pet safety - lippert components, inctaking the kids on vacation and need a good beach? head over to...

LIFESTYLE

E X C L U S I V E TAY L O R M A D E ® M A G A Z I N E F L I P C O V E R

Top 5 Boating States

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Boating in the Midwest

Know your H20 fun facts

AN EVENING ON LAKE MICHIGAN

WATER YOU WAITING FOR? READ ON!

1811Pet safety while boatingDON’T FORGET THE SUNSCREEN!

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www.lci1.com/marine

Platinum SeriesFU R N IT U R E A N D S E ATI N G SO LUTI O N S

With more than 35 years of furniture design and manufacturing experience for leading boat builders, Lippert Components offers

replacement furniture and seating solutions that are stylish, comfortable and constructed for durability in the harsh marine

environment. The 23-piece range includes seats, benches, corners, chaises, helm stations and more available in beige, grey and white.

NEW FOR 2018: 20" chaise with privacy station, 25"D arms, fold down seats, and all furniture is now available in white.

PLATINUM SERIES CONFIGURATOR APPUse this easy tool to develop the ideal floorplan for your size boat and boater behavior and eliminate furniture configuration guesswork!


Pet safety while boatingBy Mamie Hodges

BOATING WITH YOUR DOG CAN GO ONE OF TWO WAYS; EITHER THEY WILL LOVE IT OR THEY WILL PANIC.

Many people think that taking your dog on a boat will be fine and they will love it, but that’s not always the case. Dogs can get motion sickness or uneasy feelings from the water, like any human would. So always make sure that your pet is comfortable and feels safe when they are with you on a boat. Have them come down to the water with you and take some time getting used to the boat; this will help make them more comfortable and familiar to the new location. Taking care of your dog includes letting them use the bathroom. Dogs need to go just as much as you, maybe more, so always have a place to let your dog go to the bathroom and take a break. It's important to remember to keep your pet at the top of your list so you can make sure they're taken care of, no matter the location or weather. Dogs bladders are very easily broken, being startled by even the smallest thing can make their bladder break and you’ll have an accident on your hands. Water is all around you when you’re on a boat, but you do need to stay hydrated. The sun beating down on you can take a toll and for dogs and other pets, it can be even worse. Dogs need to have a fresh bowl of water nearby so they stay cool and hydrated. Keeping extra water onboard can solve a lot of problems. Dogs should always have a water dish to drink out of as well so they can get as much as they need. Don’t assume the water around you is safe to drink. The saltwater from beaches can often cause some dogs to go through what is called “beach diarrhea”. Dogs can’t take in a lot of salt in their intestinal tract. Putting your pet in the shade and away from the sun with fresh filtered water for at least 15 minutes will help them immensely. This also applies when poolside. Something not a lot of people might know is that dogs, and some other pets, can get a sunburn just like you! One of the most common spots for a dog to get a sunburn is on their stomach because many dogs lack hair there. Providing a shaded area, out of the sun, can usually prevent overheating but its always a good idea to keep an eye on your pet to make sure they aren't overexposed. If your dog does get a sunburn, you'll need to act fast. Getting them into a cool climate and putting a cold compress on them will help them relieve from their pain and will help everyone onboard feel better.

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-American staffordshire

terrier -Boxer

-Chinese crested

-Dalmatian -Gray hound -Weimarner

-Whippet-White german

shepherd

>top dog breeds

to watch for

sunburn

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Not only can dogs get sunburned, they can also get heatstroke. The sun can be super dangerous for everyone, but dogs can be especially susceptible because of their fur or hair. Leaving pets in direct sunlight can be extremely harmful. Some symptoms of a dog ex-periencing heatstroke are exaggerated panting, rapid heartbeat, high fever, vomiting, staring, anxious expression, and warm dry skin. If your dog ever has these symptoms, go to the vet immediately. Panting a little is natural and a part of their normal bodily functions, but be sure to watch for the other symptoms of heatstroke. Never use a muzzle when a dog is panting or you could be hurting the dog a lot. Also good to note: You know when the ground is so hot it burns your feet while walking? Dogs can feel this heat, too so its important to make sure they aren't over-exposed to hot sand or cement.

H20 _LIFESTYLE_MAGAZINE 5

Keep an eye out for where your dog is sitting on the boat to make sure they aren't being burned by the seating and aren't exposed to the hot sun for too long. Boating with your pet means watching for everything from their seat to their grooming. If you have a big, fluffy dog, you need to watch over them and have them groomed so they can be a lot more safe while

in the sun. Playing fetch with ice cubes or lowering the amount of exposure to heat during a hotter day will help a bit. You need to have special things to keep your dog safe and you sane - from life jackets, leashes, and a waterproof collar. Taking your dog to a local pet store to buy all your items will help you find the best fit. Trying on different sizes for your dog will make sure the fit is perfect for if they fall into the water. A leash is important to make sure they do not run away or off the boat. It is very dangerous for a dog to jump into the water if other boats are around, especially if your boat or

the nearby boats are in motion or are extremely close by that are moving or that are extremely close. Keeping dog safe is crucial, and it always helps to have your pet tagged or chipped, just in case and also making sure they are tagged. Keeping an extra boat collar for your pooch will ensure that you have all of their important information on-hand if they were to ever get lost. It's so important to make sure your pet is safe, well taken care of and looked after responsibly. Keeping your dog healthy and happy is every pet owners intention, but boating and living a life on the water can quickly become a dangerous place, but water is a dangerous place for everyone. Dogs can be very good swimmers on their own and will try and have fun just like you, but you'll need to keep a close eye on them, nevertheless. Watching your dog when they swim and making sure they have their life jacket on is very important as well. Your pets are precious cargo too.

Other things to know Dogs can get ear infections, just like people, from swimming too much. Visiting your vet and getting a prescription will help ease the pain from the dog's ear and will keep them happy as a clam. Basic things like keeping them out of the way of other boaters and watching so they don’t step on, swallow, or get hooked in the lip by a fishing line are important.

Mamie Hodges is a senior at Clay High School in South Bend, Indiana and interned at LCI’s Marketing Department during the summer of 2018. Writing is something she thoroughly enjoys as well performing and directing in theatre productions. In addition to writing, she is Captain of her high school swim team, Co-Editor of the school’s yearbook and plays five instruments in the marching band. After graduation Mamie plans to pursue a degree in elementary education. Growing up lakeside, she loves writing about and sharing her experiences on the water.

>Stella, the bulldog is wearing Top Paw® Neoprene Life Jacket in Yellow

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Top Paw is a registered trademark of Top Paw Pet Products.


Florida is widely known for its more than 560 amazing beaches. Take your next adventure to the Florida Keys, where kayaking and paddle boarding are just a few water sports to try, among the many outdoor activities offered in Florida. Sightsee wildlife on a boat tour where dolphins can be seen swimming nearby, take up snorkeling in St. Pete Beach, or tour the Everglades via air boat. Taking the kids on vacation and need a good beach? Head over to Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota, Florida where they have a playground and lifeguards for safe, family fun. Florida is also home to five cruise ports in Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Miami, Port Canaveral, and Tampa where you can embark on an epic cruise adventure everyone will enjoy.

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>The St. Johns River, which is located near

Daytona Beach, is one of the few rivers in the

United States that flows north instead of south.


In Michigan, you are never more than six miles away from water and Lake's Michigan and Huron are actually two halves of one body of water. Lots of people love visiting the dunes at

Michigan’s Warren Dunes State Park. With huge sand dunes to climb and then tumble down, it’s loads of fun (and exercise!) for everyone. All of Michigan's lakes are freshwater lakes, with

the Great Lakes , with the great lakes being the closest thing to a freshwater ocean. Wind waves over six feet high, currents and tides make this lake system one of the greatest in the world. P O P. 9, 9 9 1 , 1 7 7

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The Mackinac Bridge is one of the longest

suspension bridges in the world. Connecting

the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan, it spans five miles over

the Straits of Mackinac, which is where Lake

Michigan and Lake Huron meet. The

Mighty Mac took three years to complete and was opened to traffic

in 1957.

New York waterways hold great historical significance. Water taxis bustle between four Manhattan and Brooklyn neighborhoods as well as the Statue of Liberty, 24 hours a day. Niagara Falls is another amazing wonder that many dream of visiting in their lifetime. Niagara Falls has over 3,160 tons of water flowing over it's edge every second. You can go to Letchworth State Park in New York and go whitewater rafting as well as see waterfalls and hiking trails.

Brook Trout

T O P F I S H

Smallmouth Bass

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New York’s tallest waterfall,

the Taughannock in Trumansburg,

New York, is 215 ft. That’s

33 feet taller than Niagara Falls!


With over 11,000 lakes, Minnesota has 90,000 miles of shoreline – more than California, Florida, and Hawaii combined.

At 210 feet tall, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse near Buxton, N.C. is the state’s

tallest brick lighthouse structure in the United

States and 2nd in the world. Its powerful lens

can see as far as 24 nautical miles out to sea.

Minnesota gets very cold in the winter months, but offers lots of fun at the Saint Paul Winter Carnival, known for its elaborate known for their elaborate ice sculptures, live music, and pa-rades. You can enjoy ice fishing or do the polar plunge, an annual tradition of jumping into the freezing lake to support Special Olympics Minnesota. In the summer, try paddling the new 20-mile Shell Rock River State Park water trail in the city of Glenville, right on the Iowa border. Did you know that if you are kayaking you must wear a life vest if you are 13 years old or younger?

Many ships were lost off Cape Hatteras the area known as the "Graveyard of the Atlantic.” More than 1,000 ships have been lost in these waters since 1526. The most famous shipwreck, the Queen Anne’s Revenge, belonged to the pirate Blackbeard. Did you know that rowboats, canoes, kayaks, and rafts moved only by oars, paddles, or the current don’t need to be registered?

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Taylor Made bimini tops provide cooling shade for those long, sun-filled days on the water.

From bimini tops to mooring covers and pontoon enclosures, Taylor Made has you covered.

To learn more, visit www.taylormadeproducts.com

FRONT

ENJOY SUN AND SHADE!


By Lauren Hodges

Boating in the

MidwestOn a warm, mid-summer weekend the north

breakwater at the mouth of the St. Joseph River in Michigan is teaming with watercraft. Boaters from all

walks of life come here to gain access to one of the true natural treasures of the Midwest – Lake Michigan.

This is where I caught up with my friends, Kenny and Michelle Centilli, on an exceptionally humid, July evening.

R E V I E W


Boating began early for Michelle. She was a teenag-er when her parents bought their first boat. Her first memories of being on the water are of sunning on the bow alongside her sister, as the two fancied themselves sun goddesses. “It was before anyone really knew what SPF was,” she recalls. Familiar with Lake Michigan and the surrounding coastal towns, it was her fond memories of simpler times, and a sense of tranquility, that led Michelle to eventually share her love of boating with her husband, Kenny. Even with far less boating experience than Michelle, Kenny has taken has taken to life on the water like a natural skipper. Guiding their twin-en-gine boat from their private slip just off the river and through the channel to the large lake is no easy task for a newbie. “The day we bought our boat and went out for a sea trial the lake was like glass. The next morning Michelle and I decided to go out on the water ourselves. That day back in 2014 was the first day I drove a boat solo,” Kenny shares. “The water seemed more choppy than the day before, but I told myself I could handle it. As soon as we got out to the channel near the lighthouse I felt differ-ently.” The choppy waves in the river channel had become huge, rolling waves at the mouth of the channel. The waves were so high that water was splashing up over the elevated, concrete walkway extending out to the nearby St. Joseph North Pier lighthouse. “Our bow was dipping below the waves – the searchlight submerged completely at one point,” Michelle shares. “We got to the mouth of the channel and turned around immediately and came right back to our slip. I was white-knuckling it the whole way.” They’re able to laugh about that memory now, partly because of all the good times had on their boat, the Sea Belle, with family, friends and their dog, Gabby.

When I ask why they keep coming back season after season to boat in a region of the U.S. that often gets snow up to five months out of each year, their answer was simple: the lake draws us in. As the third largest of the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan offers over 22,300 square miles of mag-nificent water to experience. The shoreline spans four states with one of the most notable port cities being Chicago, and extends to include the natural beauty of everything from sand dunes to savannas and dense forests. Sometimes referred to as the “Third Coast” behind the Pacific and Atlantic, the temperatures of the lake can reach into the 70’s in the height of summer, making it an ideal destination for locals and tourists, alike. As Kenny easily swings the boat around to take us back to their slip at Pier 33, the sun begins to sink below the horizon. As we enjoy the cool breeze, the light covers us in all shades of coral and gold. Every angle provides a postcard-worthy snapshot and due West looks to be an endless pool of liquid gold disturbed only slightly by the wake of our vessel. As we moved to the seats at the stern and marveled at the fading rays Michelle shared, “Being on the water, you’re more isolated but you spend more time focusing on what matters because you’re together without distractions and interruptions. It’s the most freeing feeling. That’s why we keep coming back to Lake Michigan.”

Lauren Hodges is the Creative Director for Lippert Components. Adventuring and photography are two of her loves and she enjoys both while often traveling with her husband and four children. Most recently Lauren’s travels took her to Africa where she summited Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mishawaka, Indiana residents, Kenny & Michelle Centilli, own a 2000 Chaparral Signature 300 and take to the waters of Lake Michigan just about every chance they get. “It’s my happy place,” says Michelle, as we sit on the bow catching the golden sunset while we float lazily a half mile from the shore. “I’ve been on a boat nearly every summer of my life since the mid-80's, and there is simply no other place that allows me to breathe more freely than when I’m on the open water.”

FRONTTaylor Made proudly introduces pearlescent color technology to our Storm Gard™ inflatable vinyl fenders. This patented technology puts our fenders in a class of their own, with integrated color agents that provide added luster in sunlight, and deeper, richer hues. Taylor Made's fenders are made in the USA and features The Guarantee of a Lifetime!™ against splitting or bursting, and if it ever fails, we'll replace it! Add the ultimate finishing touch to your boat in whichever color moves you.

taylormadeproducts.com

Storm Gard inflatable fenders featuring True Color® technology are available in the following colors:

White Mid Atlantic Blue

Black Onyx Captain’s Navy

Emerald Green

Burgundy Silver Mist Aurora Gold

WHAT COLOR MOVES YOU?WHAT COLOR MOVES YOU?


>>How do you make summertime on the water more enjoyable and memorable? With fun new

products that make boating even more of a thrill, of course! With these must-have Taylor Made

boating products, your "on-the-water" lifestyle will be at the top of the game.

Taylor Made Super Gard™ Inflatable Vinyl FendersSuper Gard fenders are in a class all their own. Made from the highest quality marine grade vinyl, Super Gards feature a high gloss finish and feature double-molded black ends for extra strength where you need it the most.

Fish 'n Ski Boats Semi-Custom CoversFish 'n Ski Boats Semi-Custom Covers include either a walk-through windshield or dual consoles, removable or folded pedestal seats, sewn-in motor hoods, accommodates low profile trolling motors, and fits wide transom boats.

Taylor Made Pontoon Corner BumperThis pontoon corner bumper comes shaped to mount on either a radius style or 90-degree pontoon corner. Bumpers mount over the original factory-installed aluminum corner section to provide air-cushioning impact protection when docking.

Must-Have Boating

ProductsBy Brittany Olson

G O O D S

THE DIFFERENCE

IS CLEAR

Aerodynamically designed in compound curves or single axis curves, our marine glass capabilities deliver a new generation of glass shapes and fresh styling to your boat.

Find out why Taylor Made is the industry leader in marine windshields at: www.taylormarine.com

FRONT


Taylor Made Vinyl Dock EdgingIt’s the first dock edging made to match the aluminum docks that are becoming more and more popular among boaters. Taylor Made has taken their most popular profiles, suitable for a wide variety of docking applications, and made them sleek and silver!

Furrion Marine SpeakersFurrion's Outdoor Marine Speakers are available in a variety of sizes and colors and are made from tough materials that provide a high definition audio experience on deck. Furrion also makes Portable Bluetooth Speakers, created specifically for mobile and adventurous living

Taylor Made Corner GuardsTaylor Made Corner Guards are great as they're made from the same rubber material as Taylor Made's dock extrusions. Use with dock strips to complete your collection!

Taylor Made FlagsTaylor Made Products offers a wide variety of poles, flags, and accessories for almost any kind of boat and they also carry both sewn and pre-screened flags.

Low Freeboard Fender

The first boat fender to address the needs of low

freeboard boats! Shaped to protect the gunwales and rubrail, the Low Freeboard

fender offers superior protection compared to

regular fenders against high docks. They can be tied

over the cleat to position itself higher on the boat,

creating protection where it is needed.

Taylor Made Dock FloatThis dock float is a UV-resistant, black

polyethylene shell filled with EPS foam that resists

water intrusions.

Helm Cushion Mats

Taylor Made's Helm Cushion Mats are made with a closed-cell foam and a vinyl coated skin

with an organic textured pattern. The Helm Cushion is weather resistant in both freshwater and saltwater.

The Helm Cushion reduces the amount of impact on

your joints as you crash into waves and takes away from standing on your hard deck

for hours on end.

M O R E


Fun facts about water

DID YOU KNOW?

Peru has the world’s first billboard to make drinking water out of thin air.(Source: https://bigthink.com/design-for-good/the-first-billboard-in-the-world-to-make-drinking-water-out-of-thin-air) There are more

molecules in a teaspoon of water than there are teaspoons of water in the Atlantic Ocean.(Source: https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/top10facts/782129/Top-ten-facts-water-aid-day)

World Water Day is on March 22 every year.(Source: http://worldwaterday.org/)

About 71 percent of the Earth’s surface is water-covered, and the oceans hold about 96.5 percent of all Earth’s water. Water also exists in the air as water vapor, in rivers and lakes, in icecaps and glaciers, in the ground as soil moisture and in aquifers.(Source: https://water.usgs.gov/edu/earthhowmuch.html)

An average family of four uses 881 gallons of water per week, just by flushing the toilet.(Source: http://www.sscwd.org/tips.html)

F A C T S


Water is one of the most important natural resources flowing from forests. The U.S. Forest Service manages the largest single source of water in the United States, with about 20 percent originating from 193 million acres of land.(Source: https://www.fs.fed.us/managing-land/national-forests-grasslands/water-facts)

Saltwater is denser than freshwater due to the sodium chloride dissolved in it. This means that a specific volume of saltwater is heavier than the same volume of freshwater.Source: https://sciencing.com/four-between-ocean-fresh-water-8519973.html

The Nile River is the longest river in the world at 4132 miles long.(Source: https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-water-around-world)

The amount of water on Earth now is the same amount as when the Earth was first formed. The water from your faucet could contain molecules that dinosaurs drank!(Source: https://www3.epa.gov/safewater/kids/waterfactsoflife.html)

Found in the Pacific Ocean, the Mariana Trench is the deepest known point in the world’s oceans.(Source: http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/water.html)

FRONT

Ever since 1908, when Nelson A. Taylor put the finishing touches on his first custom canvas piece, the Taylor Made name has been known for its legendary quality, innovation, and unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction.

As the world’s largest manufacturer of marine glazing systems and the undisputed leader in windshield technology for powerboats, Taylor Made Systems offers a large selection of custom-quality marine products — including manually and power actuated doors, roof systems, hatches, direct-bond glass and canvas enclosures.

www.taylormarine.com

MAKING WAVES SINCE 19082013

1966 1955 1959

1978

19962004

R V O P E N R O A D M A G . C O M

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>>Adventure into Long Canyon

Arrows and Bow

O N E C O N T R O L

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Q&A Interview Arrows and Bow

Brent Family OneControl Install

RV Glass 101

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FINDING JOY IN THE IN-BETWEEN

SMART HOME TECH MEETS THE RV LIFESTYLE

WITH DUNCAN SYSTEMS

The RV Doctor answers your

questions

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FAMILY ROOM® Turn the space under your awning into an enclosed outdoor patio with the Solera Family Room kit. Add up to 160 square feet of enclosed space so you can enjoy meals minus pesky insects. Or roll down the all-weather panels and use as a cozy sleeping area for kids.

SCREEN ROOM Keep the bugs out and enjoy the breeze with the Solera Screen Room. Its neutral tan material helps to block out extra heat, making the Solera Screen Room perfect for outdoor dining, board games and social gatherings on hot summer days.

OUR SOLERA® UNIVERSAL SHADES AND ROOMS FIT THE FOLLOWING:• Solera 8' Extension Classic,

Hybrid and 12V Power Awnings

• Dometic®* (A&E) 8' Extension 8500, 9000, 9100, Sunchaser and WeatherPro Awnings

• Carefree™** 8' Extension Spirit, Fiesta, Simplicity, Traveler and Eclipse Awnings

* Dometic® is a registered mark and logo owned by Dometic Sweden and A&E is a mark used by Dometic Group.

** Carefree™ and the Carefree logo are a mark and logo used by Carefree of Colorado, member of The Scott Fetzer Co.

WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including DEHP and other Phthalates, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov. Wash hands following installation or before eating.


>>RVOPEN ROAD

E D I TO RMary Willkom

D E S I G N E R SBrian Husek

Jim Labuzienski Chris Dawson

Daniel Williams

T EC H N I C A L E D I TO R

Gary Bunzer

CO N T R I B U TO R SSteve & Diane Owens Julie & Marc Bennett

Mary Willkom Lauren Hodges Mamie Hodges Brittany Olson Alex Bontrager

D I S T R I B U T I O NSteve Paul

Doug Hertel

S U B M I T A S TO RY I D E A

Please let us know what RV topics you’re most interested in

learning more about. Submit your story ideas at rvopenroad.com/

submit-a-story.

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HELLO, RV OPEN ROADERS!It’s been another wonderful summer in my home state of Indiana, and I hope your many travels and adventures this year have adequately refreshed your wanderlust-filled hearts before the cooler temps begin to set in.

This year has been no exception to the continuing trend of constant change, evolution and improvement that seems to be the main theme of life as we know it. Personally, I’ve continued to follow my travel-obsessed instincts and celebrated my 30th birthday along the Tyrrhenian Sea in Italy’s beautiful beach town of Positano. What an amazing adventure that was, and one I’m sure to never forget! Professionally, 2018 saw a tidal wave of new partnerships, new relationships, new lessons, and new markets to explore.

Looking AheadAt the beginning of this year, Lippert Components and Taylor Made became one company. Fusing solid business and quality products, it’s been an exciting year watching the two companies build their new relationship. As the Public Relations & Communications Manager for Lippert Components and now Taylor Made,

my dual role allows me the opportunity to explore new industries and markets. I can honestly say it’s been a fascinating year, diving into the world of boating and marine lifestyles. As an homage to the newly formed LCI + Taylor Made union, we wanted to create a volume of RV Open Road magazine that celebrates both the RV lifestyle AND the marine recreational lifestyle. In this special reverse issue, we’ve dedicated half of the magazine’s content to showcase just how exhilarating life on the water can be.

Who is Taylor Made? It was 1908 when Nelson A. Taylor made his first custom canvas piece for the boating industry. Taylor Made has since built a legacy of quality marine products that boaters all around the world have come to trust.

*As you might know, I have been Editor of RV Open Road magazine for the past two years. Over these past two years, I’ve been so fortunate to meet, work with, and ultimately become inspired myself, by you all. Your stories, courage and passion for life have set me on a path of adventure and exploration that I’m not entirely sure would have happened without you. So, to that end, I want to say, THANK YOU!

Editor's Letter

Mary Willkom, Editor

<><><><><>

Building Stronger Bonds

>>Meet the Thompsons. They just purchased an RV equipped with OneControl, the mission control for their RV. With the OneControl App, controlling and monitoring different functions for their RV has never been easier. Interested in what OneControl can do for you? Visit www.lci1.com/onecontrol to watch all the different ways OneControl has made the Thompson’s RVing experience better than ever!

The Mission Control for your RV!

Generator & HVAC Controller

Auto-Leveling Controls

Extend and retract multiple awnings

Extend and retract multiple slide-outs

Control multiple lighting zones

828310 One Control Meet the Thompsosns ad_6.indd 1 8/15/18 9:06 AM


G A R Y H A S P R O V I D E D I N S I G H T I N T O T R O U B L E S H O O T I N G , R E PA I R A N D P R E V E N T I V E R V M A I N T E N A N C E S I N C E 1 9 6 8

Attention on the RoofDear Gary, we purchased a relatively new travel trailer six months ago. I am fortunate that I can actually store it inside an insulated, heated building when I’m not on the road. When should I consider doing anything to the roof?

- Dan B.

You are indeed fortunate, Dan! The only thing you really need to do is perform a detailed inspection a

couple times a year and simply keep it clean. The fact that it is out of the weather when not in use is a huge advantage! Just keep an eye on all the seams, seals and all attaching points for the various components mounted up there. If you choose a cleaning or preserving product, be sure it is compatible with that type of roofing surface. At last count, there were about five or six different types of roof surfaces installed on RVs. Everything from aluminum, to EPDM rubber, to TPO and other various synthetics, and of course fiberglass. Be sure the cleaning product you purchase is indeed, applicable to the roof surface on your trailer. Read the label carefully! But diligent and thorough inspections and proactive maintenance should keep that roof in pristine condition for a very long time.

Another Roof ItemDear RV Doctor, I keep having a bunch of wasps build their nests inside my roof air conditioner. Do you have a way to stop them? Could you tell me the best way to protect the roof air conditioning from wasps? Is there some kind of screen to put on it to help?

- Rita R.

Rita, I’m assuming the critters are building their nest up there during

periods of non-use. Typically while using the air conditioner, they aren’t prone to stopping in and performing such construction while the fans and compressor are running. There is an assortment of air conditioner covers available in the aftermarket that should keep the wasps out during downtimes. Plus a cover will protect the shroud from deteriorating due to the UV and ozone bombardment of being exposed during storage times. If your local dealer does not stock A/C covers, a simple search on the web should reveal a ton of aftermarket options to consider. Just remember to remove the cover before operating the air condition-er. But a well-fitting cover, designed for your brand of air conditioner, will certainly deter those pests from getting in there to begin with.

Funky Furnace FailureDear Doc, last weekend we had to use our furnace overnight. We noticed that while it ran and heated well, after a few hours, it would go off and then on again; over and over until I finally had to manually turn it off. This past winter it ran fine. It did this both nights that we had to use it. Is there an easy answer to this? - Kyle P.

Kyle, it’s quite possible the furnace was cycling on limit. What that means is

that the limit switch, a normally closed safe-ty switch internal to the furnace housing, was sensing a higher than normal operating tem-perature and was shutting down the furnace. The question is what caused the high limit sit-uation? Especially if it has worked fine prior to this latest excursion. The most common cause for a higher than normal internal temperature is too many closed off floor registers or perhaps

a delivery duct has collapsed or kinked some-where in the distribution system. Then, after the furnace cools, the limit switch snaps closed again and the furnace starts back up, until the high temperature limit is exceeded once again. And the cycle continues. Open all the air ducts in the coach and look for the possibility of a kinked or a collapsed duct. This happenstance occurs easily if an exposed duct is installed in or near a storage area where you may have recent-ly placed cargo. Additionally, if all the ducts are

clean and free of restrictions, possibly the limit switch itself can be the culprit. A limit switch can be checked with any type of multimeter with a resistance scale. The switch will have but two terminals and should indicate continuity since it’s a normally closed switch. The limit switch is actually a bi-metal disc that can become fa-tigued over time and simply may have lost its integrity. A new one should be readily available at any well-stocked RV repair facility. But open those vents and look for a collapsed duct first.

A F U R N AC E L I M I T S W I TC H , A S A S A F E T Y D E V I C E , I S A N O R M A L LY C LOS E D, B I - M E TA L T H E R M A L S W I TC H T H AT O P E N S W H E N T H E T E M P E R AT U R E I N S I D E T H E F U R N AC E E N C LOS U R E E XC E E DS A C E RTA I N L I M I T

MOST ANY ROOF COMPONENT

SUCH AS YOU SEE HERE, CAN

LEAD TO EXTRA-NEOUS NOISES

AFFIL IATED WITH A MOTORHOME

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD

GB

GB

GB

THE RV DOCTOR'S

ORDERSG A R Y B U N Z E R+

>>

RV_OPEN_ROAD VOL.8 7

>>Q&A

Questions of general interest will appear in a future issue. Unfortunately, due to the heavy volume of correspondence received, personal replies are not possible. Additionally, all effort is made to ensure the correctness of Gary’s responses; however, not all responses will apply in every instance. Some situations may mandate a visual inspection and further hands-on testing. It is imperative that if you choose to follow any instructions or procedures outlined in the Doctor’s Orders column, you must first satisfy yourself thoroughly that neither personal nor product safety will be compromised or jeopardized. If you are in doubt or do not feel comfortable about a procedure, do not continue. Simply call your local RV service facility and make an appointment with them. Remember, the advice, recommendations and procedures offered by the RV Doctor are solely those of Gary. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions, procedures and recommendations of Lippert Components, this publication or any of its advertisers.

V I S I T T H E RV D O C TO R

Be sure to visit the RV Doctor at

www.rvdoctor.com

+

@

Dear RV Doc, we have a loud whistling noise when traveling over 55 mph; particularly with a head wind. A technician moved the mirrors out saying that it would fix the problem, but it didn’t. I’ve already filled in all of the possible openings in the firewall with foam. Do you have any other suggestions? Also, equally challenging, I have an occasional blockage of the black water tank at the exit of the drainpipe into the tank. The solution to clearing the blockage is to stick a hose down there; a messy unpleasant job. All previous coach-es have had the toilet positioned directly over the tank. This floor plan requires a double 45-degree angle into the tank. Consequently, solids enter the tank at a slower speed, and the tank depth is less at that entry point than at the rest of the tank. I’ve discontinued using the Sani-Con ll together because by dumping the fluids first, it mere-ly exacerbates the problem. I had an extension added to the back flush on the tank so that it is now at the position on the tank where the solids exit as opposed to the far left of the tank. Upon returning home, I’ll remove the flush and drill a hole in the end. The “nozzles” spray in multiple directions and it should help if I can get a more concentrated spray directly on the solids that accumulate at the entrance to the tank. Any additional suggestions that you may have will be greatly appreciated.

- Joe G.

Joe, the whistling problem can be a real nuisance and

a harder disturbance to trouble-shoot as well. The dynamics of air passing over a moving vehicle is an interesting study. Almost any thing or combination of things can con-tribute to the whistling noise; roof accoutrements, the curve of the front cap, open windows or vents, etc. It is very specific to each RV. The obvious culprits could be the air horns, TV and radio antennas, certain curved moldings on side-walls, ill-fitting windshield, faulty window sealants, etc. This is a tough one to diagnose, especially via long distance! A detailed inspection of everything on the roof and at the front of the coach is in order. Look for loose moldings, gaps in the side-wall, etc. I’ve even seen wind deflec-tors installed in front of air horns and

antennas to decrease the chance of wind noise, but I have no proof that it truly helped. If the noise is caused by air actually entering the RV while driving, I’d suggest you seek a shop equipped with a Sealtech machine. This test, which I fully endorse, pres-surizes the interior of the coach and determines any breach into the RV through gaps or failed sealants (sealtechusa.com).Now, about your solid waste holding tank - It is unfortunate that the toilet drain contains two 45-degree ells before entering the tank. Though code compliant, I personally never liked that design, but when coupled with an offset shelf built into the holding tank itself, it simply worsens the situation. To gain more veloci-ty while dumping, always evacuate when the holding tank is nearly full, even if you have to add fresh water

to top it off. Refilling the holding tank with fresh water and dumping again will indeed help, though it adds to the time element. It is recommend-ed to refill and dump all holding tanks in this manner when practical anyway. And be sure to use an en-zyme-based, live bacteria additive to help reduce the mass of the solid waste. Using copious amounts of water during each flush of the toilet will help, but it appears you are really at the mercy of that particular floor-plan. Another option is to replace the toilet with a macerator toilet, whereby the macerator is integral to the toilet itself and not a separate component utilized at the holding tank. All waste entering the holding tank will be pre-macerated before it even enters the tank. This will re-duce the chance of the solid waste forming into that dreaded pyramid.

Whistle While You Drive A S K T H E RV D O C TO R

Got a technical question you want some advice on?

Email The RV Doctor Gary Bunzer at

[email protected] and he’ll consider

answering your question in the next issue.

GB

WITH A MACERATOR TOILET SUCH AS THIS,

ALL WASTE CAN BE DIRECTED TO THE

HOLDING TANK THROUGH A MUCH SMALLER , FLEXIBLE

HOSE, RATHER THAN THROUGH A RIGID,

3-INCH ABS DRAIN PIPE

INFO

G A R Y B U N Z E R

<><><>

8 RV_OPEN_ROAD VOL.8>>

Q: What led you to start full-time RVing? A: I was looking for the next thing; always looking for the next thing. We lived not that far from here in a five bedroom, 2800-square-foot home. Not necessarily planning on doing anything, but looking for our next big project. I found this land, decided to buy it and in the meantime, we were thinking, what do we do? Do we live in an apartment? Apartments were so expensive; one bedroom was way more than our mortgage was for the five bedrooms. I had a hard time with that. We have this great big backyard and now I have my kids on the second floor of an apartment complex that I can’t send outside. It almost sounds worse than just living on our land in an RV. So, RV came up as an option. Tiny houses came up as an option. But even a tiny house is $60.000-$70,000 and we’re trying to build a house here. We started RV shopping, and we saw this one with the three bunkbeds in the back and we were so naïve thinking, “oh my gosh, somebody made this FOR US”. We bought it and I knew for sure I wanted to renovate it. I had just started six months prior my blog and my Instagram, and I knew I worked really hard. I had hit 7,000 followers, I wanted to do something. And, with my creativity, I need to work on something. Dino was right on board. I had done a ton of research and I hadn’t really seen anyone do it the way I had envisioned it yet. It was

like, half way there. People painted the cabinets and painted the inside, but nobody did real tile, nobody refaced the cabinets yet; nobody took it to the level that I wanted it to be at. I remember reading this one blog about this old man and this woman, they were living in an RV like 6 months out of the year. And they said, no matter what you do, just make it feel like a home and then you won’t feel misplaced. So that was my goal the whole time: I want to make it feel like our house.

Q: How was downsizing from a five bedroom home to an RV?

A: In packing up our house, we sold pretty much everything. I get a high off downsizing, I love that so much. So, I got rid of everything. Because I fig-ured also, when we go to build this dream home, it’s going to be set up differently. And I want the right table, and I didn’t want to make our pieces try to fit. We got rid of everything. We had half of a storage unit and then I took little pieces out of the house that I wanted to incorporate in here. I had my one Serena & Lily dining chair on the end here; I had five of them in our old house. Just so we had little pieces that reminded us of our house.

Q: What was your mission with renovating the RV?

A: I wanted it to feel like home. I knew I wanted to do white, everything was so dark and dingy. It’s a small space too; 180 square feet. And I knew that

While visiting with the Petrone’s, we had the pleasure of getting to explore Josephine the Airstream! For those of you that didn’t follow along with this journey, Ashley and Dino flipped a 24-foot long, 1964

International Land Yacht Airstream, they named her Josephine and she was designed “with functionality and sweet simplicity in mind”. Be sure to follow Josephine’s journey on Instagram: @josephinetheairstream.

What does the RV life mean to you? For some it’s a lifestyle and others it’s a hobby. Is it a getaway? A camping trip?

Your next project? Or a home? For Ashley Petrone, having her

family begin their journey of full-time RVing was just meant

to be the next “thing” for them. Thousands of people have made

it their mission to follow and support the Arrows and Bow

blog and social media channels, following alongside Ashley as

she tells the story of her family of five living full-time in their RV, while sharing her creative

inspirations and project as well. There are social influencers all over the world sharing a pretty

picture and gaining followers; but what makes Arrows and

Bow different? The tell-all that Ashley gives. She shares the smiles, the tears, the

frustration and the joy. She hides nothing from us, from

organization in a tiny home, to parenting and marriage

along the way.

with Ashley Petrone of Arrows and Bow

Q A&

Finding joy in the

in-between

B Y A L E X B O N T R A G E R

Q & A

@ar

row

sand

bow

@ab

ont

23


Before Ashley and Dino Petrone said farewell to their home on wheels, they decided to send it away to its new owners with a brand-new awning. Brian Humphrey, Lippert Components Technician, walked Dino through the entire process from removing the old awning, to in-stalling the new Solera® Smart Arm™ 12V Power Awning. The Solera Smart Arm Awning by Lippert Components, comes with many “smart” features including a one-

touch button to extend and retract, one-touch safety lock, optional awning rail lighting, multi-level wind sensing technology and an optional infrared security system. Best of all, these new features are all accessible from a weatherproof controller built right into the awning arm itself, making for easy and convenient access without having to go inside the RV to operate the switches. It’s not called the Smart “ARM” for nothing!

Ashley has taught us that, “You can choose to adapt;

you can do it”. The Petrone’s are off to northern California

to find their next big thing! They’re

moving out of their RV lifestyle, and their next phase

includes a fabulous fixer upper to flip

and renovate. Maybe even another

Airstream could be in their future for

fun. And as for the RV? It has gone to its new home with

Danny, Katie and Gracie Quesada

(Instagram: @katiequesada and

@dannyquesada). I think I speak for

all in saying that we look forward

to following both journeys.

S O W H AT ’ S

N E X T ?

Alexandra Bontrager is a Digital Marketing Coordinator for Lippert Components. Her tenacious spirit has her on a search for adventurous influencers and bloggers to bring to light and share with the world. Follow her on instagram @abont23.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

@ar

row

sand

bow

I wanted to reface the cabinets, too. And because I was doing design work already, I worked with a cabinet guy that just came in and measured everything. We even re-configured some of the door faces so they looked more modern. I felt that made such a huge impact in here. It was such a simple thing and it wasn’t really expensive, but it was one of the biggest things. That even in a house can make an older house look new. Everything we did was on a budget. I shopped at IKEA and Target and Amazon, pretty much for everything. It took a little while to figure a few things out. Q: How was the transition as a

family, moving a family of five to an RV?

A: It was nice at the beginning. I homes-chooled in here as well for the first couple of months and then we realized that we were not going to do that anymore. This last year was their first year in traditional school, because I homeschooled them their entire lives. It was a little difficult in the summertime because it was so hot. And then just figuring out how to live here, how to coexist altogether in the same space without real walls or doors separating you.

Q: How do you deal with conflict and facing issues in a small space?

A: I remember, I stomped off one time. I went behind this door because I was mad and I just started laughing. I was like what am I doing? There’s no place for me to hide here. But it’s so good because it makes you kind of deal with everything. You’re stuck figuring it out. There’s nowhere to stomp off to, you could slam a cabinet door. And it’s the same way with the kids. Just figuring out how to deal with everybody. You find out how each of your kids work and then how you deal with each one. And I just had to realize I had to give myself a lot of grace. To be ok with the floor being dirty and los-ing my cool, and then at the end of the day

being like, I am not a bad mom for living in an RV, tomorrow is a new day and you start fresh.. I would say that out of everything these last 17 months has given us, that has been the biggest gift; it really stretched us and grew us a lot because it can be difficult living in a small space together full-time.

Q: What else has helped you get acquainted with your new lifestyle?

A: I think, with every decision that Dino and I make, we will pray about it. We like to walk through doors if they’re open. If we feel good about it and we feel aligned with it, then we’ll walk through the door. And if it shuts, then we know that it’s not the right thing for us. We prayed about it and it was the right thing for us to do. Even when we had hard days and maybe would question what we were doing and wondering if it was crazy, we knew we were being obedient to where God wanted us to be and so that’s what got us through. And, I think just reassuring each other on those hard days helped; we were really rocks for one another. We balance each other out well in that way. Just knowing this is where we’re supposed to be. I have had so many times in my life where I’ve seen these short stints of time where I feel like I can’t see the result and I just don’t see how it could be possible. And faith has shown me to wait a little bit, adjust and it’s all be-comes way better. I have had these opportunities to be able to see that.

Q: Where are you headed next on your journey? A: I kind of have a thing where when people start doing the same thing that I’m doing, I want to move on to the next thing. Not in a prideful way, it’s just something that’s fun for me. I kind of want to do something different. But really, Dino found this new job up north. When we went up a couple of weeks ago, we went with full intentions of bringing the RV. That was our goal. We both said, we want to bring the RV, we’re going to live in the RV. He’ll work at this job, we’ll go to an RV park and that will be really fun and different for the kids and for our family; a new experience. So, we went up there, started looking at RV parks, again praying every step of the way. And as we were going through them, we both just looked at each other in the car and we were like, nope we’re done. Out of nowhere. We’re not going to bring the RV, we’re going to sell it. We’re going to do something else.

@devonvprep


SOLUTIONS IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND.


SOLUTIONS IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND.

The myLCI® app gives you direct access to Lippert

Components’ vast library of product information, photos and videos as

well as customer support materials like owner’s

manuals, part lists and LCI informational sheets.

Download the myLCI® app for iOS and Android devices today!

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A N I N T E RV I E W W I T H R O B E RT & D E L’ R H E A B R E N T

BY M A RY W I L L KO M

No Limits: How Smart Home Tech Made the RV Lifestyle a Reality

for our Family

When Robert Brent became disabled during an Army combat training exercise in 2009, he began to seriously consider how

his injury had affected his lifestyle and his future plans. Without missing a beat, Robert Brent set out to

make his dream of full-time RVing a reality, disability be damned.

I N T E R V I E W


>>Meet the Brent familyRobert, his wife Del’Rhea, their two children and two dogs, knew that the RV lifestyle would be a major transition for their family, disability or not. After experimenting with smart tech at their Glen Burnie, Maryland home, Robert was con-vinced that similar tech systems could be possi-ble in an RV. The Brent’s scoured the internet for smart home technology that could be installed in their travel trailer.

The Brent Family meets OneControlWorking with the Customer Service team from Lippert Compo-nents, the family drove from their Maryland home to Elkhart, Indiana (AKA the RV Capital of the World), where LCI service techs installed OneControl® smart

home technology in the Brent family’s travel trailer. And, Voila! With just the push of a smartphone app button, Robert and his family can now automatically control their unit’s leveling, lighting, slide-outs, awnings, and HVAC systems.

What OneControl RVing means to us“For me, OneControl is useful because I’m a tech guy. I always have gadgets in my house, voice-control, lights, all of that. The One- Control system was really the only one I could find on the market for RVs and it does more than I was even looking to do. Being disabled and not being able to get in and out, the auto hitch height memory feature of the leveling system is definitely beneficial.

Just push a button and its ready to go.”

– Robert Brent

The Brent’s were not strangers to smart home technology be-fore using OneControl in their RV. At their Maryland home, the family had wired the house with Amazon’s voice-controlled Alexa, giving them the convenience of phone and voice-control oper-ations. After purchasing their travel trailer, they knew they had to have similar technology for their home on wheels.

“The whole purpose of having a camper and being able to travel and take the kids is to enjoy life and enjoy what we have to offer in our country. Not having that added stress makes our journey a little bit sweeter.”

- Del’Rhea Brent

And, Voila! With just the

push of a smartphone app button,

Robert and his family can now automatically control their

unit’s leveling, lighting,

slide-outs, awnings, and

HVAC systems.

T E L E V I S I O N

S T A B I L I Z E R J A C K S

G E N E R A T O R

H V A C

T I R E P R E S S U R E

A W N I N G S

L E V E L I N G

S L I D E S

L I G H T I N G

TA K E CO N T RO L

OneControl technology lets users remotely control

and monitor many RV systems from a smartphone or the

touch-screen myRV tablet.


MileageOur course, one of the big questions we get is “what kind of mileage do you get?” and the way we view mileage and fuel costs is by combining our driving across both the RV and MINI. Individually, the RV gets, on average, 7 mpg as long as we stay under speeds of 60 mph. After that, the RV sucks the fuel down like crazy and since we’re in no hurry, we usually stick to driving in the sweet spot of 55-60mph. The MINI gets around 28 mpg on average, and as you can see, we do around two-thirds of our actual driving miles in the MINI as that’s what we go out exploring in. Of course, the cheap fuel prices of the last 12 to 18 months have been fantastic for people like us who like to drive a lot, and fuel is a variable expense. If you want to spend less on gas, you simply stay longer in one location and don’t drive very far to the next one! But, while gas prices are cheap, we’re taking advantage of the opportunity to see as much of the country as we can!

CampingWe’re really more glampers than campers, but we also aren’t afraid to spend the night in a Walmart parking lot to break up a cross-country drive or hang out in the middle of the desert for a stint of dry camping, either! However, we prefer to mostly stay at campgrounds with hookups, and as you can see, we stay within the Thousand Trails (TT) network as much as possible to keep our campground costs down. We don’t stay in TT exclusively – we enjoy staying at higher end places in popular locations (like Niagara Falls) as well, but the way we see it, our cheap (free) TT stays help to offset the more expensive campground rates, which brings our average nightly fee down substantially to just $15 over the course of a year.

Other ExpensesWe share the details of what it cost us to keep our RV running and taken care of in our blog post, 2 years of RV repairs and service costs. We didn’t include expenses such as eating out, entertain-ment and groceries as a part of our first year costs as that can be such an indi-vidual thing, depending heavily on what, how much and where you like to eat! We also didn’t include our RV payment as again, this will vary widely depending on the rig you choose and whether you pay for it outright or have a payment on it. But, our RV payment is substantially lower than what our mortgage, HOA and utilities cost back when we had a stick and brick home! We hope this snapshot gives you a good sense of the kinds of expenses to consider and just how affordable the full-time RV lifestyle can be – if you plan according to your preferred travel style and budget.

Snapshot: A Year of Full-Time RV Living & Costs

Marc and Julie Bennett live, work and travel from their motorhome full-time. Since hitting the road in 2014, they have visited all 50 U.S. states (48 in their RV), Canada, Mexico and Australia. They are the authors of “Living the RV Life - Your Ultimate Guide to Life on the Road”, run online courses at RV Success School, and share their adventures on YouTube and their blog. Discover more on their website www.RVLove.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Julie & Marc Bennett of RV Love

Want a snapshot of the RV lifestyle?

Curious about

how many miles we

drove, our expenses

and the places we

stayed?

Here’s a visual snapshot summary of “A Year of Full-time RV Living” based on our experiences during our first full year of living full-time in our RV in 2015. While this data can vary widely depending on how and where you like to stay, how far you travel and how reliable (or costly) your RV is to maintain, we hope this infographic will give you a bit of a feel for OUR RV lifestyle, travels and expenses. Enjoy!

I N F O

BikeWing & BikeBase (Hitch-IT sold separately) for use on trailers in tow

BikeWing & Bump-IT (sold separately) for use

on tow vehicle hitch

BikeWing, Stinger & PowerTower (Jack-IT sold separately) for use

over RV tongue jacks

Imagine on your next RV trip there are some great bike trails, but because you don’t have any type of bicycle carrier for your vehicles, you have to leave your bikes at home.

That would be a shame, because the BikeWing offers several configurations to attach a bicycle carrier to your hitch vehicle, trailer or over your RV’s tongue jack, securing two bikes at once.

Visit your nearby RV dealership or visit www.lci1.com/jack-it to order your better bike carrier today.

Because the road can only take you so far.

Bump-IT_Hitch-IT_Jack-IT ad_3.indd 1 8/14/18 3:54 PM


M By Stephen & Diane Owens

Adventure into Long Canyon

MOAB, UTAH IN THE SPRING IS ONE CRAZY WILD TOWN; 4-wheeling is a very popular activity. This was our second visit to Canyonland; my urge to drive into the deep canyons was peaking. We had made reservations for a stay at Spanish Trails, an ideal RV Park just outside of town. For the next few days, our 4x4 Jeep would be our vehicle of choice. Long Canyon and Pucker Pass had a mystical appeal as I watched 4-wheelers entering the road into the backcountry of Dead Horse State Park. The yearning was just too great. I wanted to go down into the canyon and experience a new adventure. We spoke with a Park Ranger and he assured us we would have no problems, so I decided to give it a go. Diane was not too thrilled about going into the canyon – ranger’s assurance or not.

We examined the park map carefully. What we didn’t know was what to expect. The first several miles we traveled on a simple, red sandy road. Suddenly the road was nothing but pebbles and small rocks. We reached Pucker Pass without effort and began our descent, the road constantly narrowing. We moved into a sharp S-turn, and unexpectedly, the roadway changed again – no standard vehicle would be advised to drive further. This was 4-wheel country.Shifting to low gear and to 4-wheel drive, we proceeded into the opening of Long Canyon. I can’t fully describe our sensation. It is something one must experience first hand. Huge walls of sheer red rock on one side and nothing on the other except air. Shoulders, you ask – what shoulders? The trail twists and turns and seems to be changing by the yard. “God” I said, “I hope no one is coming up; there’s no place for passing.”

>

COVER ARTICLE

+

R V O R V O L 8


We descended more quickly with a wall of solid rock intensifying on each side. Fallen boulders on the road from the heights above required careful maneuvering. We could see an opening in the narrows ahead, proceeding carefully and slowly around a curve, we were abruptly faced with a significant obstacle before us. I pulled over near a small widening of the road and walked down to check the road condition. I yelled back to Diane, “Wow! How the heck are we going to get over this?” I was examining my first major difficulty; on the driver’s side was a hole; a big deep crater of a hole. The ranger had said, “you won’t have any problems!” Well sir, I’m not looking at an average pothole! No - this hole was an axle-breaking hole. On the passenger’s side, the road dropped 12 to 14 inches sharply onto rocks, big rocks, piled like a pyramid in the center. I’m puzzled, looking at the obstacle, when Diane joins me. She took one look and conceded, “We can’t go any further.” Just then, a bike rider appeared. He said, “That’s really an ugly spot. Really ugly!” I continued to survey the “ugly spot,” knowing others had conquered it. I thought – what if I place my left tire on the big rocks and let my right tire drop easily to the base of the rock pyramid? I would have to keep to the high side to protect my under carriage. Perhaps then we could make it! Back at the Jeep, Diane suggested we turn around and go back. “It’s just too precarious and besides we are alone.” “Yeah! I guess it would be best to go back?” With Diane directing me, I proceeded to make a ten point turn without hitting the rock walls. During my turn, I noticed another 4x4 SUV approaching the canyon opening. He stopped as I began to drive uphill; he approached me on foot. I pulled to the side “What’s the problem?” he asked. “Bad road conditions ahead!” “Yeah, well let’s take a look.”

At the obstacle, Bob asked us to direct him onto and over specific rocks. As I guessed, tire placement was the answer. Carefully, one foot, one rock at a time, Bob inched his vehicle over the rough spot until the SUV was over and on solid ground. Amazing! Bob asked, “Do you want to try it? I’ll guide you over the rocks.”I doubted myself. The spot still looked very ugly.

Bob said “you can do it, it’s a non-event.”I turned the Jeep around and began the descent. Diane thought I was crazy! As I approached the boulders, I could feel the adrenaline building and flowing through me. I was pumped. This was so exciting. Bob began to direct me – foot by foot, the Jeep was getting closer and closer to the hole. Diane was holding the passenger safety handle with both hands. She had a white knuckle grip on it. This was not her cup of tea!I focused completely on Bob’s instructions going ever so slowly, turning the steering wheel ever so slightly to place each tire in its proper place. We could feel the uplift, the drop, then the uplift, the rocking side to side, the bounce from rock to rock and finally the back end sliding down deep into the hole. Uplift from the rear, a little more forward, just one more rear up and down, and then finally, solid road. We made it. That was the most exhilarating and breathtaking experience I’d had in a long time! Diane began to relax, ever so slightly, as both vehicles began the downward descent into the heart of Long Canyon. The road down is littered with large stones and gigantic boulders and above is a solid wall on each side, so close at times you can reach out and touch them. Looking up 300 to 400 feet are rocks- boulders, delicately balanced on the edge of the sheer cliff. They appear ready to fall at any moment. Are we to face more situations like this? Will they be more intense? Bob is leading the

way – showing and teaching me with each new obstacle whatever the road had to offer.Large rocks scattered along the road gave testament to the fact that they do fall. How fre-quently? Anyone’s guess. I could tell Diane was nervous, she scarcely said a word and failed to take pictures. She kept looking up, watching the boulders above, appearing almost as if to

be checking that they were still in place. As we snaked around another S-curve, an imposing rock had created a tunnel across the road. How neat! I asked, “Diane can you take a picture as I drive through it?” Our trip took over an hour and half to travel the entire distance and although it was late, I was still pumped up. When we reached the sanctuary of the valley, Diane told me she was very frightened for our safety, she pictured all kinds of weird things happening. But despite the nerves, just getting a taste of 4-wheeling in the rocky wilderness was fantastic. We both felt it was a very exciting day. Diane can’t wait to do it again – just kidding. How often in life do we give up before we really try? Bobby’s confidence and can-do

attitude changed my thinking. He gave me confidence that yes, I could get through that “ugly” obstacle, and with focused effort and a little courage, we made it safely down the canyon. A challenge faced and won. I will never forget our experience in Long Canyon.

The road down is littered with large stones and gigantic boulders and above is a solid wall on each side, so close at times you can reach out and touch them.

Steve and Diane are retired and have led a happy nomadic life on the American Highway for the past 12 years. They have traveled in a Class A motor coach to all 50 states and most of the Canadian Provinces without an agenda or schedule. The photographer is Diane and Steve loves to write about their experiences and sights. Steve and Diane can be contacted at [email protected].

ABOUT THE AUTHORS


+An Interview with Brent Watson of

Duncan Systems RV Glass Repair

RV G L A S S101

What to Know When Replacing and Repairing Your RV’s Windshield

I N T E R V I E W


Q. What are the main things I should know when replacing my RV’s windshield?

A. Not every auto glass shop, RV dealership, and/or body shop is equipped or qualified to install RV glass. Mobile service is commonplace in standard auto, but presents a challenge with RV glass. Q. Should I have my RV windshield replaced

by the manufacturer?A. It’s never a bad idea to consult with your RV’s manufacturer for windshield repairs or replacement, but there are qualified RV glass service shops nationwide. I’d estimate that less than 10 percent of RV windshields are actually replaced by the manufacturer.

Q. Where do I begin when I know I need to replace or repair my windshield?

A. If it’s a covered loss (i.e. insurance or warranty), it’s a similar process to what you’d follow when you encounter damage to your car’s windshield or side wall glass. Typically, the back of most insurance cards will provide a process to follow when you need to replace or repair your RV’s windshield. In the event that your insurance or warranty does not cover the damage, you should contact the dealership or manufacturer you purchased your RV from.

Q. How long is the process of replacing my RV’s windshield?

A. This greatly depends on the situation and the extent of the damage. There are many variables that can affect how long it takes to have your RV’s windshield replaced.

Q. What kind of glass is used for RV windshields? Is it the same as my car’s windshield?

A. RV windshields are made with Department of Transportation (DOT) certified laminated safety glass.

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A

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Q. What about side wall glass? A. Side wall glass on an RV is not the same as the side wall glass used on automotive vehicles. Unlike a car, there are usually longer lead times because many of the older units still on the road today have to be custom built as a one-off product. Also, unlike a car, the side wall glass is not bonded into vehicle.

Q. Are there different features or “upgrades” among RV glass types?

A. Duncan Systems and LCI have some very cool features for side windows. These features range from insulated glass to frameless and bonded windows and more! With new technology, we are experimenting with even more window options for shade and safety.

Q. Is there a quick fix to repair or replace my RV’s windshield or glass?

A. No. This is where people often get into trouble. Usually, RV glass that needs to be replaced or repaired has been structurally damaged or a necessary safety feature has been affected. It’s never a good idea to attempt a DIY fix when it comes to your RV’s glass.

Q. How do I get my RV to the service center if the windshield is cracked?

A. Since RV windshields and glass are DOT certified laminated glass, normally it’s safe to drive your unit to a nearby repair facility. More often than not, it’s the outer pane that is broken and will not pose a safety threat if taken care of responsibly and in a timely manner. But, as always, be sure to use good judgment when making this decision.

RV G L A S S101

For more information, visit www.rvglass.com

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