Escapees May June 2015 Demo

Tips

For more tips from Russ and Tiña De Maris visit: www.YourRVPodcast.com.

“Get a short roll of Eternabond tape, too. This stuff will fix a tear on almost any type of RV roof, siding and other stuff.”

Image courtesy of EternaBond www.eternabond.com

Also helpful to have on hand: duct tape. Buy the best you can afford. “Gorilla tape” is great. It sticks well and wears well. Get a short roll of Eternabond tape, too. This stuff will fix a tear on almost any type of RV roof, siding and other stuff. It’s pricier than duct tape, but duct tape won’t fix a roof leak. A short roll of “mending wire” or a coil of baling wire will help you jury-rig a variety of fixes. Teflon tape from the plumbing supply area will help you fix leaky pipe joints, and maybe even a roll of the yellow pipe tape for gas joints. A rechargeable, cordless electric drill is at the top of our list for non-hand tools. We can drill holes, drive screws, even stir paint with the right attachment. And we even keep a corded 3/8-inch electric drill on hand. With the right socket fitting, we use it to jack up and down our travel trailer stabilizer jacks. Works a whole lot faster than bending over and hand-cranking them, and then it’s always available when a big drill job comes along that’s too much for the cordless unit. Where to keep it? Keeping screwdrivers, a utility knife and a tape measure in the junk drawer in the kitchen makes it easier for both of us to get what we often need in a hurry. For the regular repair guy, I find having two different tool bags useful. One keeps the heavy-duty repair tools like wrenches and assorted drivers together. The other is strictly electrical, with the voltmeter, specific electrical repair tools and supplies, and is nice for just grabbing and going to the “scene of the crime.” Set a budget, hit the stores and don’t forget pawn shops. They’re often a great place to pick up bargains that can help you make fixes on the road. Russ and Tiña De Maris, Guest Contributors Long-time RV writers, Russ and Tiña De Maris also produce a weekly In- ternet radio show at YourRVPodcast.com . Or look for Your RV Podcast on the iTunes store.

Safety Tips for RV Parking at Casinos RVers looking for a place to “blacktop boondock” (dry-camping, parking lot-style overnight) soon discover there aren’t too many places that allow free overnight park- ing. Most states discourage overnight parking at interstate rest areas; shopping centers ask RVs to leave at the end of the business day, and even some 24-hour supercenters have posted “No Overnight Parking” signs. You can usually stay overnight at a truck stop, but their parking areas tend to be crowded and noisy. Casino parking lots, on the other hand, are hospitable. Casinos throughout the country welcome adult campers because they know they might receive additional business. And the travelers get a quiet, safe spot to rest for the night without being hassled. Since most casinos are open 24/7, security personnel are on duty all night. Here are a few safety tips for free overnight parking (blacktop boondocking) at casinos: 1) After pulling in, check with security to verify whether you can stay overnight in the parking lot and ask where they want you to park. 2) If the casino has a fee-pay campground as part of the fa- cility, it is essential to check with security to ask about your options for staying overnight. Some casinos will allow you to stay in the parking lot anyway. But there are a number of casinos that require you to pull into their campground if you want to stay for the night. 3) Blacktop boondockers: limit your free overnight stay to a single 24-hour period. 4) If there is no designated area for large vehicles, park on the perimeter of the lot. Don’t take up spaces intended for “Boondocking at a casino is con- venient. Casinos are located all over the country; many within a mile or two of an interstate exit.”

32 . ESCAPEES | May/June 2015 | www.escapees.com