Mr. Wipple Doesn’t Live Here Anymore

Remember that old Charmin toilet paper commercial where Mr. Wipple sold Charmin toilet paper?  That commercial sold a lot of bathroom tissue. So much that everybody wanted Charmin in their bathrooms. Even RVers want that squezzably soft tissue in their RVs.

The problem is that most RV holding tanks do not digest that stuff very well. Charmin as well as other name brands tend to build up in most black tanks creating a bit of messy problem to say the least. For years RVers had to settle for that easily bio-degradable toilet paper that has the consistency of wrapping tissue and the texture of sand paper. It never quite worked as well as the “good stuff” from the grocery store we all became accustomed to. But if we were going to camp or travel in our RVs we had to put up with what wouldn’t clog our tanks. Life was rough!!

Well, thanks to the wonders of modern chemistry, our time spent in our “personal reading room” has now been improved. Unique Manufacturing and Marketing Inc of Arvada, CO has come out with a new product that digests the solid waste black tank build up that plagues all us RVers all the time. Instead of using harsh chemicals that pollute the water system, RV Digest-It Concentrate uses safe bacteria and enzymes that grow by eating and dissolving the solid waste build-up in our back tanks turning that messy gunk into harmless carbon dioxide and water. Not only will this product not harm the environment, it is actually good for the local eco-system. So, all you tree huggers aught to feel warm and fuzzy all over with that news.

This means that we can once again enjoy the soft, perfumed luxury of the “good brand” of toilet paper even when we are away from home. RV Digest-It not only eliminates clogs and back-ups in your black tank system, it also deodorizes your system as well. It’s a two-for. What a country!!

I realize an article about toilet paper and black tanks might not be the proper subject for polite conversations however, for all us dedicated RVers it is a serious subject we have all dealt with at one time or another. The purpose of RVing is to make life a fun adventure and not and ordeal of maintenance headaches. We all know when the black tank backs up nobody has any fun.

You can find this great product in the parts department at Holiday World of Houston and this article is just a friendly reminder that even the most tasteless subjects have a place in the lexicon of all RV enthusiasts. Don’t let a clogged black tank spoil your next trip. Keep reading this blog for the latest in tips and tricks to make your RV lifestyle something to be proud of.

“It’s Wabbit Season”

OK, there is no rabbit season in Texas but hunting season is fast approaching. Almost everyone I know with a hunting lease is unhappy with their accommodations on their lease.

Well, I happen to have the perfect solution. If you’re hunting lease has any kind of water well or electricity going to it then you must buy a used travel trailer that will sleep up to eight people. With a heater and air conditioner along with a stove and microwave, you can have almost all the comforts of home while you are trying to take that trophy buck home with you.

Holiday World of Houston has a huge selection of Government Spec Disaster Relief Trailers for sale starting at just $3995. These have sleeping for eight along with all the amenities that RVs come with including a furnace so you can eat and sleep in relative comfort and security without freezing in the winter.

I know some of you will say, “But those trailers are so bright white it will scare all the game away.” O contraire you Davy Crockett wanna-be’s. When you buy a FEMA Spec Trailer from Holiday World of Houston, not only will you get a trailer that you know will be working properly with out any leaks, but for just a few bucks more, (no pun intended) you can also get it camouflaged to the point that all you will have to do is point your gun out the window to bag that huge boar hog and then go back to cooking your eggs at breakfast.

Don’t worry that there are no holding tanks because I have an old hunter’s trick for you. Dig a posthole about 4-6ft deep. Put some gravel at the bottom and add a little dirt. Place your drain hose in that hole and pack some more dirt around that. Then place some more gravel and rocks around the top and, viola’ instant septic tank. I did it this way for years on my lease so I know it works.

If you want to blend in to the surroundings on your lease then get a camo hunting trailer from Holiday World. Not only will you be the talk of the café, but you may even finally get that 12 pointer you have been missing for years, or not. Regardless you will blend right in and those old dumb deer won’t even know what hit em.

Don’t be a Daffy Duck. All you have to do is follow this link to see what I mean and get one of these unique trailers for your lease. Just fill out the contact form or call and Holiday World will bend over backwards to help you bag your next trophy this season.

Selecting the Right FEMA Trailer

Selecting the right Disaster Relief Trailer can be hard with all the “fly by night” dealers flooding the market. There are auctions that are loaded with trailers in various conditions. The problem is that they have not been looked at since they were last lived in 4 years ago. By now they have sat in some vacant lot baking in the sun and rotting in place. This means the LP, electrical, water and sewer systems have also sat and rotted. LP valves tend to stick and leak. Water pipes get fragile and break the first time under pressure. Electrical wires get chewed on by insects and animals that also live on the lot the trailers were stored on. What this means to you is that it could be a hazard to camp in because of leaking propane and electrical shorts that can cause a fire. At the very least, water pipes burst the minute you open the valve to provide water service to the sink and toilet. 

Buying a Disaster relief Trailer from Holiday World of Houston means you have a trailer that is safe for you and your family to camp in. Our team of certified RV technicians checks the LP system for leaks and repairs anything that might be leaking gas such as a water heater or furnace. They also check the electrical system for shorts and the water system for leaks as well. Technicians also check the major appliances for proper operation. These include the fridge, stove, microwave and air conditioner.

These checks are done on every disaster relief trailer that is not classified as “salvage” or “handyman special”. These trailers get an LP check and a Texas Safety Inspection only.  For all the others, our technicians repair any minor problems with the structure, repair or replace any appliance that is not working such as water heater, furnace, A/C, or microwave.  They also get a Texas Safety Inspection. 

There are two major types of categories of Disaster Relief Trailers. The Dealer Spec Trailers are trailers that were designed and built for RV dealerships across the US. They all have holding tanks and are basically like any other used travel trailer you might find on the market today. Most are bunk house models from major RV manufacturers such as Keystone, Forest River, and Fleetwood. Designed to sleep around 5 or 6 people comfortably with ducted air conditioning, full RV kitchens, and many other options you find in your average travel trailer such as slide-out rooms. The only reason they are classified as disaster relief trailers is because they were purchased by the federal government to be used as emergency housing in case of a natural disaster. 

In contrast, the FEMA spec trailers DO NOT have holding tanks for fresh water and sewer. Most have residential style refrigerators and toilets. They were designed and built specifically for emergency housing by various RV manufacturers such as Gulf Stream, Fleetwood and Monaco. They also sleep 5 or 6 people in a bunk-house design and have an exterior of plain white aluminum or fiberglass with little or no accent stripes or graphics. They do have full kitchens with stove, microwave, and sink. These are perfect for the hunter who wants a place to stay on the hunting with out buying  a fully loaded trailer. 

At the Holiday World of Houston web site, we have the trailers sorted by price level or “grade” with links to each grade listing the available inventory at that price grade. You can use this link to check out our selection of Disaster Relief Trailers and pick yours out today before they are all gone.

Whatever Happened To Just Camping?

I remember camping with my family as a child and all the fun we had getting away from televisions, telephones and the daily stress of life. We would pack up, get out to the country, set up camp and drown a few worms. We might even catch a fish if we held our mouth right. What a country!!

It seems that today all that has changed. With computers, hand held video games and satellite TV, technology follows you like a rain storm so you never get far from your Facebook page.

It seems every RV park and resort today has Wifi, which stands for wireless something, and access to the Internet is only a click or two away. Most motor homes come with automatic satellite TV tracking so you will never miss seeing Dancing with the Stars or American Idol. Don’t even get me started on Play Station or Xbox.

People used to go camping to get away from technology, now they take their technology with them. Social networking was done around a campfire with some smores or at a card table with a set dominoes. We would chat face to face about everything under the sun and no one was ever worried about being voted off the island. Yes, things have changed a bit.

Don’t get me wrong, I love technology and all the neat things one can do with a computer. However, I kind of long for the “good ole days” when we ate what we cooked over the open fire and the ashes seem to make the eggs taste a little bit better. The popcorn was popped in a cast iron skillet and Coke was still in those 6 ounce bottles.

Now, if you can’t cook it in a microwave it doesn’t get eaten.

Gone are the days of clearing the rocks from under your sleeping bag and making sure you have enough little pouches for your Coleman lantern. Camping today has been replaced by LED lights, air mattress beds and sleeping under an air conditioner. What a country!!

Don’t get me wrong, I am all for the latest and the greatest techno stuff even when it comes to camping. But every once in a while my heart yearns for a time when, if it was hot you sweated and when it was cold you shivered. When it rained you got wet and that meant your French fries were soggy. Although, come to think about it, maybe technology isn’t all that bad after all. Any way the time has come to buy an RV and get out of town and enjoy the great wide open spaces we call our home. You can find the largest selection of RVs with the latest in technology at Holiday World of Houston. So, go RVing and enjoy the journey as much as the destination.

Don’t Forget To Check Your Muffler Fluid

My first job in high school was working in an old time, full service independent gas station. I am dating myself, but yes they used to have a place that, for 45 cents a gallon, you would get your oil checked and all you windows washed while a smiling service attendant filled your all steel station wagon with high test.

The manager trained me to service the customers by checking all the fluid levels under the hood. He told me to find the radiator fluid, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid and muffler fluid. Then he stood back and laughed at my inability to find where the muffler fluid went. I figured it out after a while.

Every comedian will tell you that for a joke to be funny there must ne an element of truth to it. Well now there is an element of truth to that muffler fluid joke.

New EPA government regulations now require every new diesel powered engine to have a new chemical added to their exhaust systems that will chemically reduce carbon emissions in the exhaust. This new rule covers every diesel motor from pick-ups to over the road semi-trucks. It even applies to new 2010 diesel motor homes chassis.

All motor home manufacturers are now required to add a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system to all new motor home chassis that will include a 10-13 gallon tank that will hold a chemical called D.E.F. This stands for Diesel Exhaust Fluid or more commonly, Urea. This chemical is injected directly into the exhaust system at the muffler of a diesel engine and chemically burns off excess carbon emissions. The idea is to reduce the carbon footprint of large diesel powered vehicles to help reduce the effects of global warming.

This is the bigger joke. Even if you believe all the hype and propaganda of global warming being caused by mankind instead of occurring naturally, you cannot be pleased with any new regulation that once again unnecessarily infringes on the rights of American citizens. Regardless of your political point of view, the only thing this will accomplish is higher prices for new motor home buyers and higher prices when they fill up with fuel. In the end, as usual, the joke will be on us, the American consumer.

I however, have some news for all those do-gooder fun killers in Washington DC.

They cannot and will not stop freedom loving Americans everywhere from getting out and traveling this great nation we live in with our luxury motor homes belching out glorious black smoke as we cruise up and down the highways and byways enjoying this wonderful land of the free and home of the brave from sea to shining sea. So take that all you fun killing environmentalists. We will not be deterred from traveling this great country and in the end the joke will be on you. In the meantime, we will have to learn to ask each other, “Have you checked your muffler fluid lately?”

BTW, check the great selection of NEW Motor Homes without the new SCR system and GO RVing. You will be glad you did.

Review: The 2011 Fleetwood Discovery Motor Home.

After the turmoil in the RV industry during 2009, one motor home company has emerged as the undisputed leader in 2010. Fleetwood RVs has come out from under its financial troubles leaner and better than they have ever been with an entire new philosophy and lineup in regards to quality motor home production. Topping the list of improvements is the new Discovery series of diesel pusher motor homes.

Leading the way 2011 is the introduction of a 42ft tag axel in two unique floor plans. The 42A features a seperate bunk room in the rear with its own entertainment center and half bath. This 44,600lb coach is perfect for the family to travel in luxury and comfort allowing the kids to play their video games in the back while mom and dad enjoy the peace and quiet of the exceptional air ride suspension system that makes the Discovery famous.

The 42C features more of what makes the Discovery by Fleetwood the #1 selling diesel motor home in the nation. With opposing slides for maximum living space and the amenities of a fully equipped galley along with the ultimate in satellite TV programing, this unique motor home is the epitome in luxury diesel travel.

The Discovery tag axle features an large block, 380HP Cummins engine with 1075ft lbs of torque to pull even the steepest grades and with the 10,000 lb towing capacity you can take you favorite TOAD along with you.

The Discovery is also available in three distinct and shorter floor plans for 2011. The 40G, 40X and the new 36J. In addition to the standard features that include a larger block 380HP Cummins with 1050 ft lbs of torque along with a Allison 3000 MH 6speed transmission that will comply with the new EPA emission regulations, there are many new options for this year.

The full wall slide in the 40G is available with bunk bed or a desk and chair. The opposing kitchen slide offer so much living room you can hold a dance contest on the porcelain tile floor.  The 40X includes a mid coach lounge area with your choice of 2 euro-recliners or air bed sofa couch and a 40” Sony TV and entertainment center to watch your favorite movie even while traveling at 70 miles per hour. The 36J has all the features of the Discovery but with a smaller size for those who just want something a bit shorter.  

With just these five floor plans, Fleetwood focuses on outstanding quality and attention to details unmatched in the RV industry. All Discovery motor homes have certain standards that are met in each and every coach they build.  For instance, a fuel fill receptacle on each side of the coach so you will never be caught on the wrong side. Color side and rear view cameras so you will never be unable to see what is around you. The 8kw Onan Quiet Diesel generator means you will never run out of power for all your stuff.  4 point automatic leveler features one touch leveling you can set from inside the coach. The galley features a GE convection microwave oven, a 12 cu ft 4 door refrigerator with ice maker and water in the door just like home. A Moen faucet with pull out sprayer for those baked on casserole dishes and a solid surface countertop with sink covers and you cannot forget the built-in spice rack. When you include an abundance of adjustable cabinets, you will never run out of room to store all you pots, pans and necessities.

There are just too many features to include all of them in this short article. Let’s just suffice it to say that the 2011 Discovery by Fleetwood is your ultimate home away from home. When you add up the value plus all features and amenities of the 2011 Discovery by Fleetwood, you will never sing that old Billy Joel song “Is That All You Get For Your Money?”

Get to your local Fleetwood dealer today and take the NEW Discovery motor home for a test drive and then drive it home. You will never regret buying a Discovery from a certified Fleetwood RV dealer near you.

Cooking Outdoors In A Keystone RV

The latest thing in home improvement these days seem to be many families taking traditional indoor activities and moving them outdoors. One example of this is the growing popularity of outdoor kitchens. More and more people are adding outdoor living spaces to their homes and outdoor kitchens have become the most popular addition by far.

 Campers and RV enthusiasts have known about this for years. If you have ever cooked over an open fire then you know that food just seems to taste better when prepared and eaten outdoors. There is nothing better than the smell of eggs and bacon and hot coffee in the early morning. As a former Boy Scout, it was even better when a few ashes got in the food. I’m just saying. However, many have never experienced the joy of preparing and eating an outdoor feast with or with out the ashes of an open fire.

Well the folks at Keystone RVs have gone one better by offering an option of a complete outdoor kitchen on many of their travel trailer and fifth wheel models. It is called the “Tailgator Package.” What makes this feature so neat is it has a complete kitchen including a sink with hot and cold running water, a refrigerator and two-burner cook top. There are also a lot of built-in cabinets and drawers along with a solid surface counter top that makes food preparation easy and clean. The cook top swings out to the side with an LP gas connection that plugs directly into the trailers LP system for ease of use. The refrigerator is large enough to accommodate all your cold storage food as well any beverages you care to include. This simple system is designed to make food prep as easy and efficient as cooking at home.

I know some may be thinking that when it rains the outdoor kitchen is useless. Well, Keystone has got you covered there too, literally. Each Tailgator Package packs up neat and tight and is enclosed with an exterior door that is raised and lowered by hydraulic supports. That means that not only will you be able to stabilize the door when it is open in the wind but will also keep the rain off while you are cooking. There is plenty of room under the shelter of the door for two or more people to stand and prepare food so no one will feel crowded. This is just one of the great features you will find even in the lesser priced Keystone RV models.

The reason Keystone goes to such lengths for the regular RV enthusiast is their desire to make camping as easy as possible for everyone to enjoy. This is one of the main reasons why Keystone RVs are the number one selling RV in the country. Check one out at your local Keystone RV dealer today. You will be impressed.

The Fleetwood Encounter: The Ultimate Crossover RV

For years the two most popular motor homes in the RV industry have been the Class A type and the Class C type motor home. The Class C usually offered a cab-over bed for extra sleeping capacity that was beneficial to families with children. Class A motor homes on the other hand had only one bedroom and were designed for individuals or couples to live in full-time.

Class As always offered much more storage underneath the coach and more living room inside the coach. If someone wanted a lot of living space one had to sacrifice sleeping space. If someone wanted a lot of sleeping capacity, you sacrificed storage and living capacity. That was just the way it was. Well not any more.

The innovative folks at Fleetwood RVs have created an entirely new class of motor home that offer the best of both worlds. The Encounter Class A motor home by Fleetwood has all the amenities of a Class A such as pass through storage underneath the coach and multiple slides inside the coach for maximum living space. They have also included an optional “Hide-A-Loft” that adds another bed above the front captains chairs. With a push of a button, another bed drops down from the ceiling and then a blowup queen size mattress creates a comfortable sleeping space anyone in the family can enjoy. When you are ready to hit the road again, touch the same button and the bed retracts to hide in the ceiling.

Another option is the Bed-and-Breakfast Bunks available on the Encounter model 32BH. This option features a fold down bunk on top of a 30” X 70” dinette that will also convert into a bed for even more flexibility when traveling with family. With this option this one of a kind Class A can actually sleep ten (10) people comfortably. This is unprecedented in a Class A motor home until now.

This is no pretend Class A either because the Encounter is powered by the Ford Triton V-10 with over 365hp and 457ft-lb of torque on an 18,000lb chassis. This is no weak sister. This motor home has the guts to take you wherever you want to go and get you back home safe with all the luxuries and amenities you come to expect from Fleetwood RVs. This is why Fleetwood is once again the epitome of motor homes forcing every other RV manufacturer to play catch up once again.

The Fleetwood Encounter is fast becoming the ultimate family friendly Class A and it has been rated class A by motor home owners all over this land. See the BRAND NEW Encounter by Fleetwood at Holiday World of Houston or find it at http://www.holidayworldhouston.com/showroom/10_encounter.asp. This is one coach you will want to make your own, so buy one today.

FEMA Trailer: How To Buy One

FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has turned loose of all their old inventory of Disaster Relief Trailers to the point that they are flooding the market with cheap dirty trailers. There are many RV Dealers who have bought many but a lot are still being sold at auction by individuals. I write this article to help you navigate through the differences.

First of all a FEM Spec trailer is one without holding tanks, usually without a slide and has been setting up for at least 3-4 years in an abandoned lot somewhere just waiting for any lonely animal seeking to get out of the rain to climb into and set up housekeeping. It is dirty and in great need of repair. Repair will include the LP system and water system to holes in the roof or floor. These need plenty of work. But many feel they can fix them up make them work and have a good RV as the end result.

To all you Bob Villa wanna-bes out there, here is a dose of reality. You may be able to fix a floor or a hole but if you have a LP leak or a water leak or a electrical system short, be prepared to spend all you  vacation time  tearing your RV down just to put it back together where it will be safe for you to use. Just because you have watched a few home improvement episodes doesn’t mean you can make the needed repairs on the unit you bought so cheap not to mention the time and labor it is going to take. You need to know what you are doing.

However, if you are bent on buying a cheap trailer, then here is how to do it. For what you pay at your local auction for an “AS IS WHERE IS” FEMA trailer, you are able to find the exact same unit at a certified RV dealer, and get this one you bargain hunter, you can get it for the same price. The difference is, the LP system has already been serviced and certified to be leak free. Along with the water system, electrical system, the appliances and every mechanical aspect of the trailer has been certified to the state to be in working order and fully repaired.

Buying a FEMA trailer from a certified dealer protects you, your family and friends and you know what you are getting rather than buying a pig in a polk. You can save some serious money and have a unit that you can actually use rather then spending all your time working on.

But, if you are still intent on buying some pork, good luck. You might want to call your local RV dealer and get them to give you an estimate on making the repairs you cannot make yourself at the going labor rate of $160 an hour.

To paraphrase and old TV commercial, you can spend the money now or spend the money later. The choice is yours. Listen, my friend. Do yourself a favor and reduce your level of stress. Life is hard enough today as it is.

If you want to buy a Disaster Relief Trailer, then you can get some great bargains out there. However, don’t try to do it yourself. Find a reputable RV Dealer that has been in business a long time. Beware of the guy who rented a dirt lot by the side of the road. Buy your travel trailer from a reputable dealer and enjoy your RV rather than work on fixing it. RVs are fun and extremely useful and affordable for everyone. Now is the time to find the right RV for you and your family Go Rving, and live life to the fullest. You will love RVing it as much as my family and I do.

RV Camping Is Fun

Camping for most people means a tent and sleeping on a mat on the ground. If this doesn’t sound good to you, then camping in a RV is what you need to try. This is the ultimate outdoor adventure. 

RV’s come in many sizes and shapes. RVs start with campers that fit in the bed of a pickup truck. Most will have a toilet, shower, beds and even a full kitchen included. 

Next there are van conversions called Class B motor homes that are basically a cargo van converted into a camping vehicle. Many even have a raised roof for more head room. These units, like the truck camper, will have the same amenities. 

Next up is the Class C motor home. Although it looks like a pickup or van from the front, the similarity ends there. There is a sleeper extension over the cab and the back-end looks like any motor home you are probably familiar with. The Class C has all the amenities of home including a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living room. You could live in a Class C. 

The next step us is the Class A motor home. This has the most room of all motorized RVs. RVs and motor homes are like little one bedroom apartments. They are fully self-contained. You will find luxury from the four person dinette to the queen size bed. You even have a microwave oven in addition to a refrigerator and a stove. They can even come with ice makers that can make over 20 pounds of ice each day. Now you are ready to party! 

If that weren’t enough choices, there are still the trailers. First of all, a travel trailer is one you can pull behind a truck or a large SUV. A trailer that attaches to a hitch in the bed of a truck is called a 5th wheel. Both of these trailers are equally as luxuriant as the best motor home. They cost a lot less and that is the biggest advantage. 

You can buy new or used. No matter which way you go, you should do a lot of research on the Internet first. Find out as much as you can about RVing. You can find our a lot by searching in your favorite search engine for an RV forum. 

When you decide that an RV might be for you, attend an RV show or two. Several dealers and vendors will get together at stadiums or fairgrounds and do an RV show to sell every type of RV there is. You can always find and RV show where several dealers come together to display and sell their inventory. 

If you really are not sure you would like to spend $40,000 or $250,000 on a hobby you are not sure you would like, buy a used RV. There are even some pre-owned RVs you can get into for under $10,000. 

Camping in an RV is a fun adventure awaiting you and your entire family.