RV Cooling - AC Alternative

5th Wheel bedroom window location - Window is open.

A few years ago my ceiling AC failed in my Roadtrek (Class B Motorhome). Repairs were not an option where I was, and the weather was stifling hot. I found this Bonaire Personal Cooler (which I call my Swamp Cooler), at Home Depot. There was just the one, it had been returned, and none of the store staff had the faintest idea how it worked. It was a good deal. I was desperate, so I took it.

Here's what you need to know:

• You put it near an open window; 
• Turn on your Fantastic Fan (ceiling fan if you have one);
• Open other windows to create a draft; 
• You put water in the back, turn it on, and you're good to go. 

You get low-cost cooling at a fraction of what AC costs. Good for the desert, and dry climates. Not so good in high humidity areas. This is a daytime cooler. One unit this size will NOT cool your entire trailer. However, it is portable, so you can move it around to where you are.

It will cool your Roadtrek. My cooler sat between the front seats when in use (hanging locker when not in use). It was great. There is a small pump, and a fan, so power consumption is minimal.

I like it best when daytime temperatures are below 90 F. The Fantastic Fan is turned on, AC in the rest of the trailer is turned off, and the windows are open. I use it to cool the bedroom in the afternoon. It raises the humidity level, and cools by evaporation. Perfect for people who find AC hard to take. More information is here. Highly recommended.

March Weather Madness

 

Still March, and the temperatures are rising. This is the AZ forecast for March 26, 2015.

Meanwhile, as Snowbirds start their journey home, this is how the rest of the continent looks. Deadly twisters created no end of havoc on highways across America yesterday, including the popular routes home. I made 18 trips from the SW to the NE over several years (nine out, nine back), and now I fly. The trip down in the fall was always the best, the trip home in early April was challenging to say the least.

Photo from CBS of a deadly twister in 2013, The end of March and early part of April is Tornado time, and it pays to plan your motor trip carefully. Having access to the Internet in your vehicle while you travel can help keep you out of harm's way. I personally avoid several severe weather events by knowing when to go South, head North, or sometimes just when to stop and wait.

Phoenix and the Valley forecast for the last weekend of March 2015. The record for this weekend is 95 degrees. Record, or no record, this is hot. The weather systems, which eventually track East start here in the SW.

Sourdough Pancakes - RV Special

I'm posting this sourdough pancake recipe here so I won't forget it. Pictured is a sourdough pancake that will puff up a bit (rise), and this was achieved only after some experimentation. Puffed or not, they are always good, so don't worry.

You'll need sourdough starter, and there are plenty of ways to get it, including starting your own. Mine came from a friend in the park. Thank you Karen. This starter originated in Europe over 30 years ago, and Karen has kept it going ever since. The older the starter, the better (or, so I'm told).

I keep about a cup in the refrigerator, then the night before, in a separate bowl add about a cup of flour and a cup of warm water. Use equal parts. Stir. Cover with a tea-towel and allow to sit overnight on the counter. In the morning, stir, then draw off about a half-cup of your starter and return to the refrigerator for future use.

Use about two cups of starter (what's left in the bowl) for a decent feeding for two to four people. Stir in one egg. Add 2 Tbsp of olive oil, 1 Tbsp of sugar, and a dash of salt.

To help with getting the pancakes to rise, I added two Tbsp of milk.

Finally, you'll need 1 tsp of baking soda. Dissolve the baking soda in a Tbsp of warm water before throwing it in the mix, and do this as a last step.

If you want more protein, add another egg.

Fry them up on medium high temperature, and enjoy.

Palm Creek in Casa Grande

Casa Grande is South of Phoenix on Hwy 10. It is roughly about an hour from the Phoenix airport (directions). It's a smaller town (population appx. 50,000), and a lot of people like it for this reason. Palm Creek RV resort is located on the East side of town, and you can't miss it from Highway 10 because of all the palm trees you see off in the distance. A five star resort, it is a beautiful place to vacation. I have a number of friends who call this home in the winter. For serious fans of Pickleball, this is the park for you.

I was there last weekend and took these pictures from the car window. The property pictured above is somewhat typical of the park models you'll find in PC. It was the landscaping that drew my eye to this property. We are in the desert, and the grass you see is probably artificial.

How about this RV setup. The good news, at the time of this writing it is for sale. Plan to spend about $240,000. The outbuilding you see is part of their property, so you get an idea how much space you'll have to enjoy. Space that won't come cheap, but for RVers who want something special, you have it here in spades.

Here's another example of carefully planned space with an motor coach for living in. These RVers pay annual fees just like park models, and the property upgrades are an extra investment, which could possibly be sold later if you decide to move, and can find someone to assume your annual fees. Here's the good news - if you do make the commitment, and keep up the annual fees, you won't find yourself being bumped for a park model. Not all parks think like this.

South-West Sunset, Mesa

So here we are in Valley del Oro, Mesa, Arizona. About as cosmopolitan as it gets - and, that is a freeway overpass you see. Hwy 202 to be exact. Yes, RV parks are often built close to busy highways (or,sometimes railways). VDO is at the intersection of Hwy 60 and Hwy 202.

  

 Looking NE, this is what we see at sunset. That is Superstition Mountain. I am standing on top of my trailer to see it, which means if you are not willing to climb on top of your trailer, you will not see the sunset. At least in this location.

What are we eating tonight? On special, and directly from the East Coast, and on sale here in Mesa. We're in the desert, but we're not exactly roughing it.