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When December arrives, many RVers head home to celebrate the holidays with family and friends. During the winter months RVing slows down while people wait out the winter but the "snow bird RVer" has the luxury of heading south for the winter to enjoy the warmer temperatures in Florida, Arizona, and Mexico. The "snow birds" have discovered how to have the best of both worlds. They leave their extremely cold year round home and head south where they store and use their RV as a winter getaway home to enjoy the warmth of the South. These snow birds fly south to their RV park right after the holidays to enjoy the warm winters until the snow is gone in their northern home.

When the snow melts and it is time to leave their winter home, the snow bird RVer wants to leave their motorhome, fifth wheel or travel trailer protected with an RV slip cover that will keep their winter home clean and free from dust & dirt and dings & scratches. They want a storage cover that is water repellent and will protect their recreational vehicle from the occasional southern rain storms, but most importantly the "Snow bird" RVer needs to find a cover that can withstand the harsh UV rays of the sun that will destroy them RV's exterior while they are back home.

There are only two RV covers that can provide summer heat and UV protection for the motor home, fifth wheel, or travel trailer. All the rest will disintegrate from the extreme temperatures. A slip on dust cover (like the Traveler or the Poly Pro 1) will protect the RV for a while but it will be in shreds all around your trailer when you return. This type of cover can not stand up to the extreme heat that your RV will encounter while you are away. The three ply top / single ply sided covers (like the Poly Pro 3 Deluxe or the Expedition) claim to give all weather protection but they also will not be able to handle the heat. They may still be covering your RV when you get to your southern home but most likely only parts of the cover will be still covering your RV. If you invest your money in any of these covers you will be replacing the cover every year .

What you need is the protection of best cover that will not disintegrate after 6-8 months of exposure to UV rays. The two covers that can stand up to the heat are the Goldline RV cover and the PermaPRO RV cover. The Goldline RV Cover is made by Eevelle in Carlsbad, California. The Goldline cover is a made to order RV cover that comes in two colors: desert tan or silver cloud gray. Since it is a semi-custom, made to order motorhome or trailer cover it will take up to 4 weeks before it can be delivered to your southern address. This Goldline trailer cover is rated the # 1 RV cover by customers and dealers alike. These RV storage covers are made of a strong yet supple fabric that will outlast all other RV covers. The Goldline cover is made of a water resistant extra plush Tru-Weave fabric with a Durapel finish that provides super duty UV protection and the Goldline cover is backed with the longest, best 5 year warranty.

The PermaPro RV cover is distributed by Classic Accessories in Kent, Washington. The PermaPRO cover is made of the newest extra-strength ripstop fabric, the first RV cover fabric to claim to be tear resistant. Not only is it tear resistant but it also repels water, protects against sun damage by blocking the UV rays, and even provides snow protection if needed. The PermaPRO cover is also available for the extra tall RV that stands a little taller than the usual 9 ft RV. An extra height RV cover is required by those Class A and 5th wheel RVs that stand up to11 ft tall. The PermaPRO cover, like the lower end RV covers, gives your RV dirt, dust, and scratch protection, and it is protected by a 4 year warranty.

As winter slowly melts away and the warmer days of spring arrive, the time will come for the Snow birds to begin to prepare to fly back north to the confines of your year round home. Remember if you want to truly give your trailer the best RV cover with the best UV protection, you will need to spend a few bucks more and purchase the Goldline RV cover or the PermaPRO RV cover. Those are the only two RV trailer covers that will still be protecting your RV when you return to your winter stomping grounds next year.

Source by Mary Speir

What to buy? Where to put it, How to mount it? Yes: I’m talking about the correct position and way to place a TV in your caravan. Here is a definitive guide to buying and fitting a TV into your caravan or motorhome.

Installing a TV in your caravan or motorhome is different from installing or mounting a TV on the wall of your home due to the lack of space and the wall material is lass stronger than the brickwork which you would normally use to fix your home TV too.

First we have to consider how much space you have to place a TV in your caravan. You need to consider the viewing position of your TV viewers and also the proximity of cooking devices. We suggest a flat surface on the side of a cupboard or an exterior wall. You must also consider where the power points are and if your caravan or motorhome has a pre fitted aerial how close is this to your mounting point.

Now that you have determined your ideal location for your caravan or motorhome you have a rough idea of the space you have and you can now think about buying a TV. We recommend that you buy a specialist 12v or 24v TV which are designed for caravan or motorhome use. Many have DVD players and come with Freeview as standard. If your TV has a DVD player this could impact of the location you place your TV as many DVD players load from the side and you will need enough room at the side to load the disc.

We have an Avtex L215DR 21.5″ 12v TV which we will mount and comes with M4 holes in the back which will fit any standard mounting bracket. We bought a Svensen SV0.5 quick release fixed wall bracket as we wanted a wall bracket which would let us remove the TV easily from the wall when we were out of the caravan.

Place the bracket in the centre of the wall and use a spirit level to make sure that the bracket will be level and mark the holes you will need to drill and the top of the bracket. Drill the holes with the appropriate size of drill and check that the holes line up the the holes in the bracket. You cannot use normal screws to mount your TV so either use nuts and bolts to secure the bracket to the wall or cupboard or use Cabinet Fixing Bolts. These open from the back when you screw them into the wall and this is the method that we used.

Position the bracket over the holes you have drilled and screw/bolt into place. Now you can fix the front plate of the bracket to the back of the TV and mount. As we are using a quick release fixed wall bracket, this makes it really easy to fit the two together as they have a quick release mechanism. Now you have fixed the TV to the wall you need to hide the wiring. We used some self-adhesive micro cable trunking to hide the wires from the TV to the plug and the wire from the TV to the aerial.

Now turn on your TV and enjoy, safe in the knowledge that it has been fixed correctly.

Source by R Maddocks

About 1980 RV manufacturers took notice of the success of the little Toyota Chinook motor home. They began to create their own versions that included better facilities for living on the road.

The typical 18 foot Toyota motorhome had more to offer than the previous models. It featured an overhead sleeping area above the cab. This was about the size of a standard double bed and would sleep two people comfortably. This left the main area of ​​the camper open.

Usually this model of Toyota camper located the galley at the rear of the living area. This galley or kitchen would include a 3 cubic foot refrigerator, a three burner stove with oven, a sink with a water storage tank and electric pump, and overhead cabinets for storage of food items and cooking equipment.

In the right rear corner of the camper was a bathroom, complete with shower. This tiny bathroom was fully functional and usually not more than about 2 feet square. An RV toilet, and small fold up sink completed the facilities. The floor of the bathroom was also the floor of the shower with the drain located in the center.

An important addition to the camper was small holding tanks for wastewater and sewage as well as a freshwater tank. Although small, these tanks added a lot to the comfort level and utility of the camper.

Along one side of the camper normally behind the driver's seat was a small couch. This sofa would fold out into a bed for additional sleeping capacity. The other side of the living area would normally contain a small dinette or table.

Although very basic, these features made the camper a lot more livable. With care and planning it was entirely possible to take extended trips with this unit. As RV users began to discover all the features and practicality of these little motor homes sales increased. The four-cylinder Toyota chassis was quite economical to drive even if it was not very fast.

As the weight of the camper increased the performance would decrease. Although the manufacturers tried to keep the weight down by using lightweight building methods and materials, these campers were pushing the limits of the capacity of the Toyota half ton pickup. Some critiques began to question the overall safety of these machines with people and their beloveds on board.

It was about this time that the weakness of the half ton pickup chassis began to show. Some people were experiencing failures of the rear axle due to excess weight and overloading. This led to a recall to replace the axle with a sturdier version.

When the RV manufacturers saw a demand for these vehicles, they began to design even larger and longer Toyota motor homes.

Source by Lee S Mcpherron

Do you belong to a group of writers who meet regularly to encourage each other? Does the idea of retreating back to nature with your writing group get your creative juices flowing? Putting together a writers’ retreat in a beautiful natural setting may be easier than you think. These steps will help you plan and execute a back-to-nature RV camping retreat for you and your fellow writers.

Pick a Stimulating Setting:

To get your plan rolling, you’ll need to decide whether to set up your RV camping retreat nearby, or make the journey part of the retreat. For instance, if your writing group is located in Chicago, and you’d like to kick off an annual “Lake Michigan Writers’ Retreat,” you could research scenic campgrounds in lakeside villages within easy driving distance. If your group can retreat for more than a weekend, why not choose two or three quiet lakeside RV campgrounds and incorporate travel into your retreat plans?

No matter what state your group calls home, you can plan your retreat around seasonal occurrences like fall foliage or spring wildflowers. Pick a location where the beauty of nature is sure to inspire creative writing.

Create Your Retreat:

To create the perfect retreat, incorporate these ingredients:

o Agree on some ground rules to protect the “retreat” nature of the trip.

o Schedule time for writers to be out in nature by themselves to write and reflect.

o Plan easy meals that can be created in your convenient motorhome kitchen.

o Arrange when you’ll meet as a group each day to discuss what you’ve written.

o Plan to take some writing cues to help push past writer’s block!

o Leave time for individuals or groups to explore the area each day.

o Decide how much the “real world” (i.e., cell phones, wifi, etc.) will be allowed to encroach!

Plan and Then Enjoy!

If you’re in charge of planning, work with a local RV rental firm to arrange the perfect RV for your group. They can also help you project your fuel and rental costs. Today’s luxurious motorhomes offer comfortable seating, convenient appliances and lots of extras your group will appreciate.

Choose an RV that’s roomy enough to sleep your group easily. Something to consider-if you have both male and female group members, renting two smaller RVs instead of one large motorhome is a smart choice.

For maximum comfort, choose a campground with full hookups and decide if you’ll also need a location that offers amenities like a campground store and showers. Do some research on campground rules like “mandatory quiet times” so your group will have the best possible experience.

When you call prospective campgrounds, get firm campsite rental rates so you can add them to the retreat total. Add in food and supply costs, and divide by the number of retreat participants to find your cost per person. Once you’ve arrived at that number, and decided who’ll be driving the motorhome, you’re ready to retreat to the woods!

You’re going to be amazed what your group’s stay in the great outdoors brings to your writing. Sharing the cost makes it possible for everyone to enjoy the inspiration of nature without being extravagant. By choosing a location that’s sure to inspire, and treating your group to the comfort of a motorhome, your RV camping writers’ retreat could easily become a cherished annual event.

Source by Joe A Laing