Want to keep you tent trailer cool in the summer?
Check out PopUp Gizmos!!
Hiking with Joyce at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve
Today Joyce and I did a hike in the area of Big Morongo Canyon. A day of hiking with Joyce is a great day. She doesn’t have the slightest interest in backpacking, but that is okay. For the past 4 weeks I have been away from home almost every day. Finally was able to spend some time at home with Joyce and promised to do some hiking. When I got up from bed this morning and went outside, the sky was overcast gray. Looked like smog. It is spring, and with spring come strong winds as the desert heats up. The gray was sand and dust in the air, and the Palm Trees were bending in the wind. Not great hiking weather.
Continue reading Hiking with Joyce at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve
2006 Fleetwood Niagara Storage Solutions
One of the reasons we purchased our 2006 Fleetwood Niagara was because of all the extra storage it had compared to our much smaller 1992 Starcraft Meteorite. We were just tired of packing stuff for each trip and hauling it out to our tow vehicle on every trip. A large camper would allow to store just about everything we needed for camping in the camper itself. But the storage in the Niagara wasn’t optimal for our use. Here are a few things we did…
Open Letter to the Backpacking Cottage Industry
Last week I had dinner with a fellow lightweight backpacker. We were discussing gear (surprise, surprise) and our experiences with the cottage industry manufacturers. We both agreed that we no longer do business with the same companies because of their lack of communication and status updates. Both of us have purchased gear from most of the backpacking cottage companies, and we’re 100% in agreement on the companies we no longer wish to do business with. In all instances we agreed the products were top notch; we also agreed that your service sucks, and as such we are no longer willing to do business with you.
Continue reading Open Letter to the Backpacking Cottage Industry
Chaffing & Jock Itch
I often hear or see hikers post questions asking for help in reducing “chafing” when walking. I never have this problem when hiking, but I did have a “chafing” problem for a period of about a month when I was in my 30’s. What I learned may be of help to others.
Note: I am not a doctor or medical professional so this is anecdotal and based only on my experience.
Springtime = REI Dividend Time
Every spring many hikers, backpackers, campers, and others look forward to their REI dividend check. REI (Recreational Equipment Incorporated) is a co-op that operates retail stores and online sales. Founded in 1938, each year members receive a dividend based on their previous year’s purchases.
Solar for Backpacking?
Recently I wrote about our RV solar system, which is the best and most favorite modification done to our tent trailer camper. Do I use solar when backpacking? The answer is a simple, “No.” However, some backpackers find them useful. If you are one who is wondering about using solar as part of your backpacking kit, this article might be interesting or even helpful.
Tent Trailer Awnings
If a tent trailer comes with an awning from the dealer, it is usually one of the bottom of the line awful A&E awning. We replaced the awnings on both of our tent trailers with better options.
Why walk (or hike, or backpack)?
Last fall I was visiting a client’s location in a small town in Pennsylvania. The weather was grayish and the temperature brisk, but it was the peak of the season’s autumn colors. The road in front of my client’s location look slowly rose to meet a small hill; a hill covered in multi-colored leaves. I asked a couple people how far it was to the top of the hill, “a mile or two,” was the consensus.
The Hilton Alarm Clock
What’s Up With That?
When I travel, I normally prefer to stay in Hilton properties. One unique feature about Hilton’s are their standard alarm clock. Easy to set alarms, buttons that have pre-programmed music by genre, automatic adjustment for daylight savings time, and backup battery to keep time in the event of a power failure and the inability to adjust the time.
By not having a “time set” the objective is to not allow housekeeping personnel or guests to change the time. The theory is that the time will never be wrong. Great idea; but often great theories don’t work in the real world. So if you want to learn how to set the time on a Hilton Alarm Clock, instructions follow.