"Let's look at this in a true dollars and cents manner. If you plan on driving 5,000 miles this RV season and get only 10 miles-per-gallon then you will be buying 500 gallons of gasoline to enjoy your RV lifestyle and spend quality time with your family and friends and do the things that are important to you.
500 Gallons at $3.00 a gallon ($1500) are out of the question - you will not see that this year!
Right now there are reports of $4.00 a gallon and predictions that it will go higher. Let's assume it goes all the way up to $5.00 a gallon (sure hope not), and that means you will spend $2500, or $1000 more than you expected.
Spread this out over 365 days and it is only $2.74 per day. You probably spend that on parking meetings or a Starbucks coffee/latte, so is it really that bad? And that's the worst case scenario. I suspect the gas will settle in around $4.00 a gallon so you may only have a $1.37 a day addition to your budget." From: http://rvinsights.blogspot.com/2011/02/ggggggas.html
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High gas prices: how to make fewer trips to the pump, "Drive and Save"
"Every time you bear down on the "gas pedal" more money flies out the exhaust pipe. Let entropy work in your favor: When approaching a stop or slowing down for a speed zone change, get your foot off the accelerator and coast (in gear) rather than brake to slow. Coasting to decelerate saves fuel and cuts down on brake wear.
Leaving the stop line, don't make like the 40 yard dash. A controlled, easy acceleration can save as much as 10% on your fuel economy. Picture an egg between your foot and the pedal. Ease down on the gas to increase speed. At highway speed while on level roads kick in the cruise control. It's best to leave the cruise-o-matic "off" when doing hills.
Your RV is like a big house rolling down the highway as it presents a large front to the air. If you push up to over 55 miles per hour the wind resistance against "Moe Moe the Motorhome" can really drop your economy--as much as 2% for every mile of speed over the double nickel mark.
If your rig averages 10 miles to the gallon and you have a 300 mile trip ahead of you, sure, you'll get there a half hour quicker if you drive 60. But if you keep it to 55, you'll save a considerable amount of cash at current fuel prices.
Gas engine drivers, a low-cost vacuum gauge will help you visualize fuel savings. As a general rule the higher the "vac" the less the fuel being consumed. Got a turbo diesel? Some turbo drivers say if they keep the boost to five pounds or less greater distances between fill ups result. We've found keeping a hawk eye on the exhaust gas temperature means a lot in terms of economy. The higher the exhaust temp--particularly when traveling on the level--means more pain at the fuel pump." More at: http://rvtravel.com/RVusing/RV_fuel_price_rise_How_to_see_less_of_the_pump.shtml
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We Test the Tips What Really Saves Gas? And How Much?
"With gas prices so high, the media is awash with lists of gas-saving tips. Well how's this for a tip? If you listen to us, you can see hybrid-type savings without having to buy a new car.By changing your driving habits you can improve fuel economy up to 37 percent right away (depending on how you drive). Combine several tips and perform routine maintenance and you will save real dollars, not just pennies.
A miracle? All we did was take several of the most common tips out there and put them to the test over a remote 55-mile route in the high desert of California. Some of them worked like a charm. Some of them didn't work at all. We'll give you the breakdown.
These tests were done under real-world conditions — not in a government lab somewhere. Our results can be matched by anyone — even you.
The wonderful part about what we found is that improving your car's mileage is just a matter of changing your habits. Stack a few of these winners together and we'll bet that you'll see a substantial savings at the pump — without the need for a new car.
Test #1 Aggressive Driving vs. Moderate Driving
Result: Major savings potential
The Cold Hard Facts: Up to 37 percent savings, average savings of 31 percent
Recommendation: Stop driving like a maniac.
Aggressive vs. Moderate Driving: read the entire test
Test #2 Lower Speeds Saves Gas
Result: Substantial savings on a long trip
Cold Hard Facts: Up to 14 percent savings, average savings of 12 percent
Recommendation: Drive the speed limit.
Lower Speeds Saves Gas: Read the entire test
Test #3 Use Cruise Control
Result: Surprisingly effective way to save gas
Cold Hard Facts: Up to 14-percent savings, average savings of 7 percent
Recommendation: If you've got it, use it.
Cruise Control: Read the entire test
Test #4 A/C On, Windows Up vs. A/C Off, Windows Down
Result: Nice in theory; not true in practice
Cold Hard Facts: No measurable difference (unless you open the sunroof, too!)
Recommendation: Please, make yourself comfortable.
Air Conditioner: Read the entire test
Test #5 Check Your Tire Pressure
Result: Important for safety and to reduce tire wear
Cold Hard Facts: No measurable effect on the vehicles we tested
Recommendation: Check your tire pressure often but don't expect a big savings.
Tire pressure: Read the entire test
Test #6 Avoid Excessive Idling
Result: More important than we assumed
Cold Hard Facts: Avoiding excessive idling can save up to 19 percent
Recommendation: Stopping longer than a minute? Shut 'er down.
Excessive idling: Read the entire test
More at: http://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/we-test-the-tips.html
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Hitching Post is proud to feature the Revolution™ series of LED Bulbs for the RV Industry
"We all know that LED's draw less power and last thousands of hours longer than an incandescent bulb. The problem has been that most LED light bulbs on the market give off very little (and poor) light, and are rather expensive. Until now, Starlights, Inc., has just completed development of a low cost, high quality LED line of light bulbs for inside and outside use, dubbed "The Revolution" series. Starlights' team of engineers have been working on this project for over 2 years. Finally, they came up with a 'Revolutionary' new way to make LED bulbs by patenting a design in which they were able to load up all of the LED components on one side and the bulb rotates. Reducing the number of components, thereby reducing the price they also direct all of the light by rotating to the exact location needed by the consumer. "
From: http://www.rvledbulbs.com/
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Clean your fridge flue:
Fire Safety Tip from Mac McCoy "If you store your coach, be sure to check the flue before starting your refrigerator on propane. Birds and insects can build nests and clog the flue, causing a fire or excess carbon monoxide to enter your coach."
More at: http://lifeontheopenroad.blogspot.com/2011/01/can-this-be-prevented.html
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Yesterday, Jay went shopping with me in Conroe, so he could load the last piece of wooden ceiling panel in the van. We won't need the complete piece, but we have a use for the cut-off.
We went to our favourite thrift shop first. Their T-shirts used to be 50 cents, but last week they went up to a dollar, now this week they are 2 dollars, so we left, empty handed.
We know where they are still only 50 cents, but we didn't get there yesterday, as we had to rush to Whataburger so Jay could get there in time for a Breakfast Ranchero. Then after going to the bank, Tobacco Barn, Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot and Petsmart, we were so beat that we didn't even go to Krogers. So I will have to go shopping again this week.
The little puny kitten, "Precious", wouldn't eat, so I was very worried about her. I thought maybe she was 'bunged up' and gave her a little Karo syrup. That straightened her out, and now she is eating well. They are eating Avoderm and Science Diet special canned kitten food, and nibbling at the dry Wellness kitten food, but still want their bottle! Once this third can of milk replacement powder, ($14.00 a can), is gone, I won't be buying any more, so they had better get used to it.
Today:
The windows are open throughout the house, so Prime and Bobcat are enjoying the great weather on the screen porch.
As there was a breeze, Ray cleaned the filters on my house AC's and air cleaners, while waiting for Jay and I to finish sawing, so he could paint. I had shown Jay the problems with the side of the closet in the cargo trailer, yesterday. So he fixed it by cutting a new board out of the 4' x 8' sheet of ceiling panel that I had bought yesterday. Ray primed both sides of it, and the rest of that panel.
While Ray was painting, Jay and I got downwind of him, so the sawdust wouldn't fly onto the freshly painted primer, and made the top shelf and it's supports for the closet.
No sense in taking pictures until it is all painted, but Ray was able to get all that primed today.
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