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RV Camping Clubs

In this economy it is not uncommon for everyone to look for a deal, a way to save a buck along the way. One of the best ways to do this while RVing is to join a reliable and effective camping club. You will want to be careful about joining just any club if you are seeking a frugal experience as clubs such as Coast to Coast and Thousand Trails charge a large buy-in fee (although you do get an elite selection of private member parks). In these type clubs there is also always the fear of them changing the rules which could result in more money out of your pocket. You may also want to avoid larger clubs such as Good Sam as their recent reviews show they do not follow up with customer questions or concerns and their ratings on the campground directories are not corrected or updated. This means you might think you are headed to a great campsite destination only to find a broken down, dirty campground.

While there are plenty of not-so-nice camping clubs out there, there are a few that offer you the discounts and flexibility that make it worth your while. One of these is Passport America. This camping club covers over 1,800 campgrounds giving you a wide selection of destinations. Plus with a membership fee of only $44.00 and saving up to 50% on each campsite the club more than pays for itself in no time. Another club that has received high marks is The Happy Camper Club. At just $39.99 and access to over 1,200 campgrounds this club is ideal for the camper on a budget. Plus you will receive a free online camping guide and long term discounts are available at participating parks.

So do a bit of research and find the club that best suits your needs and your wallet! Happy camping!

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Prepping a Freshly Caught Fish

I think we can all agree that a nice day of fishing and relaxing is one of the most sought after pastimes. I also think that most of us can agree that the taste of a freshly caught pan fried fish is unforgettable. The only thing standing between us and that decadent mouth watering fish is a process that, to put it lightly, is undesirable to many. As much as I thoroughly love the outdoors this pushes the “outdoorsy” limit for me but I have managed to grin and bear it for the sake of dinner and here’s how I did it.

fishing_on_shore2Once you have caught the fish you are half way there already. The next step is removing the scales of the fish. You can do this with a dull edge of a knife or even the back of a spoon. Use short quick strokes from tail to head. The scales will go flying so it’s best to do this task outdoors. If you do it inside I would suggest submersing the fish in a basin of water and doing it underneath the water. After you are done scaling the fish you will want to make a cut from the gills to the vent. Once you have opened the cavity you will want to remove the entrails with your fingers. Make sure to check the cavity thoroughly and rinse the inside and outside of the fish.

Since we are cooking our fish whole we then remove the dorsal fin by cutting along each side of the fin where it is attached to the fish. It is easiest if you then pull the fin out with a pair of pliers. To store the fish until you are ready to prepare and cook it simply put it in a cooler with clean ice that can drain from the container as it melts. You don’t want the fish soaking in water. Also another tip is to store the fish cavity side down to prevent water from pooling inside the fish.

Stay tuned for some amazing whole fish recipes to enjoy around the campfire….

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Staying Green While RVing

Good for you, you’ve taken the first and incredibly necessary steps to making our planet a better place to live for our children and children’s children. You are recycling, carpooling, re-using household items, turning off lights, growing a small garden, and overall being aware of the carbon footprint that you are leaving behind. But thankfully just because you are going away for the weekend, the week, or even full time RV living doesn’t mean you have to give up on all of your earth friendly efforts!

One of the biggest contributions we can make to our planet is to recycle. So often with limited space such as an RV people do not make this a priority but it really is easy to still do. Many of the recyclable items will flatten out and you simple designate part of a storage compartment for your items to be recycled. This will undoubtedly help cut down on your garbage output but it will also help alleviate over-consumption.

recycleAnother way to be environmentally friendly while you are enjoying your getaway is to shop for items that state natural, organic, or locally made. These items tend to be better for the environment and as an added bonus also tend to be better for you and your family as well.

Saving energy while you are RVing is also another important step in the fight against pollution. Just as you do when you are at home make sure you turn off lights, tv’s, and all electronics when you are not using them. Encourage your family to do things outdoors or that don’t require energy such as reading, board games, or hiking. This is just another example of a win-win situation with green living. Not only does it assist in your environmental wellness but it gets kids outside and moving instead of glued to the TV.

These are just a few easy ways to stay green and still enjoy your time while traveling. There are many other ways to help reduce your carbon footprint and still travel in an RV and we’d love to hear any tips that you have!

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Fragrant Fire Starters

We’ve all been there, you’ve been sitting around the campfire all day and you smell like lighter fluid, smoke, and chemicals.  While unpleasant smelling it’s also not healthy to breathe in.  One way that I’ve found to eliminate this problem and to create a pleasant, earth PineConeGroupfriendly aroma is to make fragrant fire starters.
The best thing about it is its simplicity.  Just take pine cones and any fragrant dried herbs such as rosemary, sage, or cinnamon sticks and roll it up in newspaper.  Then tie both ends of the newspaper making it look like a piece of candy.  When you wanting to start a fire simply bury this in the middle of your wood pile with one end sticking out.  Light the newspaper which will then get the wood started.  Your scent filled fire starter will fill the air with such pleasant aromas don’t be surprised if people start wandering over to find out your secret.
This works great for indoor fireplaces as well and gives a very homey holiday feel when you have guests.
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Games for the Road

The whole idea of vacation is so much fun, hitting the open road for miles and miles in the pursuit of a great campsite, a sight seeing destination, to visit family, or to marvel at a landmark. Whatever your reason may be the entire idea is enticing, that is until the dreaded, “are we there yet’s?” start. If you have kids you know exactly what I’m talking about. It could start as early 20 minutes into your 6 hour trip and continue on until you have turned the radio up to drown out the sound. Well I have found that playing fun car games makes our paperplategametrips much smoother and more enjoyable for everyone. Not only that but the time seems to fly by and we are there before we know it. Here are some of our favorites.

Before we leave I take a paper plate and cut slits all around until I have 26 tabs all around the plate. I write a letter of the alphabet on each of these tabs. The goal is to find something out the window that starts with each of these letters and then fold back that coinciding letter. Sometimes we will make multiple ones and everyone gets their own plate and the first to find something that starts with all 26 letters wins!

Another fun game that all members of my family seem to enjoy is guessing the song. There are a few ways to do this. You can either have one person hum, whistle, or sing a song while the others try to guess. Whoever guesses it correctly is now the singer. But since my family (myself included) cannot carry a tune if our lives depended on it we have revised this a bit. Our radio displays the singer and the song on the screen so we put a book in front of that and hit seek. The first person to guess the song correctly gets a point and then we hit seek again. This a great way for the vocally challenged.

A tried and true game that we still enjoy playing on the road or even a rainy day in the RV is 20 Questions. There are so many ways to play but our favorite is to pick a category. It could be restaurants, famous people, movies, even people we know. Then the other people in the car get a total of 20 questions to guess who or what the other person is thinking of. The one who guesses correctly is now the person that comes up with the next topic.

And last but not least there is now a free app for your iPhone from go rving called GetAWAY. On this app there are a number of fun car games for people of all ages.

While I think this is certainly a great way to keep the family busy on long road trips I believe it serves another purpose as well. Instead of just wishing the time away, trying to sleep, or burying your head in a book this gives the family uninterrupted time together to play games and have fun. I say instead of dreading the drive think of it as some quality bonding time!

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Tips for Experienced and Inexperienced RVers Alike

I always enjoy hearing tips from fellow RVer’s. It seems that everyone has a particular way of keeping things in order, clean, and safe. Here are a few tips that I have found incredibly useful in my travels. This is also perfect for a new RVer!

  • When packing always store heavier items lower down and the lighter items on top. This will keep things steady while you are actually traveling and less headache once you stop.
  • mothMany people I talk to prepare many meals ahead of time and then freeze them. (See our freezer meal recipes blog for great ideas) This allows you to spend less time in the kitchen and not have to pack as many ingredients and still be able to enjoy a home cooked delicious meal.
  • Put moth balls near the propane lines of the water heater and refrigerator. This will deter spiders from entering your RV.
  • To keep bugs from crawling into your RV put small amounts of vaseline around entry points. They are unable to crawl up the slippery substance and therefore stay out.
  • The person I received this tip from was unfortunately speaking from experience: but be sure your awning is securely fastened before you hit the road.
  • When you park your RV park in shady locations and use your awning to keep the inside cooler.

These are just a few of the tips that I have collected but we’d love to hear any that you have!

 

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Not that we need another reason to Hate Mosquitos

I know everyone has seen the reports talking about the dangers and illnesses brought on by the West Nile virus. And while often times we can chalk it up to media scare tactics this one deserves a little more consideration. Since 1999 more than 30,000 people have reported getting sick with the West Nile. And as of August of this year 11 people have been mosquito1killed by the mosquito carried virus. It seems as if no specific area is safe, it has spread over 43 states but over half of the cases are in Texas this year.

So even though there is a rational fear associated with West Nile that’s no reason to lock yourself in the house and miss out on all the outdoor fun. There are steps you can take to keep you and your family safe while enjoying the fall camping season. This resolution might sound obvious but the best way to avoid West Nile is to avoid getting bit by a mosquito, simple enough right?

The CDC recommends using an EPA-registered active ingredient like DEET in your insect repellents. Make sure to apply this each time you plan on being outside. Also eliminate any standing water that might attract mosquitoes. This means even rain puddles, kiddie pools, or ditches. Keep in mind that the most prominent time for mosquitoes to be out is at dawn and at dusk so take extra protection during these times. An added bonus of following these preventative measures is that it also helps protect against all insect borne diseases such as lime disease and encephalitis.

Remember the old saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure” and get out and enjoy all the beauty that comes with fall camping!