Getting Off The Beaten Track

New Zealand is lucky in that it is a fairly small country in terms of land mass. It is often compared in size, (and many other ways), more or less, to the UK.

The difference of course is in the population of those two comparably sized countries.

Whereas the UK has a combined population of some 64 million people, New Zealand has around 4 million. So, that means that everyone in New Zealand has a lot more space, or does it?

They don't of course, because as in many other places, the residents of New Zealand tend to gather together in groups and build things. With Auckland accounting for 1.397 million souls, Wellington with 395 thousand and Christchurch very close with 375 thousand it can be seen that these three principal cities contribute more than half the total population.

Although the UK does have its beautiful and fairly remote places, the national park areas of Northumberland, Cornwall, Derbyshire and Yorkshire are all good examples of places where you can escape the hustle and bustle - at least until you get to the next pub or tea room; it isn't really a country that you would visit to "get away from it all".

New Zealand, on the other hand, is a place where you can truly escape the hustle and bustle. With most of the population tucked away in just ten or so large towns and cities, there are vast areas of New Zealand where you can explore and have it pretty much to yourself. You would, of course, want to avoid the really popular tourist areas because, although New Zealand has a small permanent population, each year there are around 2.5 million tourists arriving into the country, most of whom will, at the very least, take a peek at the beautiful locations that they have chosen to visit.

Whether you are a tourist, or a resident who would like to get off the beaten track every now and again, there can be no better way to achieve this than by packing everything you need, and even things you don't need, into a motor home and head off into the wilderness.

Motor homes have grown in popularity significantly over the last few years. They are the perfect solution for families with children although, having said that, they are also very popular with couples, especially those who have retired and want to spend time with each other.

New Zealand is also fortunate in that it has a large number of camp sites, many of which will accept motor homes and camper vans. Most have power, shower and toilet facilities but some do not so it's worth checking before you set off.

For some, perhaps quite a few, the attraction of a motor home lies in its ability to take you to places where the availability of power, toilets and showers is of little importance since you are able to take all of those things with you as they are built into your camper van.

Those who truly want to spend some quality time with mother nature will find a nice place to settle down for the night, with just the wildlife, beautiful scenery and each other for company and enjoy being off the beaten track.

Experience A Real Family Adventure On Wheels

Every spring break, every summer, you load up the family and head off to your usual vacation spot. It may be a cabin at the lake or a cabana on the beach. Maybe it's a week at grandma's with a stop by some of the same tourist attractions you've seen a hundred times but it's a week away from the rat race, with the family and gives you some quality time with the kids.. in between the complaints that they're bored.

Why not try something different next time? Hit the road in luxury and find new adventures! A 5th wheel, camper, RV or travel-trailer will not only give your family an adventure they won't forget, but you'll have the comforts of home without the rat race of home. Unlike the old-school ways of camping; unless that's what you want; they are loaded with amenities and features that are many times better than the budget hotels where you usually stay.

Find state parks and national parks where you can stay and enjoy the wide open space of nature. These parks offer lakes and hiking trails; many have organised guided walks for kids - no adults allowed. How awesome would that be to have the kids taken care of for a few hours while Mom and Dad just chill-out and relax in that roomy camper?

You can still go by grandma's too, just park in front of her house; it's just like you brought your own bathroom and bedroom. It may just be a relief for grandma this year!

Taking the family vacation on the road with a 5th wheel, camper van, RV or travel-trailer lets you see so much more than just hopping on a plane and checking into some boring hotel. With the sleeping quarters you bring with you, you know who's been sleeping there and how clean they are - no more guessing if housekeeping really changed the sheets!

Bring along the family's favourite snacks and the kids can have a game system, listen to their iPods or watch a DVD, all while going down the road. No more questions like "Where are we?" or "Are we almost there?" The kids can bring their favourite toys and even their bikes.

A family vacation, or just a quick trip away for the weekend to take a well-earned break is possible when you have a camper van. You don't have to worry about booking accommodation as you have your own onboard lodgings. You can park up for the night wherever you please, in the most interesting of places, with nothing but adventure waiting to happen.

You'll enjoy and remember these trips for years to come. They may very well be some of the best vacations you've ever had.

Using Your Elevation RV Toy Hauler Correctly - Things To Watch Out For

As the owner of an Elevation RV, you now have a multi-use trailer that you can use to haul your "toys" around to all sorts of races and outdoor events. It is more than just a mobile garage because you can use it in many more circumstances since it is highly versatile. Your toy hauler is definitely built for strength, stability and durability but you do have to keep a few things in mind when you use yours. They include:

1. Avoid having passengers ride in the trailer. The law concerning this varies according to the state and you should take the trouble to find out more about it. Even if you are permitted to keep a passenger in the toy hauler, you might have to make some modifications in order to ensure safety.

2. Invest in a very good WD hitch so that weight is distributed in the optimum manner. You have to avoid a situation where weight is distributed unevenly because this can result in a very dangerous sway even if driving conditions are ideal.

3. It is best to not do any modifications to the bumper or frame, especially if you wish to tow a trailer behind your toy hauler. Be prepared to void the warranty on the frame if you make any unauthorized changes. This can work out to be very expensive in the long run.

4. Make sure that the hitch capacity of your vehicle is appropriate to the loads you have to pull. If there is a mismatch in that the hitch capacity is limited then the engine will get overheated and mileage will reduce drastically.

5. Check the air pressure in your tires before each outing so that they are able to withstand the heaviest possible loads. If the air pressure is low then your safety and fuel economy will be compromised.

6. Avoid taking your toy hauler out in freezing conditions unless it is properly prepared for cold weather. Keep in mind that most toy haulers have high quality insulation to make them withstand cold weather but not freezing conditions.

Your Elevation RV toy hauler will give you the best possible performance as long as you take these simple precautions when using it. You should also ensure that it gets regular maintenance from a reliable service centre in order to keep it in excellent working condition. This will help you get the best possible value for money from your purchase.

Recreational Vehicles: Automobiles With Living Space And All Amenities

Experts categorize and differentiate automobiles on several basis and hence, dimensions and amenities are the factors that are considered important in the categorization. Among different existing automobile range, Recreational Vehicle, also known as RV, is an automobile that is trailer equipped with amenities and living space found in a home. Normally, RV consists of a bathroom, kitchen and sleeping amenities. Motor Home, Caravan and Camper van are the commonly used words for this type of automobile which vary enormously from one country to the other. These types of vehicles consist of:

1. Motor Home

2. Travel Trailer

3. Fifth Wheel Trailer

4. Toy Hauler

5. Pop up Trailer

6. Slide-In Camper

These automobiles are considered as temporary living quarters for recreational purposes. These are designed and developed for several brief leisure activities like vacations and camping. As already mentioned, RVs are made to take pleasure of temporary living and do not offer safe full-time living. Government of several countries does not propose or give permission to use these Motor homes as permanent dwellings. One can easily find these special vehicles in Campgrounds, RV Parks and Trailer Parks. Sometimes, these RVs are used as mobile offices by business travelers, which often include customizations like:

• Generator

• Upgraded Electrical System

• Satellite Internet

• Extra Desk Space

There are several different classes of Recreational Vehicles, which differ in multiple features. This makes them unique and one of the best creations of the human mind. These include:

Class A Motorhome: This is a special class of RV that is constructed using either a commercial truck or bus chassis as this RV class reassembles a bus structure that has a vertical or flat front end with large windows. This class of RV includes:

• Diesel Pusher

• Bus Conversion

Class B Motorhome: This class consists of camper van that is made using a conventional van in which either the back is replaced with a low-profile body, or its roof is raised. These RVs measure up to 6.4m in length and weigh 4500 kg.

Class C Motorhome: This class of RVs is made on the truck chassis with fixed cab section. Toy Hauler is typically included in a large Class C characterized by a distinctive cab-over profile. This cab-over consists of a bed and an entertainment section. These are also known as mini motor homes. Vehicles that are incorporated in this class are:

• Pop up Camper

• Truck Camper

• Teardrop Trailer

• Hybrid Trailer

• Travel Trailer

• Park Model

• Fifth-wheel Trailer

• Toy Hauler

• Hybrid Trailer

The RV lifestyle is quite famous among senior citizens as they often sell their homes and travel to warm climates during the winters. Such travelers are popular as grey nomads.

RV Windshield Wipers Blades 101

People often ask about replacing wiper blades. So we thought it might be a good topic to write an article to answer those questions. RV wiper blade 101 will be helpful in giving answers.

If one wants to ensure the optimal driving visibility while it is raining, one must admit having great windshield wipers makes it much safer. If one is like me, you do not replace them, and then when it is raining ask oneself why did not replace those the last time it rained.

No one does it, but one should check them more frequently than one does. Here are some great tips.

Inspect them once every other month. Nobody does this, but it will solve the problem of not having great wiper blades when needed. One can have them checked by a technician when you are getting routine maintenance done. When one is at a RV dealership or the gas station when one is getting fuel.

Change them at least twice a year. More than use, elements can damage your blades. Heat, wind, humidity, ice, dry storage are among the many things that can damage your wiper blades. Using them is usually not what wears them out.

Clean the rubber element every time you get fuel, or wash your vehicle. This little practice will extend their life. Please do not use them as ice scrapers. Many people use them to get rid of ice off the windshield. This shortens the life of wiper blades extremely fast. Use an ice scraper and one will reap the benefits of a longer life of your blades, save money, and have better visibility when you need it.

One probably need new wiper blades when you notice any of the following things. You notice uneven wiping on the windshield. Streaking or chattering when they are in use. You can visually see when the rubber blades get split or torn.

The best-known windshield wipers are made by a company called Tru-Vision. They produce wiper blades for recreational vehicles, buses, and other commercial vehicles. Usually you can find these at any recreational vehicle dealership or repair center.

The bottom line in regards to this maintenance is to check them more frequently than you do. You will never regret having better ones on your vehicle when it comes time to use them.They are very easily found online and at RV dealerships Best wishes for happy camping and great visibility.

Foreclosed RVs For Sale - 4 Tips To Help You Choose The Right One

Most people focus all of their attention on how cheaply they can get an RV rather than if it is the right one for them. So in this article I am going to share with you 4 simple tips that will help you choose the perfect RV for you and your family.

Tip #1 - Figure Out What Size & What Class RV You Want To Buy

There are mainly three classes of foreclosed RV's for sale you can choose from. Class A, Class B and Class C. The Class A models are usually the nicest ones. They are also the biggest ones. The class C RV's are also very nice. The big different is the size. They are a lot smaller than the class A's.

The Class B rv is more of a camper van. It will be small and not have as many features as the Class A and the Class C. However, there are two big advantages to purchasing a class B RV. Not only is it easier to drive, but it is also better on gas. Keep in mind bigger RV's will cost you more money to not only use, but maintain as well. That's why it is very important you choose the right size.

Tip #2 - Figure Out A Good Price To Pay

Once you know what you want you need to do a little research to figure out what the best price is to pay. Use the NADA and KBB to find price ranges. In this case we are focusing on auctions so be sure to use the trade in value as your guide.

Tip #3 - Find Auctions To Attend

Once you have done all of your research its time to find an RV auction to attend. You can find auctions that have foreclosed RV's for sale online and through local advertisement. You can also find them through banks and repo companies.

Tip #4 - Go To The Preview Period

Every auction has a preview period where you can go in and inspect the RV you are interested in. This inspection period is extremely important. It is your chance to see if the RV is worth your money. Look for signs of any water damage and any other major problems. The condition of the RV should dictate the price you are willing to pay. If the RV will need repairs that is extra money you will need to pay. That should be factored into how much you bid.

Once the inspection period is over it will be time for the auction to start. Make a note of the RV you want and bid on it at the appropriate time. Never go over the highest about you have set for yourself. If you lose the bid, bid on something else or wait for the next auction to come around. Never overpay. If you win the bid make sure you have the right form of payment. Before attending the auction make sure you know all the details.

Tips for Maintaining Your RV

You have been saving for it and have dreamed night and day for the moment when you would have an RV of your own. Now that you have it, the hard part comes, you have to maintain it to avoid there being any damage to it or you getting stranded and your dream soon becomes a nightmare. There are some basic steps that you can undertake that will help you to maintain your RV and to ensure that it will be there for you and will provide years of enjoyment for you and your family. An ounce of prevention is well worth the trouble you may experience for a short time.

The obvious place is to begin with the engine. This is an important part of the routine as this will determine if you get stuck far from home or not. The basics that you would check on your car, you will want to make sure that you check on your RV. Tires, belts and hoses, the battery as well as looking at the exterior of the vehicle will ensure that everything is operating as it should be. After you have done this check, it is time to go inside and do a check of the vehicle.

Look at all of the elements on the inside. Check at doors and latches to make sure there is no wear and tear that is present on these parts. You will want to make sure that you check that the latches are actually latching and not acting as such and then you take a turn a little fast and half of the stuff that was put away becomes free from its container. This is a common issue that seems to get overlooked and not given a lot of attention. This will be an easy and quick check for you to do.

Go to the bathroom and look at the connections and fixtures to again ensure that you are not dealing with a case of something will break while you are on a trip. Connection or fixture breaks it can cause a mess, damages to your RV and can be quite expensive. A little prevention will cost a lot less than taking the time and money to have something replaced after it had broken without any type of warning.

Try to limit the amount of boiling on the stove. Boiling a lot with windows closed will lead to water collecting in parts of the RV as well as leading to stains that will form. You can easily avoid this by either using your microwave as much as possible, or open widows enough that the boiling water not cause condensation to form and run the risk of causing damage. This is true as well for when you are taking a shower. Try and limit the amount of steam that is allowed to collect inside the RV.

When you are done with a meal, make sure that you get rid of any leftovers and you wash the dishes as soon as you can. Leftover food can attract number of rodents as well as bugs. Keeping the inside clean will be very important to ensure that you are not taking any uninvited guests along on the trip with you. This seems to be the one area that many people miss the boat on and make this mistake on a regular occurrence. The next thing that they know, their home on wheels is being invaded by a number of unwelcome rodents and bugs.

Leaving liquids that can freeze and then explode is another horror that can often be avoided with a little care and time placed into thinking about this. Water, sodas and other liquids that can freeze is one of the biggest issues that a person will experience with their RV. It is not a comforting thought when you discover that the twenty-four pack of sodas have all exploded and made a sticky mess all over the interior of your RV. This can be avoided if you are thinking forward, and remove anything that could freeze and explode causing damage to the inside of your RV. If the RV will not be used in the winter months, then it is important that you take the needed time to do some basic repairs to the outside of the RV as well as on the inside to make sure that moisture from the exterior does not lead to any serious issues such as rotting leather or tires that wind up dry rotting. This only needs to be done about once every month to ensure that everything is as it should be.

Flush out systems and replace hoses regularly. Even if you think that everything is okay, it is a good idea that you go and replace hoses that have been around for a while as to avoid a sudden failure of these hoses while on a trip. This along with a basic tune-up will help to allow the RV to always run at the top performance that it can deliver. If you don't want to do the maintenance yourself, there are a number of places that can do this for you and will not charge an arm and a leg for the services. You may just have to look around a little to find these places in the area that you live in.

All of the mentioned tips will be vital in helping you to maintain your RV to the utmost of care and not lead to you finding your dream trip quickly being reduced down to a nightmare that you deep down wished would just end. This for the most part will be the biggest thing that you need to keep an eye on to ensure that your trip remains your dream. Taking a little care can provide a number of memorable trips.

Urgent RV Sales Are Sometimes Called For

There are really two types of people, those who go on vacation, and those who live on vacation. In just about any walk of life, you have the option of going about things in a ho hum manner, dedicating yourself to something within reason, or going all the way. In Earl's family, the philosophy on most of their hobbies, and especially the way they tailgate and vacation, is go big or go home.

There are those who arrive for a football game a few hours before kickoff, enjoy a hotdog, and then go and watch the game. Some people show up in the morning, eat and drink all day, and then enjoy some pigskin action. Earl's family shows up on Thursday for a game played on Saturday.

There is nothing new about groups of diehard fans that descend on college football venues a day or two in advance of the game. Sometimes they travel a thousand miles or more to enjoy a three-hour game. Of course, it is much more than just the game. It is the camaraderie, the atmosphere, and there is something special about caravanning as an army of fans to a hostile destination.

One year, a few weeks into the season, Earl's family faced an emergency. After years of use, their beloved Franny, the vehicle that they had taken to so many games over so many years, would go no more. Would they stop going to games for the rest of the season? Scale down the way and time that they traveled? No chance. Earl's family was dedicated.

RV sales are not usually something that happen overnight. However, in this instance, Earl's family needed wheels immediately. Thankfully for the family, Earl's dad knew a thing or two about the industry.

Franny was Earl's father's third recreational vehicle. He knew the brands, the features that he wanted, and because he traveled with groups of people who had almost every different model, he was very familiar with what was available, and what a fair price would be.

Deciding whether to look for a sales lot that focused on new or used RV sales was a big choice. Earl's dad opted to look at three different local lots. He was not against buying an old one, but he wanted to know about the history of the vehicle and get a detailed account of any repairs that had been made.

As it turns out, there is a real season for RV sales. As luck would have it, the season had just ended. That meant there were some really good deals to be found, and with great financing options, it was really a buyers market.

Needless to say, the family searched for a vehicle on Monday and Tuesday, purchased Franny's cousin Milly on Wednesday, and Thursday they were on the road heading for the next game.

There is something special about being one with the country, getting on the road, seeing friends and family, and all rooting for the same team. Having a vehicle that allows you to do that really makes for a unique and special experience.

How Do You Do Laundry in a RV

Full time RV living presents many challenges and laundry can be one of them depending on your budget and needs. While leaving the house behind and living on the road generally reduces your household chores and leaves more free time to do the things you enjoy, laundry may be an exception to that.

We personally have three children with us on the road, so laundry is a tad larger task than for most but many of our friends on the road have larger families than us. Either way it can be done frugally or with some flare; it really just boils down to your budget.

Here are some options when it comes to doing laundry on the road:

Got money to burn?

Splendide Washer/Dryer Combo

If money is no object, or you're just big on convenience, and your rig has the necessary facilities then you may choose to go with a Splendide Washer/Dryer Combo or a Haier Washer/Dryer combo. This units fit nicely into the allotted space in most RVs and are widely used by many nomads. These units will wash and dry your clothes with no manual intervention, but your average load size is decreased by their limited capacity. They can be a bit price prohibitive but their ease of use and convenience can offset that initial investment. With the continual increase of those full time RVing out there, I think we'll see more options in this price range over the next few years and their efficiency and price will likely improve.

Got some budget for laundry?

If you have some budget to apply towards laundry but not an endless amount, then this section is for you. There are many options available for the budget minded RVers out there with a little money to spend.

First and foremost, you can save yourself the headache of not having any equipment at all and doing your laundry at the facilities provided by the campground. Typically they cost $4-6 per load but we have seen them offered for less. Aside from not having the expense of the equipment, the units tend to be more of the industrial size so the loads can be larger on average to get more for your money. We have noticed that most machines are in good condition and perform the work efficiently. However, be warned, the larger industrial dryers get very hot and can damage certain types of clothing.

If you have a little money to spend but don't want to spend your time in the campground laundry facility, then you can begin looking into alternatives that make doing laundry manually easier without going to the expense of one of the big combo units mentioned above. These units are compact, inexpensive, and have above average reviews from consumers.

Panda Mini Washing Machine

There are options when it comes to these compact units but I will focus on one set in particular that seem to get the better consumer feedback. If you haven't noticed, I'm big on reviews. If others like a product then there's a decent chance I will too.

First is the compact washing machine. The Panda Mini Washing Machine is a relatively inexpensive option and consumer reviews show that this machine handles both light and heavier loads well. The loads are much smaller than you would run in a standard size machine, but this unit should pay for itself over the course of a few months.

Centrifugal clothes dry

To make the most of your new compact mini washing machine, you may want to pair it with a compact dryer. Centrifugal dryers are not necessarily a new product but certainly one that not many people have a discovered. With a good centrifugal dryer your clothes will get 90-95% dry with no heat. Here is the best valued centrifugal clothes spin dryer on Amazon. This product won't set you back too much and is efficient, effective and easy to use.

Need absolute frugality?

Are you pinching pennies? Many of us are and we need frugal solutions to every day expenses, and laundry is one of them. If you're doing 3 loads of laundry a week then you're spending an average of $60/month if you use the campground facilities. In a single month the following equipment will have paid for itself.

WonderWash

From the same company that makes the aforementioned centrifugal dryer comes the WonderWash. My family has personally owned a WonderWash for a year now and it really does a superb job. This unit is simple, effective and very affordable. The WonderWash is a manual unit and requires roughly three minutes of cranking for each load and several minutes of soaking. One caveat with this unit is that it does not wring out the clothes. One must manually wring them out by hand.

To maintain the frugal theme, there are a variety of ways to fashion a clothesline on your RV site. It can be as simple as a rope tied from the RV ladder to a tree, an expandable drying rack, or a homemade PVC drying rack which attaches to the rear of the unit.

Some Of The Best Reasons To Own A Motorhome

You have a home and a place to live, why on Earth would you want a motorhome?

Well depending on your time of life, there are many good reasons to purchase a motorhome.

When you have all the children at home and need to take those family vacations, it will be so more fun and considerably more convenient than booking hotels or motels. The expense of family accommodation can be quite prohibitive when you are booking several rooms for several days, not to mention the cost of eating-out three meals a day for the whole family.

When you own a motorhome, you are taking a little bit of home with you on the road, things which will be familiar to the kids and you can even take the family pet. There aren't many hotels that will allow you to bring your precious four-legged family member with you these days, due to the inconvenience to other guests and the possible damage they could do to a room.

If your time in life is before kids, with kids, after kids, or maybe even without kids, a motorhome is a great investment!

You can pack up and hit the road on a whim and never have to worry about booking flights or hotels again. Just pack up a few things and take off down the road to destinations known or unknown. You will get to enjoy the sights so much more when you travel at leisure and you can even take side trips to see places you wouldn't normally see on a guided tour or bus trip.

To summarize why you would benefit from owning a motorhome, here are a few good reasons to keep in mind:

• No more problems with accommodation

• You can visit some wonderful locations and even have dinner in your motorhome with the family at a beautiful beach

• Take your family pet wherever you go; pet accommodation is always hard to find

• Travel with some of your favourite home comforts because you have the room

• See places and people you'd never normally visit and sights available only when you go off the beaten track

With a motorhome, you can install several different optional extras that just stay packed onboard, making it much easier to travel, especially with children on board.

No more traveling by car and being cramped up with the kids asking "are we there yet?" They will be watching the road go by in comfort or watching their favorite movie on the DVD/TV set up.

When the road gets boring or the weather turns sour and they can't get out to play, there are always the comforts of home or with video games to play and plenty of space for toys and books.

Your accommodation worries are totally eliminated so you won't ever need to call ahead and book a room or worry about getting bumped off a flight. Your motorhome is well-equipped with beds for all, a kitchenette, and bathroom facilities.

When you're not traveling, your mobile home can act as an extra bedroom when unexpected visitors turn up, they'll find it comfy and so well equipped.

Your motorhome is always waiting for you in the driveway, ready for you to pack up at any time and take the next journey and adventure that awaits you when you hit the open road.