Steph and Dud's RV page

YOU ARE VISITOR NUMBER:

[UNDER CONSTRUCTION]

[Last update: 2/06]

Welcome to our RV page.  If you have anything to add (like another link, a favorite campground, or if you have pictures of your RV you want to share) just drop us a line.  

Email:  http://members.aol.com/stephndudb/email.html

If you ever see our rig in a campground please stop by and say "Hi."  You should be able to recognize it...

Our local weather:

Click for Andover, Connecticut Forecast


FIRST TIME VISITORS START HERE:

ABOUT THIS SITE (or: Notes from a Newbie)

map 

OUR CONTINUING ADVENTURES

1999

2000

2001

THE PURCHASE (Notes vol. 2)

A NEW MILLENNIUM (?)

PRESENTS AND SNOW
BRINGING IT HOME (Notes vol. 3) AN RV SHOW / NICE 5er SNOW, SHOW, AND NEW GO
THE FIRST TRIP (Notes vol. 4) A VISIT TO THE PAST NEW RIDE, NEW DRIVE
IMPORTANT UPDATE! FLIPPING OUT MENAGERIE
CAMPING WITH THE DOG (Notes vol. 5) GREEN MOUNTAINS RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY
A STEPHNDUDB CAMPOUT (Notes vol. 6) THREE TRIPS AND A CHANGE THIS SUCKS (AND BLOWS, TOO)
DRY CAMPING (Notes vol. 7) LAST TRIP OF '00 BIG TRIP '01
THE BIG ONE (Notes vol. 8) HAPPY THANKSGIVING A NEW WORLD
WRAPPING UP '99 (Notes vol. 9)
ADVENTURES WITH GPS (Notes vol. 10)

2002

RAINDROPS ON ROSES...
2002 RVs
TIRED and FIRST TRIP
YELLOWSTONE TRIP


Considering the RV lifestyle but don't know anything about it?

Click here to go to our RV Types page where we discuss the pros and cons of each type of RV.  

The RVIA website also lists the various types of RVs with some basic information about each.  This is an industry website, so there is not much discussion of the limitations of each type.


How does the Hensley Arrow hitch work?  Click here for a simple and understandable explanation.


A few words about "tow ratings" and "dry weights"

Information about the "A'Weigh We Go" program and the RV Weight & Tire Safety Handbook


Tired of "messing" with that 3" sewer hose?

Check out Delbert Warner's review of the Sewer Solution


IF YOU TOW WITH AN SUV:

Check out this new website:

RV SUV Club


CHECKLISTS:

A lot of RVers swear by checklists, and we have found that using them makes life a lot easier.  We have two checklists: one big one that includes everything in the trailer (we use this to pack for trips) and a short one that we use when traveling to make hooking up and moving out easier.  Sadly we can't take most of the credit for these lists.  They are based on a list we found somewhere on the internet.  Here they are in MS Word (v.7.0) format:

pre-trip check list              quick checklist


Looking for something with more amenities than a pop-up but still light enough to tow with a smaller vehicle?  How about a "hybrid" - a small hard-sided TT with fold-down canvas bunks on the ends.  Click here to read an owner's review.

Here's another detailed review by a new hybrid owner - Kurt Backus

Here's Kurt again with an new hybrid and an updated review.


Okay, we've talked alot about the Hensley Arrow hitch, what about the other "no-sway" hitch - the Pullrite?  Click here to read Kurt Backus' comments on his new Pullrite system.  (updated 10/14/99)


How about the Equal-i-zer hitch?  Here are reviews from 3 people -  one who is using the Equal-i-zer, one who switched from the Equal-i-zer to a Hensley, and one who has used both the Equal-i-zer and a PullRite:

Click here to read a review by an Equal-i-zer owner.

Click here to read a review by someone who switched from the Equal-i-zer to a Hensley.

Click here to read a review by someone who has used both the Equal-i-zer and a PullRite.


Attn:  Travel Trailer owners.  Here's a great article from Trailer Life called

CONTROLLING SWAY


There is a great debate on whether or not it is safe to leave your propane on so you can run your refrigerator while traveling.  Here is an article about a fatal fire sparked by an RV at a gas station.


ATTN: GPS / DeLORME STREET ATLAS USERS

I have taken the list of free/low-cost campgrounds from Free boondocking or overnight camping spots [this site is under construction and currently does not show all the sites I have plotted] and plotted them onto a DeLorme Street Atlas (ver. 6.0) file.  This file should be viewable with Street Atlas version 6 or higher and shows the locations of approximately 500 free/low-cost sites on a map of the U.S.  The campground list is on the accompanying text file and should be cross-referenced with the SA map to get crucial information about each site.  The sites vary from primative no hookup sites on Bureau of Land Management land to full hookup sites in town parks.  Prices range from free to $5/night.  With the map and list you can find the closest site and even plot a route to it.  This is even easier when used in conjuction with a GPS unit.  Here are the files:

FREECAMPING.SA6

BdMAPEDIT1.txt

Thanks to Tom Fisher I now have the map data on a MS Streets 2001 file.  Here it is:

FreeSites.est


Click for Links page

updated 4/28/02


By request:

Here's a couple more pictures of our dog, Tessie, camping:                                           [143K]


By the way...

If any of you are interested in die-cast models of fire and EMS rescue vehicles, visit my Rigs Page to see a few pics of my collection.      -DB


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