2019 Camping Season Top 5 Lessons Learned & Next Steps

2019 Camping Season Top 5 Lessons Learned & Next Steps

• Tires
• Mice
• Fuel
• Maintenance
• Thank You

The 2019 Camping Season is all but in the books 🙁

Due to one of the rear interior tires blowing out and damaging the interior part of a bay and also and part of the electrical wiring harness we have closed the books on 2019 and given Ferocious but Fabulous a a few months off to rest up for what will be a fun 2020.

As I reflect on our 2019 Camping Season the Top 5 Lessons Learned.

1-Tires, Tires, Tires-Making 100% sure that the tires haven't aged out, worn out or are improperly inflated. I am not exactly sure what caused the interior tire to blow and I don't want to speculate without more information. All I can do is look forward and  take a few different steps next year.

1. Replace the 5 remaining tires prior to the beginning of the next season. I plan to utilize the discounts offered by either Coach-Net or FMCA.
2. Have an extended valve stem installed on the rear tire
3. Install or have installed a TPMS that has both an internal and external sensor. This may be overkill but it is overkill for my peace of mind
4. Get in a habit of checking my tire pressure on all 6-tires before each trip

2-Mice-In our 10+ years of RV'ing we have NEVER had a mice issue. Until this year. I am not sure exactly why this year they have found our 2nd home as a nice little nest.

1. Clean, clean & clean-I will make 1000% sure that nothing is left in Ferocious but Fabulous that will attract the attention of a mouse.
2. A few times each season I will empty out the bays and all cabinets vacuum it out and make sure that no extra crumbs are left. Time to invest in a mini shop vac
3. Prior to winterization I plan to use a natural rodent repellent like Fresh Cab Botanical Repellent  in all of the bays, NOT original Irish Spring and or Dryer Sheets in all cabinets

3-Fuel-I used to religiously fill up at Pilot/Flying J's due to the discounted fuel, mostly clean service centers and locations along the interstates but after traveling where Pilot/Flying J's were few and far between I had to take off the blinders and look around

1. Grocery store cents off-We live near a Harris Teeter which offers cents off per gallon based upon how much you spend in a particular period (week, month...etc.). This past year after a few trips the posted Diesel Price was $2.97 a gallon. Based upon how much we spent in the past period the actual price that I paid was $2.47 a gallon.
2. TSD-It’s an existing program that has been available to trucking fleet owners for many years and this past year they started marketing it to RV'er through the Prevost Owners Community or FMCA. The basic details are that you can fill up at a number of locations (Love's, Travel America..etc.) and receive a significant discount per gallon. The only cons are that the money immediately comes out of your account as opposed to Pilot Flying J which bills monthly. The per gallon discount amount varies based upon where you fill up. Also, unless you stop at a Love's or Pilot/Flying J you are fueling up a truck stop, not a travel center with clean bathrooms or nice amenities.
3. Plan better by using the Gas Buddy App for Example on September 27th the price per gallon of Diesel

• Northern Virginia-$2.99
• Frederick, Maryland $2.89
• Fredericksburg, Virginia $2.84
• Breezewood, Pennsylvania $3.55
• Inwood West Virginia$2.85

I can easily save 10-70 cents per gallon if I plan my fuel stops. With a 100-gallon tank every penny helps 

4-Maintenance-I am not a mechanically handy guy and I am a firm believer in preventive maintenance and leaving the maintenance to the experts. Ferocious but Fabulous sits on a Freightliner Custom Chassis.  

Freightliner has done a great job of 1-Clearly outlining by miles or months of service what needs to be done. 2-Identifying the dealers who have gone through special training to work on RV's 3-Maintaining a 24/7 help line and app... just in case you have a problem you can call or log in with the app.

5-Thank You-I appreciate all of the people (owners and employees) who work at the RV Parks that we frequent. They all work hard and put up with a lot. I took advantage of a sale (not sure if it was or not..but the ad said sale) from Vista Print and had a bunch of post cards made up. After each trip I typically will send out a quick note that lets them know that we had a great time. 

It only takes a second to make someone's day.

Until Next Week




#liveagreatstory
#etctacampingadventures2019

Melville Ponds Campground-July 2019

Campground Name-Melville Ponds Campground

Location-Portsmouth, Rhode Island (in between Bristol & Newport)

Average Cost Per Night-$60-$80 (this was a holiday weekend and the place was packed)

Amenities-Friendly and helpful staff, sites that are more that adequate to fit my 41-foot class A RV and toad, playground, super clean restrooms, laundry facilities, walking distance to hiking trails and a dog park, cable & wifi

Based upon our experience and interaction with the staff and other campers we will be back.

#etctacamping2019

#liveagreatstory

#rvlife

https://gopro.com/v/G1J5Dw20J5WyW

Trip Recap-Hershey Park (April-2019)

I guess that I am a little but jaded but this is one of my long time favorite "close-by" RV Parks for the following reasons.

1-Proximity and Ease To Get To Hershey Park
2-Friendly Staff
3-Infrastructure  that is able to handle a lot of people efficiently
4-Clean Facilities
5-Stable connections


Attached is a quick video recap of the park.


https://gopro.com/v/rD5rlzglNJy08

Trip Recap-Gaffney, South Carolina

The 1st official trip of 2019 took us to Gaffney, SC. Please understand that the Gaffney, SC is not a tourist draw in and of itself.  Our purpose of heading to Gaffney was 1-Head to Camp Freightliner 2-Get regularly scheduled maintenance done on  Ferocious but Fabulous and 3-Visit with friends from Maryland who relocated to the area.

Trip Recap

920- Total Miles Traveled

109 Gallons of Diesel Fuel Purchased

2.98-Average Cost Per Gallon 

The journey from our home to Gaffney, SC took almost 10-hours with stops to fuel up and a yummy lunch at the Ballast Point  Brewery in Daleville, VA. Unfortunately since I was driving I was unable to enjoy any of their tasty beers.

Most of the drive was on major interstates with a few minor detours due to construction. Once you got into the Carolina’s. In most cases you can tell that you have crossed into a new state because of the Welcome To <<X>> State Sign. When traveling from Virginia to North Carolina and into South Carolina you call tell that you have crossed into a new state because the roads go from OK (Virginia)  to BAD (North Carolina)  to TIME FOR A NEW ALIGNMENT (South Carolina)

Accommodations

Our 1st night we spent the night at the Freightliner Custom Chasis Service Center which offered a 50 amp hook up, and the ability to dump your tanks or take on water, if needed. The price was right (free) and the location was perfect (next to the service center)

Our 2nd, 3rd & 4th nights were spent at KOA in Gaffney, SC.  The owner of the KOA is someone who is actively investing in and trying to make his/her park better is AWESOME in my book.The original part of the park features full hook up sights with fire rings and easy in and out access. The owner of this park just built nice and level pull though sites on a concrete pad with a generously sized patio.

The bathrooms were very clean and well maintained!

If I were in the area again I would definitely stay.

Service at the Freightliner Custom Chassis Center (103 Campus Drive Gaffney, SC)

Before we started on our FULL year of adventures I wanted to get the next regularly scheduled service completed so I scheduled my 48-month service at the same time that I was attending Camp Freightliner.

I had very little expectations of the service work with the exception that it was done on time and came in at or under budget.

We checked in the next morning and the service writer went through every line item of what I needed to have completed. After she took my keys she explained that I tech would pull me out of class and go over everything with me at my coach (talk about customer service). When I met the tech he explained EVERYTHING that he was going to do from top to bottom and he explained everything in an easy to understand manner.

If time and schedules permit I would gladly return to the Freightliner Custom Chassis Service Center to have my yearly maintenance completed.

Ferocious but Fabulous is the one farthest away in the air

What Is There To Do In Gaffney

• Walk around downtown. (Don’t expect a lot…but it is a good way to get steps)
• Visit the Peachoid

• Take a Freightliner Factory Tour
• You Tube Video of the FCC RV Tour
• Drive To Spartanburg or Greenville

My biggest piece of advice is to kick back relax and enjoy all that the area has to offer.

Cheers

Tawnya & Eric Go To Camp

On Thursday  February 28th & Friday March 1st Tawnya and I attended Camp Freightliner. 

I have read other blogs/reviews about the class and decided that it would be a good investment in time and money. We purchased Ferocious but Fabulous in August of 2017 and I started looking at the class details and found that it was sold out through the rest of the year. I started looking again in May of 2018 and found that all of the 2018 dates were sold out. On the day that they released the 2019 schedule (mid to late October) I got up at midnight..12:01 am to be exact to register. We were able to get in to one of the 1st classes of 2019 that will be held at their Gaffney, SC facility.

Preface

Freightliner is the chasis manufacturer that 

• Builds the frame
• Purchases and installs an engine from a 3rd party. 
• Purchases and instals the wheels/brakes..from 3rd parties
• Sells the incomplete vehicle to a motorhome manufacturers who then install the home portion of the motor home.

Topics Covered in Camp Freightliner

I won’t go into great detail because I am far from an expert even though I am 1000x more knowledgeable after the class.

• Engine Information-This is SUPER important because it is the foundation of EVERYTHING (maintenance, operation..etc)
• Fuel Filter/Fuel Water Separator 
• The Air System (Compressor, Brakes, Air Bags, Leveling)
• ABS (Anti Lock Break System)
• Suspension
• What is located where on my chassis
• Weight Distribution
• Proper Tire Inflation based upon 4-Corner Weights
• Transmission operation (Now I know what the MODE button is for)
• Proper maintenance and service intervals
• Many more topics. Plus anything and everything that you would ever want to know about the foundation of your motor home that is built on a Freightliner chassis
• All of the information Mike covered was also given to us in a book and a thumb drive, customized to our unit. 

Recommendations 

1-Schedule your yearly service at the Frieghtliner Oasis Service Center. The technicians are all factory trained and the labor rates are cheaper than in Virginia. Also get your 4-corner weights done...this will allow you to know exactly what your tire pressure should be set at.

2-Arrive the night before and stay in their RV parking lot (50amp service at each site, water and sewer available)

3-Know your RV (spec's , engine..etc)

4-Formulate your questions and wait to ask them when Mike Cody (the instructor) is on that topic. It helps to avoid the tangents and side bar conversations

5-Listen, absorb and participate-- You will be provided with  a wealth of knowledge that will make you better RV owners.

If you have any specific questions feel free to respond via the comment box below.

#etctacampingadventures2019
#rvlife

Tips To Keeping Unwanted Pests out of your RV

On our last adventure we were packed full of people, stuff and food. After driving for almost 10 hours we arrived at our campground and started to unpack all of the “extra” bedding and blankets and found poop pellets from some sort of rodent. 

ETCTA’s Top-5 Tips To Keeping Unwanted Pests out of your RV

1-Inspect your RV, Know your RV

• Look for areas underneath your RV where a mouse or rodent can enter-In my 2016 Fleetwood Discovery 40g the most vulnerable area is the wet bay which has an easily moveable tray at the bottom and offers a direct line into the RV via the plumbing system.

• Inspect all wiring and plumbing to make sure they have not done any damage to any wiring, water or propane lines

• Inspect your bedding for a nest and poop
• Inspect all bays for holes or openings. Are any of them new? 

2-Clean, clean, clean

• Don’t leave anything in your RV that will attract a rodent (food, crumbs, smells). After each trip we wipe down all surfaces and cabinet drawers with Lysol Wipes

• Vacuum all areas. Inevitably someone will drop something on the floor while eating these droppings could be a Thanksgiving Feast for a rodent.
• Clean your grills and grill grates. Burnt or charred remains of last nights steak are Christmas dinner for a rodent and they will do everything possible to enjoy it.

3-Take preventative steps

• Utilize a rodent repellent. We put a few of these in the bays of our RV and apparently the smell retells rodents. Also as an extra precaution I sprinkled this on the ground around my RV.

4-Go easy on the traps

• They can break a finger or toe if not handled and placed correctly
• They attract and kill mice as opposed to repelling them. If you have a pest living in your RV then by all means be careful and strategically utilize them.

5-Take cues from your neighbors.

• If your neighbor in storage or at a campground has or had mice chances are that they will try to find a new home. 

Be Prepared and don't let a furry little creature ruin one ounce of your camping fun :-)

RV Park Review-KOA Point South/Yemassee

RV Park Review-KOA Yemassee

Campground Address:

14 Campground Road

Yemassee, South Carolina

Date of Stay-December 2018

Average Nightly Cost-$60

This KOA was a great stopping point on our way to Orlando.

I wish that I could have actually explored the campground but we rolled in LATE at night and out EARLY in the morning. 

When we arrived we were quickly checked in and shown to our site. Even at 8pm they had someone on duty ready willing and able to show us to our site. Our site was wide and deep enough for us not disconnect our toad. The bathrooms were super clean.

If you are in the area and need a clean and friendly place to stay I highly recommend the KOA/Point South 

#KOAKampgrounds

Top 5 Tips To Manage Disney & Universal During The Holidays

A few months ago we had a great idea of enjoying Disney and Universal Studios for Christmas. I  planned the journey and my lovely wife planned the theme park logistics.

We braved the crowds at Universal Studios on Monday December 24th and Tuesday December 25th and the endless mass of people at Disney’s Animal Kingdom on December 27th.

A few facts:

• Universal Studios is visited by over 10.1mm people each year
• Walt Disney World (all parks) is visited by over 150mm people each year
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom  is visited by over 12.5 mm people each year
• The average daily attendance at both parks is 4-5x greater than an average week…sooo be ready.

A Few Tips To Help You & Your Family Survive.

1-Invest in a Fast Pass (Disney) or Express Pass (Universal). In order to maximize your day you will need a little bit of help via an extra ticket. Based upon my experience…if the normal “wait-time” was a third of my actual wait time (20-minutes vs the posted 60-minutes). 

2-Arrive early and knock off your wish list rides early in the day. At Animal Kingdom we wanted to ride the Avatar Ride so we were one of the 1st ones in line when the park opened. Once the park opened we all made a “B” line to the front of the Avatar ride…by the time that we walked through the HUGE people cue we were able to walk on the ride. To be fair the people cue for this ride is almost a mile long (slight exaggeration). When we walked by later in the day the wait time for Avatar was 4 hours.

3-Eat at odd hours. Everyone wants to eat between 12 and 1! So the lines will be long. If you can hold off on feeding your family until after 2 you will save a few valuable minutes. 

4-Be friendly to EVERYONE! All of the employees have name badges talk to all of them, treat all of them the way that you want to be treated. You never know one of these employees might be able to offer you a valuable tip that will enhance your stay.

5-Plan ahead and pack your patience. If you decide to go during the busy time just know that the lines for EVERYTHING will be longer. Both Disney and Universal have apps that will provide you an interactive map of the  park along with ride or attraction.

Have Fun :-)

Unique Camping Experiences-Harvest Hosts

If you have been around the RV/Camping Lifestyle for over a year I am quite sure you have heard about Harvest Hosts. 

I wanted to give you my 2 cents. We have been happy members for the past 4 years and have stayed at well over 30+ different host sites.

What It Is 

• A great way to meet, interact  and learn from the local farmers, brewers and wine makers of this great country. After 30+ stays I can honestly say that I have an sincere appreciation of the hard work and passion that goes into local wine & beer making.

What It Isn't 

• A campground

• A campground

• A campground

Sorry for being repetitive but I have chatted with a few RV'er who were upset that they could not get Wifi or they could not connect to the host locations 50amp service

Prerequisite

You must have a self contained RV and most importantly be very comfortable being self contained.

• No electrical hook-ups

• No water hook-ups

• No sewer hook-ups

• No guarantee of a level place to park

Here is a video that Jason & Nikki Wynn put together about their experience with Harvest Host



Out of all of the RV Clubs and Memberships that we have this is one that we will definetly keep.