RV Travel, Tips, Tricks and Pitfalls

The Coveted 'Full Hookup'  We had a great time learning the ins and outs of RV camping in our little Freedom 204RD. On our ‘maiden voyage' we went to nearby Lake Kissimmee State Park, where we learned how to plug into the 30-amp service and hook up to the freshwater system provided by the park. A neighbor warned us that the park's water pressure often fluctuated, and too much pressure could damage the water system in the trailer. He advised if we didn’t have a pressure regulator for the water system to avoid turning the spigot to ‘full-on”. We listened and followed his advice. We also learned about the 'dump station', and heard other campers sing the praises of a ‘full hook up’.    Our new Ford F-150 looked like it could pull the trailer with no problem. But I soon learned that it was not completely up to the task. With a 5-liter V8 engine and a 3.53 gear ratio, the specs seemed to indicate the truck would be sufficient. What we had not considered were the real

Our DIY Square Drop Camper In the past, I loved camping in a tent. My tent, cooking apparatus, and bedroll would all fit into my kayak. I enjoyed adventures exploring Florida rivers.    My wife, however, had no camping experience whatsoever. To add to her comfort, I built this little 'square drop’ camper in our garage. All I wanted to do was get sleeping bags off the ground.  However, the idea of sleeping in a box did not appeal to Bari. It became clear we would need to find something more comfortable.   We started visiting RV dealers in the Orlando area. We looked at a variety of camping options, from  @TAB travel trailers  to  Tiffin Class A  coaches. At that time, we did not have a budget or any specific plan in mind… just an idea that maybe this would be something fun and different.    We decided to attend the  Tampa RV show  (one of the nation’s largest) to get a better idea of available options. The variety of RVs and the obvious differences in manufacturing quality became ap