Issue 31: CHANGABLE SUMMER CLIMATE
Diary published weekly since 2001
Read the FULL Newsy Diary on-line HERE
TIPS THIS WEEK ARE PLENTIFUL
We have recently discovered three outstanding CLEANING PRODUCTS…
***#1 The first is ADVANTAGE from Go Clean.com. This product was specially designed for Mary Findley’s (a.k.a. Mary Moppin’s) site. John has been using Advantage to polish the upper portion of the LUXOR and it once again sparkles. He added a second coat for outstanding results. Mary wrote a great article of tips for cleaning RVers HERE. Click on the ‘Go Clean’ banner and then onto ‘RV’ for an abundance of more cleaning tips. Mary does offer items for sale at economical prices, but she also has a lot of very valuable No-Cost info on her website. John highly recommends ADVANTAGE – he applied it with the special baby diaper cleaning clothes from Mary as well.
***#2 SPRAY NINE…During our house cleaning we found a sample spray bottle of Spray Nine. This Item is available in many stores but as we found out it is an outstanding cleaning product for many surfaces. Our oak stained kitchen cupboards looked badly marked from the oil on our hands due to use. We cleaned the doors with Spray Nine and all the ‘icky’ residue came off. The brass handles also came up to a shimmering finish. In Wal*Mart we bought a big bottle and over this summer we plan to add a clean fresh finish to all our kitchen cupboards (maybe to all cupboards eventually). Again we both highly recommend SPRAY NINE.
***#3 Last winter we discovered AWESOME – available in the USA $$$ Stores. It usually comes in a spray bottle – but it can be diluted and occasionally you may find it in a refill size container as well. Sometimes you may find Totally Awesome Orange or Totally Awesome for Pet accidents too. It will CLEAN most hard surfaces although you may need to add an extra application of a wax to make it shimmer. Without exaggerating – it is Totally AWESOME.
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INTERESTING POINT - John Goggled ‘Oil Imports to the USA’ after we watched a recent speech by Barack Obama - we were both surprised to discover that the USA imports more oil from Cda than anywhere else. Read the full story HERE....
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In this week's RV Travel.com newsletter – two articles of interest are worth reading…
***#1 BE AWARE OF HOW TO NOT START A WILDFIRE – While lightning starts many fires, RVers are responsible for others – not always by careless handling of campfires. Read how the improper use of a Generator can start a wildfire.
*** #2 MANY RVers know how to read the date on their tires to be sure you are buying NEW tires and not some OLD ones that look new – Old tires are prone to losing their tread – some stores sell outdated ones. In several cases, the life of well cared for RV Tires have been extended beyond the previous 4-5 years to maybe in the 7-year range – that is according to a story I recently received from Michelin written for Freightliner Chassis Owners Club chapter members. But it remains most important to watch for any sign of cracking and especially. ‘Watch this video for more info’.
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In a recent Good Sam Members Newsletter the editors shared how to ACCESS AND RESERVE YOUR FAVORITE CAMPGROUND 24/7 – Booking your next RV getaway is now just a click away. At TRAILER LIFE DIRECTORY Online Reservations, you can access your favorite campground and make reservations 24/7 from hundreds of campgrounds and RV parks all across the United States.
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An Article in this month FMCA’S Member Newsletter discusses Full Timing, Banking Tips and available Day-to Day Lifestyle Discounts by Janet Groane author of ‘Living Aboard your RV Third edition’ is extremely informative. Definitely worth a read.
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PROMOS THIS WEEK
In the July RV Education 101.com Newsletter, Mark and Dawn announce they have LAUNCHED A NEW DVD – ‘DRIVE YOUR MOTORHOME LIKE A PRO’. It will quickly become your complete video guide to professional driving techniques for everyone from beginners to experienced drivers. Mark converts commercial driving training techniques into layman's terms, plus it explains basic rules to apply to any vehicle you might drive.
Buy the BOOK and the DVD as a SET so you will really learn how to ‘DRIVE LIKE A PRO’! If you just can't wait, an INSTANT download version of this comprehensive video is available HERE...
Scroll down on the main page for BOOK info and the link to their informative NEWSLETTER and to RV VIDEO DOWNLOADS to see the INSTANT version.
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One more informative Website worth reading is by Norm and Linda Payne – These two love to do a LOT of explorations in their travels. This summer they toured the CANADIAN ROCKIES AND MUCH OF ALBERTA, BC, THE TERRITORIES and now they are into ALASKA. Norm regularly adds numerous colourful short stories to their website each month. All updates can be accessed from their home page.
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Travel safe all. Peggi and John
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Happy Long Weekend Canada
HAPPY LONG WEEKEND CANADA - Issue 31:
Diary published weekly since 2001
Read this weeks FULL Diary on line HERE
TIPS THIS WEEK ARE PLENTIFUL
Part of John’s Job Jar this week was changing the RV WATER HEATER 4 ½” ANODE ROD by Camco in our ‘hot water tank’. This job should be done every 6 months, but sometimes ours lasts a bit longer. New RODS are available from most RV parts store. Full install details are on each package. The Anode Rod preserves the life of the tank by corroding itself instead of the tank. A new Rod is ½” in diameter and the one John removed from our tank looked like a pencil. Please change yours soon. If you don’t, over time water will corrode a metal tank.
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In this week's RVTravel.com Newsletter, a Blog by Jim Twambly discussed SANITIZING THE FRESH WATER TANK. Read the whole story HERE
On Jim’s advice from SURFlo Reps I have printed a reduced version of what should be done every 6-months if fulltiming and always before extended storage. If you can access the water pump – we can’t – all filters should be removed and the water pump screen cleaned.
Part of Jim’s article includes this procedure for sanitizing - important…
- Multiply gallons of tank capacity by 0.13 (liters of tank capacity by 1.0); the result is the ounces (milliliters) of bleach needed to sanitize the tank.
- Mix into solution the proper amount of bleach within a container of water.
- Disconnect from city water and pour the solution into the fresh water tank (using a funnel with a flexible hose attached) and fill the tank with potable water. Note: wear old clothes as bleach has a tendency to ruin new clothing.
- Open all faucets (hot and cold - including the exterior shower) allowing the water to run until the distinct odor of chlorine is detected. Close the faucets and allow the solution to remain in the pipes.
- The standard solution must have four (4) hours of contact time to disinfect completely. Doubling the solution concentration allows for contact time of one (1) hour.
- When the contact time is completed, drain the tank. Refill with potable water and purge the plumbing of all sanitizing solution by opening all faucets until you do not detect the smell of chlorine.
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Last week I shared some promos of several Discount Clubs that help member RVers save cash on camping fees. However in this week’s RV Travel.com newsletter another suggestion is to CAMP AT CITY PARKS. I have promoted MUNICIPAL RV PARKS in small towns for years. Many Cdn towns and cities feature these gems with and without hook-ups – but there is no listing that I am aware of. If you see a camping sign while driving through town – why not follow it. According to this RV Travel.com post, these parks are quite common in the Midwest. Most are also quite reasonable – some might actually be NO charge or by donation – possibly you may be asked to even pay on the honour system. Why not set up camp and walk to town for a coffee. Other ways to cut camping costs are featured at Free Campground.com This website is driven by members who share their good and bad experiences to help others.
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In a recent GOOD SAM CYBERSAM this ALERT was issued… “Attention Winnebago motorhome owners! Certain models built from 2005–2009 are being recalled.” Read full story HERE.
Be the first to know if your vehicle has a safety recall! G. Sam members can REGISTER THEIR RV and household vehicles with SamAlert and be notified via email if there is a notice posted by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). Details, Click HERE…
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On a lighter note, my Internet friend Tom loves to GROW ROSES, but he also loves having CUT ROSES in his MH. He sent me several pictures of his picturesque display bowl noting that he left the small glass marbles from craft shops STILL IN THEIR PLASTIC NETTING. Tom bought his at Michael’s, but I have found them in numerous places. The netting and marbles act like a pin-cushion. They are perfect for inserting short-stemmed roses and small wild flowers. If you are fans of fresh flowers – why not give this trip a try.
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PROMOS THIS WEEK
This week in my Google RV Alerts there was A REQUEST FOR SEVERAL RV OWNERS TO DRIVE FOUR INDIVIDUAL-WWII VETS TO DC. It’s preferable for residents of Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky who would like to transport veterans to Washington, DC. EXPENSES can be claimed on Annual Taxes and drivers will be treated well in Washington. Read entire story HERE.
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This is an EXTREMELY POSITIVE STORY - another from my Google RV Alerts discusses how to find a way to ‘GO WITH THE FLOW’. It can help everyone cope with a downturn in any economy. Times change constantly and finding a way to ‘move on’ is what is most important. With all the negative press lately it is refreshing to read a story such as this. No matter what the downturn in the economy this RV Dealer found a way to stay on top. It is definitely worth a read for everyone…
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Good Maintenance and Safe Trip Home
GOOD MAINTENANCE AND SAFE TRIP HOME Issue 30; Jul 26 th:
Diary published weekly since 2001
Read the FULL P&J's Weekly Diary can be read on line at HERE
TIPS THIS WEEK –,
In this week’s latest RVTravel.com newsletter, Editor Chuck discusses the massive RECALLS OF DOMETIC REFRIGERATORS. Original recall of 2-door fridges was between April 1997 ad May 2003. Now it goes to 2006 on some 2-door models. The updated recall also includes some regular models from 2004 to 2007. Read that story Here - OR CHECK WITH YOUR DEALER NOW. Check your modelHere.
All MH and trailers are part of this huge recall due to possible FIRE HAZARD. FYI Thor Industries and Fleetwood Enterprises - two of the largest U.S. makers of RVs - have reported recalls of on-board Dometic refrigerators in 231,351 motorhomes and travel trailers. Some RVers may have updated their fridge and may not receive the recall notices. Just be informed.
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RV RECALLS HAPPEN EVERY MONTH – these are from June list issued by the Feds.
In the same RVTravel.com Newsletter is a listing of Recreational Vehicles RECALLS in June - Some major manufacturers -- Winnebago, Fleetwood, Monaco, Dutchmen, Coachmen and Forest River are involved but there are more – some for Norcold fridges too. See if your RV is in need of a fix Here. The same link provides listings of RV Recalls back to Feb. Worth a periodic look.
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Rodney shared these tips he received on how to limit JUNK MAIL AND VIRUS’S – Great advice Rod – wish more users would follow it….. I will send the balance at another time.
Do you wonder WHY YOU GET VIRUSES OR JUNK MAIL? Don’t you hate it?
When you forward e-mail, and leave info left over from those who received the message before you -- namely lists of e-mail addresses & names - as the messages get forwarded, the list of these addresses builds, and builds, and builds – before long some someone receives a virus. They SEND that virus to every email address that has come across their computer. PLUS all these addresses are collected and sold to those who send junk mail. Senders hope you will follow a link in their junk email so they can accumulate pennies a hit.
HOW TO STOP IT? (NOTE with AOL you may??? have to cut and paste the content you want to share from the original email to a new blank email. Try not to forward what you get – users must open many email to read it).
*** When you forward an e-mail, DELETE all addresses that appear in the body of the message before the joke etc. Simply HIGHLIGHT AND DELETE them or backspace to remove them. It only takes a second. CLICK THE 'FORWARD' BUTTON FIRST and then you have full editing capabilities anywhere in the message. If you don't hit the forward button first you can’t edit.
*** Whenever you send an e-mail to more than one person, it is preferred you do NOT use the "To:" or "Cc:" fields to add e-mail addresses. By using the BCC: (blind carbon copy) field the email addresses are hidden. This way those you send to will only see their own e-mail address.
*** If you don't see your "BCC:" option in your email click on where it says TO: and a form appears where you can type an address in the BCC section OR highlight an address that appears and choose click on the BCC section - it's that easy. When you send to BCC: your message will automatically say 'Undisclosed Recipients' in the 'TO:' field of the people who receive it. You can also add your name in the TO Field. This way ALL those addresses are not shared with every Tom, Dick or Harry on the net someplace.
*** Last step is to REMOVE the 'FW:' in the subject line OR re-name it fix spelling and send.
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PROMOS THIS WEEK
We are all living in a world where everything costs more. It makes sense to belong to one or more 50% off Discount Camping Clubs. Membership costs approx $40. per year and if you stay more than 4-nights you begin saving 50% off the price of the campground. Sometimes the parks have blackout dates during busy times, but there is enough choice to save overnight rates. We do not come home with anymore cash in our pockets, it just means we can do more with the cash on hand such as going out to lunch etc. Added plus - If you refer others to join, you also receive a referral fee from $5-$10. If you join through the links below – RVLiving.net gets the bonus. To check them out, click on the link and search if the parks are where you want to stop.
**** PASSPORT AMERICA - the biggest & oldest but there are other choices – Take a Look…
**** HAPPY CAMPER has almost as many as Passport – their parks are on-line & on a CD. They also have a forum and RV Scrapbook (similar to My Space for RVers) plus one added plus – If you go into Freetrip.com to plan your route and you click on the CG Icon all Happy Camper parks en route will appear.
**** RECREATION USA have two clubs. Members of one automatically receive a complimentary membership to the other. One is $10.00 p/night with no blackout dates - their new club is 25% Discount at Big Rig Parks.
**** Last is MEMBERSHIP CAMPING – You can pay many thousands to subscribe OR do like John an I did – buy in for a few hundred. We still camp at a variety of parks for $10. per night. Send me an email if you want more details
NOTE: All parks may add a small fee to their site fee for extras such as cable or WiFi etc. Even with these extras they are still a bargain way to stretch $$$. DEFINITELY WORTH CHECKING.
Diary published weekly since 2001
Read the FULL P&J's Weekly Diary can be read on line at HERE
TIPS THIS WEEK –,
In this week’s latest RVTravel.com newsletter, Editor Chuck discusses the massive RECALLS OF DOMETIC REFRIGERATORS. Original recall of 2-door fridges was between April 1997 ad May 2003. Now it goes to 2006 on some 2-door models. The updated recall also includes some regular models from 2004 to 2007. Read that story Here - OR CHECK WITH YOUR DEALER NOW. Check your modelHere.
All MH and trailers are part of this huge recall due to possible FIRE HAZARD. FYI Thor Industries and Fleetwood Enterprises - two of the largest U.S. makers of RVs - have reported recalls of on-board Dometic refrigerators in 231,351 motorhomes and travel trailers. Some RVers may have updated their fridge and may not receive the recall notices. Just be informed.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
RV RECALLS HAPPEN EVERY MONTH – these are from June list issued by the Feds.
In the same RVTravel.com Newsletter is a listing of Recreational Vehicles RECALLS in June - Some major manufacturers -- Winnebago, Fleetwood, Monaco, Dutchmen, Coachmen and Forest River are involved but there are more – some for Norcold fridges too. See if your RV is in need of a fix Here. The same link provides listings of RV Recalls back to Feb. Worth a periodic look.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Rodney shared these tips he received on how to limit JUNK MAIL AND VIRUS’S – Great advice Rod – wish more users would follow it….. I will send the balance at another time.
Do you wonder WHY YOU GET VIRUSES OR JUNK MAIL? Don’t you hate it?
When you forward e-mail, and leave info left over from those who received the message before you -- namely lists of e-mail addresses & names - as the messages get forwarded, the list of these addresses builds, and builds, and builds – before long some someone receives a virus. They SEND that virus to every email address that has come across their computer. PLUS all these addresses are collected and sold to those who send junk mail. Senders hope you will follow a link in their junk email so they can accumulate pennies a hit.
HOW TO STOP IT? (NOTE with AOL you may??? have to cut and paste the content you want to share from the original email to a new blank email. Try not to forward what you get – users must open many email to read it).
*** When you forward an e-mail, DELETE all addresses that appear in the body of the message before the joke etc. Simply HIGHLIGHT AND DELETE them or backspace to remove them. It only takes a second. CLICK THE 'FORWARD' BUTTON FIRST and then you have full editing capabilities anywhere in the message. If you don't hit the forward button first you can’t edit.
*** Whenever you send an e-mail to more than one person, it is preferred you do NOT use the "To:" or "Cc:" fields to add e-mail addresses. By using the BCC: (blind carbon copy) field the email addresses are hidden. This way those you send to will only see their own e-mail address.
*** If you don't see your "BCC:" option in your email click on where it says TO: and a form appears where you can type an address in the BCC section OR highlight an address that appears and choose click on the BCC section - it's that easy. When you send to BCC: your message will automatically say 'Undisclosed Recipients' in the 'TO:' field of the people who receive it. You can also add your name in the TO Field. This way ALL those addresses are not shared with every Tom, Dick or Harry on the net someplace.
*** Last step is to REMOVE the 'FW:' in the subject line OR re-name it fix spelling and send.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
PROMOS THIS WEEK
We are all living in a world where everything costs more. It makes sense to belong to one or more 50% off Discount Camping Clubs. Membership costs approx $40. per year and if you stay more than 4-nights you begin saving 50% off the price of the campground. Sometimes the parks have blackout dates during busy times, but there is enough choice to save overnight rates. We do not come home with anymore cash in our pockets, it just means we can do more with the cash on hand such as going out to lunch etc. Added plus - If you refer others to join, you also receive a referral fee from $5-$10. If you join through the links below – RVLiving.net gets the bonus. To check them out, click on the link and search if the parks are where you want to stop.
**** PASSPORT AMERICA - the biggest & oldest but there are other choices – Take a Look…
**** HAPPY CAMPER has almost as many as Passport – their parks are on-line & on a CD. They also have a forum and RV Scrapbook (similar to My Space for RVers) plus one added plus – If you go into Freetrip.com to plan your route and you click on the CG Icon all Happy Camper parks en route will appear.
**** RECREATION USA have two clubs. Members of one automatically receive a complimentary membership to the other. One is $10.00 p/night with no blackout dates - their new club is 25% Discount at Big Rig Parks.
**** Last is MEMBERSHIP CAMPING – You can pay many thousands to subscribe OR do like John an I did – buy in for a few hundred. We still camp at a variety of parks for $10. per night. Send me an email if you want more details
NOTE: All parks may add a small fee to their site fee for extras such as cable or WiFi etc. Even with these extras they are still a bargain way to stretch $$$. DEFINITELY WORTH CHECKING.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
BUSY FMCA RALLY Issue 29 (post of 19 Jul)
Diary published weekly since 2001
Read this Issue on line HERE
Due to lack of Internet access on the 19th This post was not added....
TIPS THIS WEEK –
NOTE: Tips/Promos from Issue 30 (post of 26 July) will be added Monday 28th to avoid confusion
ADD A USA ADDRESS TO A CDN (USA) CREDIT CARD: This is a tip mainly for Cdns but it may also work for Americans who spend extensive time in Canada. A letter in a recent RV Times magazine may be a good solution to a major problem. Many Cdns (& vice versa) do not carry a USA (Cda) credit card – as a result we do not have a ZIP (Postal) code to insert when pumping gas etc. Yes it is possible to open an account in a USA (Cdn) bank but since many of us travel around to various places and we choose not to do that. BUT if you have a semi permanent address in another country (of the park you regularly visit or a USA (Cda) mail forwarding service like us) your Cdn (USA) Cr Cd Company may add that location to your file. We did this last week to BofM MC. It does not change any aspects or payments or anything else with our Cdn Cd but it is supposed to allow us to punch in a ZIP code so we do not have to leave our Cr Cd in an office while we pumping. Although we added our address, at this point we have not had a chance to test it. This should work for on-line sales as well. For us that would mean Wal*Mart (previously we had to buy a store card) or Verizon (better deals for customers when we buy on line) etc. I hope this works out – at least I now have a USA address on my Cdn BofM Cd.
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FLY J DISCOUNTS. We all know Flying J is going through discount changes. On the present program if you spend money in the store one month you worked up to a higher discount for next months gas/propane. But this program has been very confusing. For instance Cda’s 64+ locations are not giving discounts for any D purchases even if you spent money in the store/restaurant the previous month – gas/propane-yes, diesel-no. Many of us go to Fly J for a number o reasons – RV Island, small D pumps, dump station etc. but in this era of extra high gas/fuel prices any discount is appreciated. FMCA negotiated a special $.01 cent p/gal D Jun-Aug for its members if you had an FMCA Fly J card. Well now FMCA members can call Fly J at 888-438-3537 and they will add that discount to your original card if you share your F#. Fly J is again planning to offer the $.01 cent discount on D as of September if you use any RV Real Value Card. Not sure where the new rules stand ref gas/propane.
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HELPFUL WEBSITES. In the July issue of the Fulltimers News two websites caught my eye.
***SIMPLE WEATHER offers relative weather right now – hour-by-hour daily forecasts plus a brief 5-day prediction. No extras such as maps, highs and lows, etc
***LOCATE FREE WI-FI HOTSPOTS IN USA – Listing of free hotels, resorts, coffee shops, stores, eateries, etc.
,
Diary published weekly since 2001
Read this Issue on line HERE
Due to lack of Internet access on the 19th This post was not added....
TIPS THIS WEEK –
NOTE: Tips/Promos from Issue 30 (post of 26 July) will be added Monday 28th to avoid confusion
ADD A USA ADDRESS TO A CDN (USA) CREDIT CARD: This is a tip mainly for Cdns but it may also work for Americans who spend extensive time in Canada. A letter in a recent RV Times magazine may be a good solution to a major problem. Many Cdns (& vice versa) do not carry a USA (Cda) credit card – as a result we do not have a ZIP (Postal) code to insert when pumping gas etc. Yes it is possible to open an account in a USA (Cdn) bank but since many of us travel around to various places and we choose not to do that. BUT if you have a semi permanent address in another country (of the park you regularly visit or a USA (Cda) mail forwarding service like us) your Cdn (USA) Cr Cd Company may add that location to your file. We did this last week to BofM MC. It does not change any aspects or payments or anything else with our Cdn Cd but it is supposed to allow us to punch in a ZIP code so we do not have to leave our Cr Cd in an office while we pumping. Although we added our address, at this point we have not had a chance to test it. This should work for on-line sales as well. For us that would mean Wal*Mart (previously we had to buy a store card) or Verizon (better deals for customers when we buy on line) etc. I hope this works out – at least I now have a USA address on my Cdn BofM Cd.
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FLY J DISCOUNTS. We all know Flying J is going through discount changes. On the present program if you spend money in the store one month you worked up to a higher discount for next months gas/propane. But this program has been very confusing. For instance Cda’s 64+ locations are not giving discounts for any D purchases even if you spent money in the store/restaurant the previous month – gas/propane-yes, diesel-no. Many of us go to Fly J for a number o reasons – RV Island, small D pumps, dump station etc. but in this era of extra high gas/fuel prices any discount is appreciated. FMCA negotiated a special $.01 cent p/gal D Jun-Aug for its members if you had an FMCA Fly J card. Well now FMCA members can call Fly J at 888-438-3537 and they will add that discount to your original card if you share your F#. Fly J is again planning to offer the $.01 cent discount on D as of September if you use any RV Real Value Card. Not sure where the new rules stand ref gas/propane.
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HELPFUL WEBSITES. In the July issue of the Fulltimers News two websites caught my eye.
***SIMPLE WEATHER offers relative weather right now – hour-by-hour daily forecasts plus a brief 5-day prediction. No extras such as maps, highs and lows, etc
***LOCATE FREE WI-FI HOTSPOTS IN USA – Listing of free hotels, resorts, coffee shops, stores, eateries, etc.
,
Sunday, July 13, 2008
EN ROUTE TO ST PAUL, MN. FOR FMCA Issue 28
Diary published weekly since 2001
Read this entire fully loaded edition of P&J's Weekly Diary on line HERE
TIPS AND PROMOS Together this week
**** More info than a TIP - Our BORDER CROSSING last Monday was our SLOWEST ever. We usually cross at Sarnia/Port Huron but this time we were on the Bridge for 20 minutes and over an hour waiting to get through the gate. We did not realize the agents might have been on an Orange Alert because it was the day following July 4th weekend. At any rate when we got to the checkpoint, the Agent studied our passports in the greatest of detail beside his computer. He only asked us 3 Q – 1) Where are we from? 2) How many on board? 3) Where are we going? He couldn’t care less if we had food on board (of course we got rid of everything) or if we had the dog’s papers or anything else. Although there were 7-gates open on one side and 6 on the other, we sat at his gate a good 5 minutes. They even had extra staff along the bridge directing drivers into one lane or another. When he finished at his computer he gave us our PP’s back and said “Have a Good Day!’ I have relayed for a long time that we RVers can no longer hide, but after last Monday morning I am convinced that every detail of our last 75+ crossings were on the screen in front of him.
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Read this entire fully loaded edition of P&J's Weekly Diary on line HERE
TIPS AND PROMOS Together this week
**** More info than a TIP - Our BORDER CROSSING last Monday was our SLOWEST ever. We usually cross at Sarnia/Port Huron but this time we were on the Bridge for 20 minutes and over an hour waiting to get through the gate. We did not realize the agents might have been on an Orange Alert because it was the day following July 4th weekend. At any rate when we got to the checkpoint, the Agent studied our passports in the greatest of detail beside his computer. He only asked us 3 Q – 1) Where are we from? 2) How many on board? 3) Where are we going? He couldn’t care less if we had food on board (of course we got rid of everything) or if we had the dog’s papers or anything else. Although there were 7-gates open on one side and 6 on the other, we sat at his gate a good 5 minutes. They even had extra staff along the bridge directing drivers into one lane or another. When he finished at his computer he gave us our PP’s back and said “Have a Good Day!’ I have relayed for a long time that we RVers can no longer hide, but after last Monday morning I am convinced that every detail of our last 75+ crossings were on the screen in front of him.
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**** MAINTENANCE HICK-UPS keeps this lifestyle interesting. While checking into the park in a small community of Utica IL on Tuesday John discovered we had completely lost the pull rod/handle to the gray tank and the plastic handle on the black rod disintegrated when he touched it. No RV service facility was in the vicinity – and without parts we couldn’t dump. However all was not lost because a Wal*Mart Automotive Tech sent us to Midway Truck Parts at the next exit – they sell trailers, but mainly the combo style for farm animals – IE horses/camping etc. Guess what? Even though their RV Section was limited, they had the parts we required. Soooo never hesitate to search in unlikely places for things you may need.
**** But our MAINTENANCE EXCITEMENT was not over as yet, mainly because around suppertime on Wed – no water would come out of any hot tap. Guess we have another check valve problem – our valve seems to go every 4- 5-years even when quality ones are installed. That evening I phoned our friend Les Doll, a working RV Tech and Webhost of the progressive RVerscorner.com– and by our symptoms we need a new check valve. Oh well we’ve lots of water and a microwave/stove to heat water to wash dishes. All the places we go to have showers – so with our busy schedule we’ll cope till Coach-Care appoint on 21st. Not much more than a minor clitch in day-to-day living. At FMCA we are camped for a week without hook-ups anyway – life still goes on with or without hot water on board.
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SPAM POSTS continue to plaque my inbox and I am sure yours too. Just tonight I got the email telling me I had a POST CARD from a family member. This is a VIRUS – do NOT click on anything in the email. Delete it immediately!!! I also receive numerous email to ‘Undisclosed Residents’ or ‘TO’. Or ‘even to a wrong email address’ that supposedly come from Pay Pal accounts or my Bank etc. – PLUS many offer me millions of $$$$ if I answer. Delete ALL – they are SPAM and NEVER click on a link or open these messages. THEY ARE ALL BAD!!!
This Tip from last week if in doubt… One test is to HOOVER OVER a link and look in the TaskBar at the bottom of your computer. If the Taskbar website URL that shows up is different than the one in the email LINK, you know you have a SPAM email.
Bill shared this HARMFUL VIRUS info. A message with a subject line "US Army crossed Iran's borders" is also a Virus - do NOT click on the URL. He removed most of the link so no one could accidentally click on it, but it started with http://newsworldnow…’.
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After the ‘kids’ got into my purse last week and tackled my camera, Carol our breeder, sent this WARNING ABOUT XYLITOL (USED IN SUGAR FREE GUM, ETC). It has been checked out on Snopes.com and it is true – entire story…
Many women carry gum in their purses and other dangerous things and that can be deadly to animals. The dog in her story did live but the weekend of touch and go Vet Treatment in consult with Poison Control was very COSTLY. The Xylitol causes dogs to secrete insulin so their blood sugar drops very quickly. Liver failure usually follows. According to Snopes raisins and grapes can also be deadly to dogs.
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TIPS FOR CAMPFIRE SAFETY – so they don’t become a raging inferno that causes a major fire. Story is in the current RV Travel Newsletter.
*** Keep campfires small – completely extinguish them before leaving camp. The best method is to douse fire with water; stir the ashes; douse again. Ensure that all ashes are cold to the touch.
*** Charcoal should be soaked in water after use.
*** Smokers should light up only in areas cleared of all flammable debris. Cigarette butts should never be thrown from vehicle windows.
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PROMO THIS WEEK
This weeks RV Travel Newsletter also relayed that Chuck Woodbury’s mother died this week. Chuck owns RVTravel.com. Unfortunately 2 days later his Webmaster Zoey Platt’s father died. Our Sympathy goes out to BOTH these friends and talented people. Our heart-felt prayers are on their way from John and I.
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During a recent Seminar for Canada’s Explorer RV Club Rally in McGregor, Ontario, I shared Numerous RV Tips from my RV Packing Tips ebook. While researching this presentation I was again acquainted with the Hundreds of tips & cleaning ideas from Mary Findley (aka Mary Moppin's) owner and webhost of GO CLEAN.COM. Read a few of Mary’s fantastic hints HERE… - Follow her banner link for hundreds more RV tips.
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RVLiving.net is loaded with valuable information and free articles. Yes I have my books for sale and I promote other items that I feel are worthwhile but much of MY ADVICE AND HOW-TO PAGE Info is FREE. While on this site, why not take a look at many of the other topics I highlight?
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