered with
a beige fabric seat cover. By protecting the
leather the coach will not lose any resell value
from damaged sustained here. Back
to the top
Fuel Prices
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Gasoline and diesel costs go without saying are simply ridiculous. When gas was under $3.00/gallon, it was easier to find ways to manage those fuel increases through budget management. But with gas at $4.00/gallon (more or less), many RV'ers are staying closer to home. While budget management will only get you so far, staying closer to home is probably the best way to control total fuel expense on a trip. Until enough people get fed up with high prices and demand relief NOW, we are probably stuck with high fuel costs.
Ways to save towards fuel costs:
Anytime a family
can cut down on restaurant expenses, the savings
can be used elsewhere – fuel in this case.
With an RV there isn’t a reliance to eat
every meal in a restaurant. If you eliminate
one unnecessary meal out, this could save a
family of 4 as much as $40 plus. We aren’t
suggesting skipping the seafood buffets at the
Outer Banks, but consider those questionable
expenses while driving. Do you need another
T-shirt? Do you really need another souvenir coffee cup? Do you need another sweater from the mountain ski shop? Remember, if a family of 4 forgoes the T-shirts,
then another $50 might be saved. Forgo the coffee cup - save $10. Forgo the sweater - save $40. It all adds up!!
Another budget tip is to cut a couple of days
off that two week vacation. Cutting 2 days from your trip might save
$100 plus in campground fees, depending on where you stay. Tthis amount will vary
but a family of 4 can anticipate easily spending
$50 per night or more at any good RV park near
a resort or metro destination. My father-in-law
always jokes that it doesn’t cost anymore
to go first class, but you just can’t
stay as long.
Stay
free at Wal-Mart or a travel center during
the drive! Most
Wal-Marts allow RV’s to temporarily
park in
their lot overnight, unless city ordinances
prevent it. We’ve done this on a
few occasions when there were many other
RV’ers
present and we knew the surroundings.
On average we always counted no less than
10 other RV’ers with us along
the
outer rims of the parking area. The areas
were well lit, store activity was steady
all night, and most of the RV’s
were huddled
together. We’ve never felt unsafe
at the Wal-Marts we chose and our average
overnight stop was about 10 hours. Unless
there is
a need to stay overnight at a campground – refill fresh water tank, dump
sewer tanks, take hot showers, etc., ask
yourself do you
need hookups or other services for the
night? Any decent overnight campground
along a rural part of the interstate will
cost you $25
for one night. How many of these
stops can you cut out on your drive to
and from the final destination and still
make your trip
pleasant? We always tried to incorporate
both free stops and overnight campground
stops in our trips. Other places RV’ers
can stay
free for temporary overnight stops are
Flying J’s, Pilot’s, other
travel/truck stops, and rest areas. Many
Flying J’s have designated RV
parking areas which do fill up fast after
6 pm, and not all rest areas allow overnight
parking. Personally, we usually avoided
rest areas
for overnight stops as there was always
an element of insecurity there, no matter
how many other RV’s were parked.
The bottom line
is one can never be fully safe anywhere
(RV parks, hotels, or in your own home),
but its up to each RV’er to evaluate
their surroundings
and setting to decide if a certain location
is safe, even including all campgrounds.
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Finally, a sure way of saving fuel costs is
driving slower. Most RV’ers including
us experienced better fuel economy by maintaining
55 mph on the interstate than if we had traveled
at higher speeds. In any previous year we might
only have gained an additional 2 mpg driving
slower, but the savings from the diminished
speeds amounted into several hundred dollars.
As a parent I enjoyed the savings we received
driving slower but mainly I appreciated the
increased safety I felt we achieved by doing
so. Driving safer and slower are the reasons
we were able to travel so many thousands of
miles without any incidents in our RV.
Back to the top
WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING
FOR WAYS TO MAKE TRAVELING WITH KIDS EASIER.
IF YOU HAVE A TRAVEL TIP THAT HAS WORKED FOR
YOUR FAMILY AND WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT IT FOR
CONSIDERATION, PLEASE
WRITE US OR EMAIL
US.
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