RV Lifestyle & Travel

Adventure, Camping, RV Lifestyle & Travel, RV Living & Cooking

Easy Camping Recipe – Chicken Pepper Pockets

Easy Camping Recipe – Chicken Pepper Pockets If you love to travel in an RV you are probably always up for a new and easy recipe you can cook up right inside your RV kitchen. These chicken pepper pockets are not only easy to prepare, they are portable! You can whip ‘em up and take them out on your next hike or just enjoy them at the campsite. No plates or utensils required. Here is how to make them: Ingredients- Tools- Preparation/Cooking Instructions For more tips on RV camping or information on RV rental please feel free to browse our website or contact us anytime. NW Adventure Rentals has a luxurious fleets of motorhomes and travel trailers, conveniently located in the Pacific Northwest at our Seattle location! Let us help you have a great outdoor vacation! (Image above courtesy of Alpha Flickr) Recipe via: https://blog.goodsam.com/camping-recipe-chicken-pepper-pockets/

Adventure, Camping, RV Lifestyle & Travel, RV Ownership Tips

Grade Signs and What They Mean

Grade Signs and What They Mean Take a short drive just a few hours east or west from the NW Adventure Rental offices and you will find some of the most beautiful mountain ranges and scenery in the world. And with the Olympics on one side and the Cascades on the other, you are bound to find a sign warning of a steep grade. When you first see these bright yellow signs they can seem a bit cryptic and mysterious, but they are actually very simple and extremely useful to RV drivers. In simple terms- grade is the amount of rise or drop in a given distance. For example: a five percent grade would mean that the road is going to rise or fall five percent over the next 100 feet. In a more specific example: if a sign says 5% downgrade next four miles, this means you will descend 1,056 feet over the next four miles. This is how we got to that number: there are 5,280 feet in a mile, so multiply that by 4 to get 21,120 feet and multiply that by .05 to get the five percent grade. Luckily you don’t have to do all that math in your head when you see a road grade sign to decipher if the grade is going to be steep. When a grade is 5 percent or greater you will see signage to make you aware. Law prohibits U.S. Interstates from having grades higher than 6 percent, however on other roads and non U.S. highways there is no limit. What RV drivers really want to be cautious of is stretches of road with long grades. The longer the grade, the more care should be taken. A short length super steep grade into the double digits may seem more intimidating, but a long grade of only 5 percent can do a number on your brakes if you are not driving properly. When driving over a lengthy grade there are a few techniques to employ. Going uphill, keep an eye on how the engine is operating. You might want to switch off the air conditioner when climbing a hill to keep the engine cool. Watch the temperature readings and, if you have one, keep an eye on the transmission temperature gauge as well. If you see a rise in temperature release the throttle a bit and downshift. Follow this procedure if the engine seems to drag a bit as well. Going downhill requires a lot of steady patience to keep the RV under control. Slow and steady wins the race here. Remember this old trucker’s phrase when driving down a sizable grade: “You can come down the hill too slow many times, but you can come down the hill too fast only once.” This also applies to RV drivers. It is always better to start out slower than you feel you should go because downhill momentum is going to begin to build and if you start too fast it is easy too lose control quickly. A good rule of thumb is to remember what gear got you safely up the hill and use that or a gear lower to come back down again. “Diesel engines will have more effective/actual compression braking whereas gas engines only have grade shifting by using the transmission to reduce speed, much less effective than a true compression/exhaust brake that Diesel engines provide.” – David Izbicki The gear you use for downhill grades should sustain your RV at a comfortable speed and not feel like you are on the edge of rushing down the hill. Some truck drivers use an aggressive braking method that can work for driving an RV as well. It works like this: keep the vehicle with the right gear and find your safe speed. When the RV is at that speed, bear down on the brake until you are five miles an hour below it. Now release the brakes and do not touch them again until the vehicle reaches that safe speed. You should never continuously ride the brakes as this will burn them out. Navigating road grades in an RV is not as intimidating as it seems with the right technique. For more great RV information and RV rentals please browse or website or contact us anytime. NW Adventure Rentals has two luxurious fleets of motorhomes and travel trailers, conveniently located in the Pacific Northwest at our Seattle location. Let us help you have a great outdoor vacation!

Adventure, Campgrounds, Destinations & Itineraries, RV, RV Lifestyle & Travel

Try RV Camping in the Sol Duc Valley

Try RV Camping in the Sol Duc Valley The Sol Duc Valley is a gorgeous destination to RV camp in the Olympic National Forest, located just outside of Port Angeles and Forks. Sol Duc is a popular spot to camp, and is most well known as a great spot to watch salmon swim upstream to spawn as well as for the natural hot springs. RV accommodations can be found at both the Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort and the Sol Duc Campground. The Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort is the home of the famous hot springs pools, as the name implies. The resort offers cabins, RV camping sites, tent camping sites, restaurant, gift shop, swimming pool, and the hot mineral soaking pools. It is best to make a reservation far in advance due to the popularity of the resort, and the RV park in this location is only open in the summer. Sol Duc campground is a bit more rustic for those wanting to get out in nature. It offers picnic tables, fire pits, animal proof food storage lockers, accessible restrooms, portable water, and an RV dump station. The Sol Duc Campground is open year round, but only has access to primitive pit toilets and no access to water from November to early April. There are many great hikes to take advantage of in the Sol Duc Valley, but be aware that pets and bikes are not permitted on the trails. The Sol Duc falls trail is one of the most popular; it is just under a mile one way with old growth forest leading up to the cascading waterfall. It is a great hike for the whole family. Be sure to keep an eye on children near the falls as footing can get slippery and the falls can be dangerous when you get too close. Interested in watching the famous coho salmon? You can catch them leaping through the Sol Duc waters of Salmon Cascades in the late summer and fall. Salmon return to their place of birth in the Sol Duc river to complete their life cycle. The more popular leaping and jumping through the water to make their way upstream happens in late summer and spawning happens in the fall. Take a stroll through the Lover’s Lane trail and you may discover a pair of salmon spawning. Ready to start planning your trip to the Sol Duc Valley, to rest and relax in the hot springs or be wowed by the amazing local salmon? We can help you find the perfect RV rental for your trip. Please feel free to browse our website or contact us anytime. NW Adventure Rentals has two luxurious fleets of motorhomes and travel trailers, conveniently located in the Pacific Northwest at our Seattle location. Let us help you have a great outdoor vacation! Image by David Fulmer Flickr

Adventure, Camping, RV Lifestyle & Travel, RV Ownership Tips

Packing the Right Clothes for Fall Camping

Packing the Right Clothes for Fall Camping Though the weather may be getting colder, fall is a great time to take an RV camping trip. There is still so much to do outside during the fall, and when you are done adventuring through the country side, you can bundle up and get cozy and warm inside the RV. But what does one wear or pack in their suitcase for a fall outdoor excursion? You may have some fall attire that you love, but packing for a camping trip requires your clothing to not just be fashionable but functional, too. Your fall RV trip wardrobe essentials will depend a lot upon your destination and the activities you hope to enjoy while there. Fall is a transitional season and as such the weather is varied depending upon your destination and sometimes it can even vary greatly from day to day or hour to hour in some spots. Here in the Pacific Northwest you can be in a location that may be a nice sunny and slightly crisp 60 degrees, only to change to rain and wind in a matter of hours. Let’s start with the bare minimum essentials of packing clothes for your trip. You of course will want a jacket or coat that is versatile for a range of activities such as a puffer jacket or heavy fleece depending upon the temperature. A good pair of outdoor shoes you don’t mind getting muddy in cooler and moist conditions is also a fall camping staple. The next step to building a fall camping vacation wardrobe is to think about layering. The transitional and varied weather conditions will call for adding and subtracting of layers as the day goes on and the temperature changes. If you plan to spend long hours hiking the countryside or trekking through apple orchards, you will want light moisture-wicking layers that keep the sweat off your skin while holding the moisture in. Start with a base layer of a simple t-shirt, then a button up shirt or flannel, grab a sweater and then put your jacket on over that. Don’t forget about gloves, scarves, and hats. You will also want some warm quality socks. Grab a day bag/pack to carry around with you so you have somewhere to put layers that you shed during the day when you get too warm. It’s not fun to try and carry your extra clothes around, and if you have kiddos shedding layers, they are bound to set them down somewhere and leave them there. It is ok to overpack just a little during the fall. With the weather being so unpredictable it is a good idea to have extra clothes on hand. Don’t forget about an extra pair of shoes as well. Extra socks are always a plus, since there is nothing like coming back to the RV after a long day of adventuring and exchanging your cold/wet/sweaty socks for some nice fresh clean ones. It is also good to have some rain gear on hand just in case, such as coats made for rain, hats, waterproof shoes, and umbrellas. To be sure you don’t overdo it on the packing, think about each day’s activities and pack specifically for each activity. Make sure each family member has one layered outfit for each day. See if there are some layers that could be used multiple times such as sweaters and sweatshirts. Then pack in one or two extra sets of clothes and you should be set. This way you can pack heavier clothes and items without feeling like you are packing too much. The right wardrobe is important for any trip, especially during transitional seasons like fall. You don’t want to get slowed down from enjoying your adventures because you are not well prepared. For more tips on RV camping or information on RV rental please feel free to browse our website or contact us anytime. NW Adventure Rentals has a luxurious fleets of motorhomes and travel trailers, conveniently located in the Pacific Northwest at our Seattle location! Let us help you have a great outdoor vacation!

Adventure, Destinations & Itineraries, RV Lifestyle & Travel, RV Ownership Tips

Geo-Caching – A Super Fun Activity to Do While Camping

Geo-Caching – A Super Fun Activity to Do While Camping Geocaching has been around for a few years; it is a great outdoor activity that the whole family can get in on! Perhaps this is why geocaching is becoming an increasingly popular activity to do while camping. What exactly is geo-caching? It is like a modern day treasure hunt using technology along with a paper map. Treasure hunters use GPS coordinates and sometimes clues to find a cache hidden by other geo-cachers. A cache is a mix of items like trinkets, a logbook and writing utensil, and maybe even a disposable camera stuffed into a waterproof box and hidden under a rock, behind a tree, or sometimes in a sneaky clever urban location. The geographic coordinates are posted to a geocaching website for other geocachers to find. The most popular site of geocache listings is geocaching.com. Basic Geocaching Guidelines/Tips Geocaching Supplies In order to safely geocache you will need a few items. Geocaching is a great way to get the kids involved and excited about getting outside. With millions upon millions of caches listed, there is bound to be one somewhere around your next RV camping destination. For more detailed information and insider tips on geocaching, check out some books on the subject or browse the web. Let us help you get out on your next epic outdoor adventure. Rent an RV from NW Adventure Rentals and set out on the open road in search of treasure! For more tips on RV camping or information on RV rental, please feel free to browse our website or contact us anytime. NW Adventure Rentals has a luxurious fleet of motorhomes and travel trailers, conveniently located in the Pacific Northwest at our Seattle location! Image by Peter Galvin Flickr

Adventure, Camping, RV Lifestyle & Travel

Rainy Day Camping with the Kids

Rainy Day Camping with the Kids Kids are full of adventure and energy; they love camping because it gives them a chance to explore new places. But what is a kid to do when the weather isn’t so great? It can be tough on the kiddos and parents alike when everyone is cooped up inside the RV during poor weather. We have put together a list of handy items to help you make camping more enjoyable for your kids when the weather is rough. Basics: There are so many different indoor RV activities you can add to the kit, but this is a good list of basics that will have you prepared and not packing too much extra bulk. Make it a super special thing by packing these items in their own backpack or box and label it the rainy day kit. That way when boredom or sad faces strike at the sight of rain, you can pull it out and lift the mood. For more tips on RV camping or information on RV rental please feel free to browse our website or contact us anytime. NW Adventure Rentals has a luxurious fleets of motorhomes and travel trailers, conveniently located in the Pacific Northwest at our Seattle location! Let us help you have a great outdoor vacation!

Adventure, Camping, Destinations & Itineraries, RV Lifestyle & Travel

Finding Maps for Remote Camping Spots

Finding Maps for Remote Camping Spots In the not-so-distant past, if people wanted to navigate an area they were unfamiliar with, they needed to get directions from a local resident or purchase a paper map at the local convenience store. Today when we need to find a destination, we simply ask for an address or google a type of business, ask Siri to plug it into the navigation on our phone, and away we go! Even in the age of technology and all the information you could imagine at your fingertips, wherever you go on your mobile device, there are some places that wifi and cell towers do not reach. If you are planning to go all out on an RV wilderness camping adventure into a remote location, you are going to need a map you can use without an internet connection. So where can you find a map to help you navigate these places that cell and navigation service cant reach? If you don’t have a fancy satellite GPS system, you can still make use of online maps even when your phone is offline. Here is a guide to help you use google maps while offline. When the map is fully downloaded and saved you are ready to use it while offline. Note: this is the procedure for iOS. You can download offline maps to android phones as well. The process is almost the same: you choose an area, choose the menu, look for save map offline, it will ask you to save the map, it will confirm the map is saved and ask you to name it. To find the map you will need to go into your profile by clicking the person icon on the homepage in the app. Once in that menu, find the offline map section and click on it to find a list of maps you have saved. Using Hard Copy Maps It is always in your best interest to have a paper hard copy of a map when you are in a remote territory. Yes, they do still make those, and yes, you can buy them in stores or even online. Many a park ranger and outdoor rescue worker use paper maps and even help those who find themselves lost with them. Maps issued by Parks and Recreation/The Forest Service/The Bureau of Land Management will give detailed info on the conditions of all roads during certain times of the year. If a road is prone to becoming washed out or blocked there will be a side note to make travelers aware and suggest an alternate route. This is a feature you won’t find on a map saved to a phone, So having a paper copy map of your remote location is always a good plan. Boondocking (RV camping unplugged in a remote area) is a fun and amazing way to experience some beautiful destinations. Make sure you have an emergency kit, you let people know your travel plans, and you are sure you know how to get around in the area with reliable maps. For more tips on RV camping or information on RV rental please feel free to browse our website or contact us anytime. NW Adventure Rentals has a luxurious fleets of motorhomes and travel trailers, conveniently located in the Pacific Northwest at our Seattle location! Let us help you have a great outdoor vacation!

Adventure, Camping, RV Lifestyle & Travel, RV Ownership Tips

How to Keep Wildlife Out of the Campsite

How to Keep Wildlife Out of the Campsite Going out into the wilderness on an RV camping trip puts you right in the middle of wild animal territory. While you want to be respectful of any animal that makes the place you are camping their home, you also don’t want them in your things while you are trying to get away and relax. Though we tend to see more video and equipment toward keeping bears out of a campsite, chances are very low that a bear will invade your space unless you are in known bear country. Most of the time regular campsite invasion offenders are smaller animals like raccoons, chipmunks, squirrels and skunks. The biggest factor that draws animals into campsites is food. Animals generally try to stay away from humans unless there is something interesting in the campsite they want. When an animal smells food and they are hungry, they are going to find a way to get to that food. Unfortunately if you do not have your food properly stored; there is a very high chance of visitation from unwanted creatures to your camping spot. Many animals that make the forest their home can smell strong food odors from items such as raw meat and food scraps from up to a mile away. Since so many animals have such a keen sense of smell it is wise to properly store and dispose of all food after every meal. Just closing up a cooler or sealing a food package is not enough to keep animals from invading and eating your food. Animals can still smell food inside packages and containers and we all know trash bags are like bat signals to raccoons and skunks. The most common food storage mistakes that draw animals into a campsite include: Here’s how to store and dispose of food properly to keep unwanted animals away: Should a critter wonder into your camp here are some things you can do to get rid of them: Raccoons and Opossums- These guys are easily scared with loud noises and clapping, just make sure to keep a distance and don’t try to touch them or pick them up. Skunks- They are also deterred by loud noises, but be aware that their first instinct is to spray, so keep a very good distance and use a really loud noise. Bears- In the off chance a bear wanders into your camp, you will want to slowly and quietly get out of the campsite and to safety. Do not face off with a bear. Forget about the site for now; there is nothing you can do until they leave. For more tips on RV camping or information on RV rental please feel free to browse our website or contact us anytime. NW Adventure Rentals has a luxurious fleets of motorhomes and travel trailers, conveniently located in the Pacific Northwest at our Seattle location! Let us help you have a great outdoor vacation!

Adventure, Camping, RV Lifestyle & Travel, RV Ownership Tips

What to do when someone gets sick on a camping trip

Previous Next What to do when someone gets sick on a camping trip With Autumn also comes cold season. It is no fun when someone comes down with a bug while on the camping trip, especially because an RV can become tight quarters for sickness to easily spread to everyone. Here are some ways to keep your sick travel partners comfortable so they can get well, and to keep the germs from spreading to others while camping in the close confines of an RV. Fresh Air One of the ways we catch colds from those that are sick is being in small spaces with them for long periods of time. RVs, even the largest ones, are pretty close quarters. A great way to get air moving is to open up those windows as long as it is not super chilly outside. Open up the door as well. Clean Surfaces Anything a sick person comes in contact with becomes a petri dish for the cold virus. Make sure all surfaces are wiped down regularly and be aware of surfaces that like to hold onto and breed bacteria, making us even more sick. Mainly anything with pores and crevices. Some areas to make sure are extra clean include: bath mats, hand towels, bed linens, door knobs, faucet handles, light switches, etc. Separate the Sick Person into Comfy Quarters This is beneficial both for the sick person and for everyone else in the RV. A sick person needs lots of rest to get back to 100%, so giving them a comfy place to lay around/hang out and rest will help get them back to optimal health. The best place would be the RV bedroom if there is one with the door closed to keep exposure to germs at a minimum. They can also have a quiet place to relax and maybe even watch some TV/videos. Have a Restroom Plan A sick person is going to need more frequent use of the facilities, whether to take a quick steamy shower or because they are drinking more fluids. If you have children traveling with you it is a good idea to ask them to use the campground facilities instead of sharing the restroom and spreading germs. Make sure to sanitize the restroom frequently. Fill the Air `Boost everyone’s immune system by placing a cut up fresh lemon and a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil in a crock pot and covering with water. Turn the crockpot on and let it fill the air with a pleasant scent that also helps to open stuffy airways and help keep germs at bay. Some Other Common Practices to Use All Year Long to Prevent Sickness For more tips on RV camping or information on RV rental please feel free to browse our website or contact us anytime. NW Adventure Rentals has a luxurious fleets of motorhomes and travel trailers, conveniently located in the Pacific Northwest at our Seattle location! Let us help you have a great outdoor vacation! Image By mcfarlandmo [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Adventure, Camping, RV Lifestyle & Travel, RV Ownership Tips

Where Should We Camp? Great RV Options Anywhere

Where Should We Camp? Great RV Options Anywhere One of the most frequently asked questions by RV renters and brand new RV owners is “where should I or can I go in an RV?” The answer to this question is limitless and different for each state and area. Before you begin your great outdoor adventure, you will want to ask what exactly it is that you want in a campground. Are you looking to truly get as far away from civilization as possible and camp without any amenities except what is in the RV? Do you prefer to stay in a resort-type camping space with lots of people and more creature comforts? Whatever is more your style, there is a camping spot to fit your needs. Let’s look at the different types of campsites and campable places around the country that are great for RV camping. Public and Private Campgrounds These are the most easy to locate in any area as long as you have a search engine or campground directory. A campground directory is a large book full of every campsite in a specific area that includes the price, location, amenities and general overview of each campground. Most private and public campgrounds will offer some range of amenities which could include anything from primitive toilets to full hookups, wifi, showers, and even laundry. Make sure to read as much as you can about a campground and look for the amenities to determine if it is a spot you will want to stay in. Also look for the size limitations for RVs; some campgrounds only accommodate smaller RVs. Public Camping Locations These include state and national parks, forest service land, Bureau of Land Management properties, US Army Corps of Engineers land, and Fish and Wildlife Service properties. Each of these places will have their own website and are a treasure trove of camping locations. Make sure you know the camping rules of each location; they may all be public properties but the expectations for campers vary. Find Great Campgrounds by Searching Camping/RV Club websites Not only will these sites have lists of great campsites in the area you wish to travel to, they often have discussion forums about people’s opinions and experiences at different sites. Some will even have insider tips to make your trip in certain places more enjoyable or cost effective. Free Overnight Camping Spots There are some places that you can spend just one night for free without having to boondock out in the wilderness, such as the parking lots of Walmart stores and casinos. These are great short stops for those that plan to take longer RV trips like the great American cross-country road trip. For more tips on RV camping or information on RV rental please feel free to browse our website or contact us anytime. NW Adventure Rentals has a luxurious fleets of motorhomes and travel trailers, conveniently located in the Pacific Northwest at our Seattle location! Let us help you have a great outdoor vacation!